News
June 16, 2025

RSPBA concludes six-month Commonwealth grading saga: Grade 3A

It’s probably purely coincidental that the Commonwealth Pipes & Drums logo features a Minuteman, a Revolutionary War private soldier ready to fight for fair representation. Still, after a six-month process, the Massachusetts-based band will be permitted to compete at the 2025 World Championships as the Grade 3A group they are under the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, the band’s home association.

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association informed the band that their original Grade 3A application will be honoured. In March, the RSPBA had moved the band to Grade 2, which the band immediately appealed, with supporting information from the EUSPBA.

According to Commonwealth Pipe-Major Adam Holdaway, the RSPBA said the three-month appeal decision came after “a long and extensive review of all the paperwork.”

Commonwealth Pipes & Drums competing at the 2024 Glengarry Highland Games.

The RSPBA’s March 18, 2025, “Music Board Gradings March 2025” news story stated that Commonwealth’s elevation to Grade 2 was at the band’s request: “Commonwealth Pipe Band – New Band Requesting Grade 2 ACCEPTED.” Holdaway said that his band never requested an upgrade and provided a copy of their application to compete at the World’s. The RSPBA’s news story has not been amended.

“We can now focus on doing our best and enjoying our trip to Scotland this summer.” – Adam Holdaway

“We’re really pleased to be competing in the RSPBA in the grade that aligns with EUSPBA and PPBSO (ANAPBA) grading,” Holdaway said. “We can now focus on doing our best and enjoying our trip to Scotland this summer.”

RSPBA Executive Officer Colin Mulhern has not responded to a request for official comment on why the appeal took three months.

“The EUSPBA is delighted to hear that the Commonwealth Pipes & Drums have received their desired, and what we felt to be their proper, grading from the RSPBA,” EUSPBA President Bill Caudill said. “We regret the time it took to come to this conclusion, as well as the frustration and potential damage to the band during this period of indecision.  We feel that the final decision is correct, and wish the Commonwealth band and all other EUSPBA member bands participating in the 2025 World’s all the best of luck in their endeavours.”

Since being surprised by the regrading, Commonwealth added a new MSR to its repertoire in the event the band had to compete in Grade 2. Holdaway said that the band lost two pipers and a drummer due to the pressure of the extra workload of preparing for two sets of musical requirements, and the added stress of possibly competing in Grade 2.

For decades, the RSPBA’s regrading of non-member bands applying to compete at its competitions has been a topic of concern and confusion.

At the Alliance of North American Pipe Band Association’s 2005 summit meeting in Winnipeg, then-RSPBA Chair Kevin Reilly committed his organization to cease the then-new practice of regrading non-member bands. At that time, the RSPBA had relegated the Grade 1 City of Washington to Grade 2, reportedly based on only two performances at the 2005 World Championships.

“I hope that associations around the world can begin to work together to confirm proper grading when bands compete outwith their home organization,” Holdaway added. “Involving individual bands and their members and taking them through an arduous and unnecessarily complicated process does more harm than good.”

 

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