Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming


The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming is a British Army training establishment that provides instructions of Scottish bagpipe music to military pipers, drummers and pipe bands.

History

Founded in 1910 as the Army School of Piping, the School is located at Inchdrewer House near Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, Scotland and is administered by the Infantry Training Centre, it is also affiliated with the Corps of Army Music. Generally regarded as the smallest unit in the British Army, the School is now commanded by a Director who is a qualified army Pipe Major and who usually holds the rank of Captain or Major. The Director is assisted by a Chief Instructor, who is the Senior Pipe Major of the British Army.
The School provides courses at different levels to pipers and drummers of the British Armed Forces throughout the year, and qualified instructors are drawn from the pipes and drums of various units in the British Army. The School accepts students from Commonwealth armed forces, but not civilians. It has in the past provided instruction to various police band members, but this has not taken place for a number of years.
The School forms part of the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board, which is a collaboration among the Piobaireachd Society, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, the College of Piping, and the Piping Centre. Together, the Institute sets a standardised piping certificate programme for students from around the world.

British Armed Forces Pipe Bands