About Us

The Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band was established in 1925 and is based in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The band has a close affiliation with Manawatu Scottish Society and this extends back to when the band was first formed. The bands organisation comprises of the main Number One Band, Grade Three Youth Development Band, Supporters Club and an administrative body.

The Number One Band

The Number One Band are seven times Grade One New Zealand Champion band having first won this title in 2001.

In 2002 the band attended the Australian and South Pacific Championships in Brisbane where they won both Grade One titles, the first band since 1974 to win both Australian and New Zealand Champion titles in one year.

The band has developed an international profile with encouraging forays to Scotland to attend the World Pipe Band Championships in 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009, the band currently holds a creditable 10th position in the World. In addition, the band was invited to perform at the renowned Internationale Celtique Festival, Lorient, France in 2003.

The Band enjoys a growing reputation as a concert band. The two key factors of innovation and musicality influence the bands concert format leading to a staunch local following and increasing interest in other centres and overseas.

In 2002 the bands first CD "The Calling" was produced showcasing it's homegrown talents reflective of the highest international standards. The band released its second recording in 2009 titled "Twelve Thousand Miles", named after the distance many of the ancestors travelled over 150 years ago to New Zealand.
Click here for more on the bands CD's

The Development Band

The Development Band is the training ground for future members of the Number One Band. The Development band competes in grade three and have also had numerous successes over the past season culminating in a third placing overall at the 2009 New Zealand National Championship.

The Development Band is directed by ex Number One Band member Shane Cotton and is fortunate to have many retired members of the Number One band passing on their skills to the newer members of the band.