USA’s Commonwealth still waiting to hear from RSPBA on grading appeal

With about eight weeks to go, the Commonwealth Pipes & Drums of Massachusetts is yet to know whether it must compete in Grade 3A or Grade 2 at the World Championships.

The band took official steps almost a month ago to appeal to the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association to reconsider its abrupt promotion in March 2025. The Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, of which Commonwealth is a member, also sent official affirmation that the band is of Grade 3 standard.

Since March, the band has scrambled to add another MSR to its repertoire if they had to play in Grade 2. The band had already purchased travel and accommodation for their week-long trip to Glasgow.

According to Pipe-Major Adam Holdaway, his band has not heard anything from the RSPBA since filing their appeal.

“The band as a whole is very discouraged from the lack of communication and transparency on the part of the RSPBA.” – Commonwealth P-M Adam Holdaway

“We are well into the competition season and a mere eight weeks from the World Championships,” Holdaway said. “The band as a whole is very discouraged from the lack of communication and transparency on the part of the RSPBA.”

Holdaway said that the band has 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.

“All correspondences and enquiries on our part were answered in a timely manner; in most cases, the same day,” Holdaway added. “What should have been a closed case many months ago when the EUSPBA Music and Grading Board affirmed our grading, has turned out to be an arduous task that has lasted since January when we submitted our application.”

RSPBA Chief Executive Colin Mulhern has not yet responded to a request for a comment on the matter.

“We’ve been disheartened by the uncertainty around our grading, particularly with the World Championships approaching,” Commonwealth Leading-Drummer Scott Armit said. “We’ve responded promptly to every inquiry, yet the lack of resolution has dragged on. Being asked to prepare a second MSR on short notice and without a full offseason has been a real challenge.”

“For many of us, it’s chipped away at the enjoyment we take from this hobby.” – Commonwealth L-D Scott Armit

The grading discrepancy apparently resulted from the RSPBA believing that Commonwealth’s roster included two members with enough upper-grade experience to warrant the band’s elevation to Grade 2. The band’s appeal outlined that, while the members in question – a tenor drummer and a piper – had registered with EUSPBA Grade 2 bands within the last five years, they did not compete.

EUSPBA President Bill Caudill commented: “We have supported the Commonwealth band’s efforts to receive a correct and fair grading by the RSPBA. The EUSPBA has promptly provided all the roster information requested in this effort, and our Music Board has agreed that their Grade 3A status is accurate based on RSPBA and world standards. We hope the RSPBA would honour a commitment made some years ago to the Alliance of North American Pipe Band Association (ANAPBA, of which the EUSPBA is a member) to honour home association grading for North American bands.”

According to financial statements, the RSPBA took in £259,335 (US$350,860) from the 2024 World Championships and spent £175,016 ($236,774) on the event, resulting in a profit of £84,319 ($114,072). The winning Grade 1 band in 2024 was believed to have received £1,500 ($2,090).

“We remain hopeful for a fair and prompt outcome for the band’s request, particularly since we are now a little under two months from the World’s,” Caudill added. “The band has spent thousands of dollars, and much personal effort on behalf of the band members to commit to this trip, and the leadership has been forthright and honest in all dealings with the RSPBA. Again, we remain hopeful for a positive and fair resolution to this grading question.”

By members and geography, the EUSPBA is by far the world’s largest piping and drumming organization.

“For many of us, it’s chipped away at the enjoyment we take from this hobby,” Armit added. “Associations should be helping members, not hurting them.”

This story was amended at 11:18 ET, June 9, 2025, with the addition of comments from EUSPBA President Bill Caudill.