Revitalized Grade 2 MacKenzie Caledonian re-emerge with experienced personnel and new leaders

After the 2022 competition season, the Grade 2 MacKenzie Caledonian of Dundee, Scotland, decided to shut down while the band sought to recruit new leaders and personnel. The expansive Mac-Cal pipe band organization continued with its lower-grade bands.

But rather than ask to move down a grade or even dissolve, the organization’s top band remained an RSPBA member, registered as Grade 2 for all three seasons.

Now, the Grade 2 MacKenzie Caledonian is back under the leadership of Pipe-Major Allan Low and Leading-Drummer David Richardson, and has revealed that former MacKenzie and former Grade 2 Vale of Atholl pipe-major Jamie Falconer has joined as pipe-sergeant.

As many as 20 former Grade 2 Vale of Atholl players have come with Falconer and Richardson to MacKenzie, resulting in a suddenly strong MacKenzie roster of both pipers and drummers.

The Vale of Atholl organization announced in October 2025 that it was shutting down its Grade 2 band, after the exodus of Falconer and many members. Falconer was reportedly planning to develop a new pipe band entity, but ultimately decided to return to MacKenzie.

There’s a significant potential rub with the rejuvenated MacKenzie Caledonian: will the RSPBA accept its return to Grade 2 after a three-season hiatus? So far, there’s no indication from the association that there’s any question. Players from the Grade 2 band have been playing in the MacKenzie Grade 3A band over the last three years and will move back to the revitalized Grade 2 band.

“This group of players joining us was something that was supported by all the existing members of the band.” – Pipe-Major Allan Low

“We have had a lot of players with Grade 2 experience join the band in January,” Low said.  “This group of players joining us was something that was supported by all the existing members of the band. We knew this would have a big impact on our players from last year, as we would have to learn music to compete at the Grade 2 level quite late in the off-season. It was important that this was supported by the vast majority of the band and not by a simple majority.”

Low added that the expanded group has been practicing together since January, preparing for the 2026 season. Low and Falconer previously played together in MacKenzie.

“I didn’t know David previously but was impressed by his corps when hearing the Vale, and that has been reinforced when playing alongside David and the corps at practices.”

The return of MacKenzie offsets the absence of Glasgow Skye Association in the UK’s Grade 2 scene. Glasgow Skye recently announced it would enter a competitive hiatus in 2026 as it rebuilds following the departure of its leaders and numerous players.

Founded in 1919, MacKenzie Caledonian is one of the world’s longest-running civilian pipe band organizations. The Grade 2 band’s most successful season was in 2018 when it won the grade at the UK and was second at the British Championships under Pipe-Major Neil Nicholson. Through the mid-20th century, MacKenzie gained a reputation as a strong teaching and feeder band, producing many players who went on to other competitive bands in Scotland.