Do all pipers wear kilts?

[kiltimabar]

But wouldn't tartan trews be considered Highland dress?

[EagleJCS]

Actually Richard, in the EUSPBA-sanctioned contests, it's the venue that decides whether competitors have to appear in Highland dress. There's nothing in the published EUSPBA rules that says anything about what's worn while competing. Most venues do have a statement of some sort regarding 'Highland apparel' though.

Trews are considered Highland attire, so they would be OK at the events I am involved in. (I've actually seen a couple of soloists wearing trews, but no bands.)

[PEEDYC]

Many years ago when I was in the Boys Brigade our pipe band won many championships including the Worlds. In one year they won every competition they entered and were presented with a special plaque by the then Glasgow Police Pipe Band who were also a world champion winning band. The band wore their uniform of the time which was NOT kilts.

[O'Callaghan]

The Irish Pipe Band Association don't appear to require any particular attire, but they award separate prizes for dress and deportment. All the bands seem to turn out in matching kilts, no doubt because of this incentive.

[Jerry]

I am going to post some pix of the Richmond based X-Band that performed at my son's wedding this past Saturday, but it will probably take a while because most of the pics are on my wife's camera and my computer doesn't have her software installed. But the lead piper played in jeans and a tee shirt.

[piperdbh]

If the OP means individual 'pipers, not related to a band, playing a gig somewhere, then yes, most of us wear the kilt. However, sometimes a 'piper won't have access to a kilt, so he/she dresses appropriately and plays the gig that way.

[Jerry]

Piperdbh, The X-band piper, David Hinton, is a member of the Virginia Scots guards and wore the full Va Guards uniform to pipe my son and his lovely new bride back into the forest clearing where they held the wedding ceremony and then changed into jeans and a tee shirt for the band,s performance, The drum set player did wear a kilt, but no one else in the group did. The X-Band group plays a style similar to Clan An Drumma and Albannach. David was actually a friend of Joe MacKenzie, late of Clan An Drumma

[Pyper]

Bands are only required to be in matching uniform.

In addition to EagleJCS's comment, bands in EUSPBA are not required to wear uniform attire. I think we all to do to a greater or lesser extent, but in our band we have mis-matched sporans and hat pins, and in some other bands they have mis-matched kilts. Shirts generally seem to match, but that limits us pretty severely, as there are few options that are available in men's, women's, and children's sizes.

Since under the rules you can have dual musicians, you could have someone in one band play pipes, and in another play tenor drum, and in that case you might have a tenor drummer in a totally mis-matched uniform (which we did exactly a few years ago once or twice).

[OC Richard]

WUSPBA rules state

"Therefore, appropriate conduct at Highland games sanctioned by the WUSPBA includes promptness at all events; the wearing of appropriate Highland dress while on the field; ..."

RSPBA rules state

"Dress
3.47 At all contests Bands must appear in uniform dress which must be the same except for minor detail, e.g. where Drummers wear uniform different to that of the Pipers.

3.48 Any further exception must have the approval of the National Council."

As mentioned above, evidently EUSPBA does not have rules about dress but I've heard it stated that "most" individual contests require Highland Dress both to compete and to receive prizes. I wonder which contests do not (if any), and what pipers wear at these contests.