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The week before the 80^th Annual Gathering of the British Columbia Pipers’ Association, the Engineering Department of the City of Vancouver issued a new bylaw to ban bagpipes, drums tambourines, bongos and other percussion instruments from receiving busking permits in the city of Vancouver, BC, Canada.  

The story was brought to the attention of the media in part by British Columbia Pipers’ Association Grade 1 piper Kyle Banta, and received positive Canadian and international attention, including the CBC, who attended the Annual Gathering, interviewing BCPA President Robert MacNeil and filmed many pipers at the event.

Read more: Vancouver Bans Bagpipes to Public Outcry and Overturns Ban

Results, Photos Etc. will be linked through this area as they arrive.

All results available though RESULTS page.

Two Preliminarty albums are available from the ALBUMS page.

Photos from the Band Contest and Awards are available from the ALBUMS page.

Letter to BCPA membership on supporting Highland Games in your area, including specific request for the BC Highland Games

The BCPA Board of Directors requests that all members read the attached letter encouraging support for Highland Games in your area/region and, for those members in the Metro Vancouver area, to act on the specific request from the BC Highland Games.

 Click here for LETTER

Now that the music rules changes are complete, it's time to call for changes to the BCPA Bylaws or Constitution.  The bylaws committe of Lynn Bullis, Gordon Haddon, and Graeme Mack is interested in suggestions for any proposed changes to the BC Pipers' Association bylaws or Constitution, both available on the About BCPA page.

Please provide feedback to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 5:00 pm on April 15, 2012.

A Special General Meeting will be announced if the committee determines and the board agrees that bylaws or constitution are necessary this year.

The results are posted for the 2012 BCPA Knockout Final. 

A photo album from the event can be found on the ALBUMS page

At the Annual Dinner, Skye Richendrfer, Executive Director of the Celtic Arts Foundation was awarded the Mary MacKinnon Memorial Service Award. 

Congratulations to two first time winners of the Knockouts.  Colin Lee won his first piping Knockout event, and Kyle Wallis won his first drumming Knockout event.  Congratulations to all of the competitors for an exciting Knockout season.

Online viewers of the Knockout event peaked at 23 viewers.  Thanks to all of the volunteers, competitors and attendees, who made the evening a great success.

The Music Requirements have been updated for 2012. Grade 1 and Pro Side Drumming Drum Solo events have been eliminated from BCPA music requirements. as approved by the BCPA Board on Feb 25 2012.

In addition, the Highland Games Committee has been working with the Highland Games organizers on beginning to implement a more balanced competition schedule.  A recommended schedule for band competition events has been posted on the Rules page, titled "NEW  Balanced Schedule Band Events Proposal." BCPA and the Games organizers are working toward a system that rotates year to year and provides more balanced events throughout the competition season. These are suggestions for this year but be aware that events for your band may change this year as Games organizers determine if they can implement them this season.

Thanks to the members who filled out survey responses at the end of the season last year.  The BCPA Board initiated an online survey of the BCPA membership to gain member's ratings of satisfaction with and importance of BCPA programs, services and support activities provided during the 2010/11 season.

The purpose of the survey is to identify areas where the Association should best deploy its resources and to address areas where members believe improvement is needed (commensurate with its importance to the membership).

The top 5 most important programs and services were:

Read more: 2011 Season Survey Results

The BC Highland Games will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Percy Perry Stadium, Coquitlam, BC, a change in weekends from previous years.

Professional Piping Piobaireachd will be held on on Friday evening June 22, location TBA.

For more information, visit http://bchighlandgames.com/