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 The Hamilton Police Grade Three Pipe Band World Champion, Grade 3B, Drum Corps, 2005 North American Grade Three Pipe Band Champions, 2006 Two-time Grade Three Canadian Pipe Band Champions, 2005-2006 The Hamilton Police Grade Three Pipe Band is a blend of young and experienced players, with seasoned pipers and drummers mentoring and playing alongside some of the top young players in the southern Ontario region.
Days after arriving, the band won the North Berwick Highland Games, finishing
ahead of many of the top Grade 3A and 3B bands in Scotland. It then finished 9th in Grade 3B at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland,
with the band's snare line and mid-section ranked first. They were awarded
a silver cup, signifying a world championship.
You can hear an MP3 file of the
Musicians in the band range
in age from 14 years to the other side of 40 years. In all, there are
18 pipers in the Grade Three band, and another 12
musicians on the snare line and drum mid-section.
The Grade Three band is led by Pipe Major Peter Aumonier, a top
solo competitor and nationally-regarded judge, and former member of the famed Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
organization. Another nationally-known musician, John Gaudet, leads the drum corps, with instruction by Ian Madeiros.
After weighing a move to Grade Two, the band decided to refine its
Grade Three position for the 2006 season, with
intentions of returning to Scotland in 2007 and trying for a world title. This year, the band won the contests at Hanover, Georgetown, Hamilton, Kincardine, Chatham and Maxville, where the band was again a North American champion. It completed a perfect season by winning at Fergus. Undefeated, the band handily won the PPBSO's champion supreme title.
2006 Band Roster Side Drums |
In
its first year in Grade Three - having nearly swept Grade Four contests in 2004
- the band won at Hanover, Hamilton, Kincardine and Chatham, before packing up
and heading to Scotland in August 2005.