About the Band and its history

The History of our Band

… begins in 1977 when the first Pipe band at all in northern Germany was founded in Hamburg under the name of „Die Sackpfeifen“.
This laid the foundation for an ever-evolving Pipe scene. The band was built-up and also branched out and carries the name „Hamburg Caledonian Pipes and Drums“ since 2008. Since then the band has been a non-profit organisation and since the beginning of 2017 also a registered association.

Our name shows the connectivity with our hometown Hamburg as well as with Scotland because „Caledonia“ comes from the Romanic name for the borders of the modern Scotland. Our members come from Hamburg and its surroundings. Our tartan is the Ancient Caledonian.

In the early 1980s Alan Campell from Scotland and Alan Eaton from Canada showed some enthusiastic boys from Hamburg the first steps on the practice chanter and bagpipes. Later there were contacts with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, who were stationed in Fallingbostel/ Lower Saxony. At that time it was Pipe major John Bruce as well as his successor Pipe major Bryon Brotherton who were teaching the band. In the mid1990s, some Bandmembers of the Hamburg Caledonian Pipes &Drums Re-established contacts with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Pipes and Drums, Princess Louise´s. Some of the Canadians lived in Germany temporarily.

During that time, there were international performances in Germany, the Netherlands and in Belgium. The highlight was the participation in the „World Pipe band Championships“ in Glasgow. Up to the 2000s there were also performances at the „Bundeskanzlerfest“(Federal Chancellor´s Festival) in Bonn, the “Europafest” in Erfurt, in Wurzen / Pfalz, Leipzig trade fair, at the „Kieler Woche“ and the Hamburg Police show. In the years 1997 and 1999 we played together with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Pipes and Drums, Princess Louise´s at the Police show. Some HCPD member played – as representatives of the City of Hamburg – at the Canadian International Military Tattoo in Hamilton / Ontario. The whole Band participated at the Canadian Military Tattoo in the years 2001,2002, 2004, 2007 and 2010.

Since than a lot happened: sometimes the circumstances in life are changing, members leaving the band, new members joining in. A new generation of musicians is growing, new and different contacts are emerging. Since 2010 we are emerging from a change of generation that strengthens us and the band is growing.

The Hamburg Caledonian Pipes & Drums are playing at different private and public Events in the north German area nowadays. Since the year 2008 we are very happy to be part of events like „Movimento“ in Norderstedt / Schleswig-Holstein, at the „Eulenfest“ in Quickborn / Schleswig-Holstein, at the „Irish im Koog“ in Westerdeichstrich or at the „Kulturnacht“ in Friedrichstadt, just to name a few, which we are playing every year.

We also like to be guest at Highland Games, where we like to accompany Scottish sports with our Scottish music.
So far, we have also had a lot of fun on charity events like the Starpyramide in Hamburg-Harburg or on the 25th anniversary of „Appen musiziert“ in 2015.

There are also unique opportunities, in 2013, when we had the honor to lead the delegation of British Isles & Ireland to the Parade on the occasion of the 96th Lions Club International Convention around the Lake Binnenalster in Hamburg. As one of the 27 music groups from Germany, we took part in a competition during the parade and won the second place (Music and general expression / marching and manoeuvring). In 2017 we had another unique opportunity, when we had been invited to Sonderborg / Danmark where we were asked to do our music on the biggest Ringriderfestival in Northern Europe. One the unforgettable moments were common concerts witht the Band of the Irish Guards. End of 2017 / Beg of 2018 we joint the massed bands for Tattoos in Berlin and Bremen.

We are starting our musical year in the end of January, since 2010 with a Burns Night in Kayhude/Schleswig-Holstein near Hamburg in honour of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (born January 25, 1759). At the restaurant „Alter Heidkrug“ we spend some nice hours with our guests with Scottish food and Scottish music.

Our musical year also includes the event „Music from Scotland“, founded in 1987 by our honorary member and glass sculptor Uwe Fossemer in Itzstedt / Schleswig-Holstein. This evening unites musicians from all over Germany who come together for joy and music without making any money and the proceeds are benefited to Schulverein Nahe. In 2017 we celebrated with more than 50 musicans the 30th Jubilee oft hat event. We are very happy as ‚house band‘ that the venue will contiune from 2018 under new guidance.

In addition to our training sessions, which serve the common learning and playing of the Scottish bagpipe and drum music, many of our band members have also arranged additional and individually organized trainings- also at the Collage of Piping in Glasgow/Scotland. Furthermore, we regularly organize practice weekends, to which we invite teachers from Scotland, to musically train us and to study new tunes.

Some members of the band have participated in competitions and recorded considerable placements and reviews.

If you are interested to hear from us from time to time, please see out website and ask for our newsletter, which we distribute in irregular intervals.

As we train our young Talents ourselves, we always look forward to those who are interested in taking part in a training session. Come and join us!
Don’t hesitate to contact us. For further questions, please contact us via e-mail at kontakt@hcpd.de or via phone at +49 (0) 1520 529 10 61.