News
Infrequent updates from the band
05 Mar. 2016 - Spring ceilidh, Bergen
Bergen Pipes & Drums provided the warm-up act and interlude entertainment for Helensburgh ceilidh band Crowded Croft at the Bergen Scottish Society Spring Ceilidh.
12 Feb. 2016 - Youth Olympic Games, Lillehammer
Pipe Major Thomas de Ridder played at the opening of the Youth Olympic Games curling event in Lillehammer.
23 Jan. 2016 - Burns Supper, Bergen
The band played at the Bergen Scottish Society Burns Supper, helping celebrate the life and works of Scotland's national Poet, Robert Burns.
08 Nov. 2015 - Remembrance Day, Bergen
Bergen Pipes & Drums is playing today at the Commonwealth war memorial at Møllendalen in Bergen at the annual commemmoration organised by the Commanding Officer of Bergenhus fortress and the British Consul. Afterwards the band is playing at an informal reception organised by Stiftelsen Krigsveteranenes Kinne at Kronstad Hovedgård. The event is open to the public.
07 - 08 Nov. 2015 - Band workshop, Bergen
The band is holding its autumn workshop with Anders Jensen, Kristian Jersing and Chris Djuritschek from grade 2 pipe band Balagan. The two day workshop involves individual tuition, separate sessions for the bagpipe, snare drum and tenor and bass sections and ensemble training for the whole band.
11 Sep. 2015 - Kulturnatten, Bergen
Bergen Pipes and Drums led a bagpipe procession from Holbergsalmenning, round Fisketorget and over Bryggen to Rozenkrantstårnet as part of Kulturnatten 2015. There were several stops along the way for performances and information about bagpiping, Scottish music and the band, with a large crowd following the band the whole way.
24 Aug. 2015 - Byfest, Otta
The band is just back from a weekend tour to Oppland in eastern Norway to play at Otta Byfest. The busy schedule included a gig on the main stage, a flash mob in the town's main shopping centre and supporting up-and-coming country star Becca. A big thanks to Otta, Otta Hotell and Pillarguri Cafe for great hospitality!
12 Aug. 2015 - World Championships
Balagan pipe band came 12th in the grade 2 finals at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, achieving the highest placing ever for a Scandinavian band. Bergen Pipes & Drums members Thomas de Ridder and Gregor Campbell play in Balagan, as do BP&D's drum instructors Tim Djursing and Anders Jensen. This was the first time that Balagan has taken part in the world championships.
Johnstone pipe band won the grade 2 competition and Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia won the grade 1 competition, bringing the title back to Scotland for the first time in many years.
26 Jul. 2015 - Article in Bergensavisen and video
Bergensavisen (BA) published a two page article about Bergen Pipes & Drums and amateur cultural life in Bergen today: - Det er gøy å kunne lage litt lyd uten å trenge forsterker. The article kicked-off a series of articles the newspaper is planning for the autumn about amateur cultural organisations in Bergen.
The band is a member of Amatørkulturrådet i Bergen, an organisation that promotes amateur cultural activities and helps amateur cultural organisations in Bergen.
- Dette var et stort og flott oppslag og er med på å synliggjøre og fortelle om alt det spennende som finnes av lag og organisasjoner innen byens amatørkulturliv, sier daglig leder i Amatørkulturrådet, Geir Eikenes.
23 Jun. 2015 - Summer gigs
The band played at the launch of Global Future Venneforening on Bryggen on Tuesday 16 June and is pleased to announce three more gigs for the summer/early autumn season:
- 22-23 August: Byfest, Otta
- 29-30 August: Bergenhusdagene, Bergen
- 11 September: Kulturnatten, Bergen
14 Jun. 2015 - Scandinavian champions
Balagan pipe band won the grade 2 title at the Scandinavian Pipe Band Championships. Bergen Pipes & Drums members Thomas de Ridder and Gregor Campbell also play in Balagan, as do BP&D's drum instructors Tim Djursing and Anders Jensen. Balagan is a newly established band and this was it's first attempt at a competition.
17 Mar. 2015 - Scottish Diaspora Tapestry exhibition opening
The band played at the opening of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry exhibition at the town hall in Bergen. The exhibition has been arranged by Bergen Scottish Society and was opened by Tom Christer Nilsen, the Mayor of Hordaland.
11 Mar. 2015 - New look bass drum heads arrived
The band commissoned a new design for the bass drum heads from Reinelinjer and this was printed on Hosbilt heads by Mayor Drum Supply. The heads arrived today and will be installed in time for the next gig.
01 Mar. 2015 - New band website launched
After a long period of internet blackout, the band finally launched it's new website. Thanks to Reinelinjer for their help in putting this together.
