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History

The band through the years...
The philosophy behind establishing the band in 1974 was to promote and to realise a development in raising the level of playing; it is this philosophy that is still very much present in how the band operates today.
The foundation for The City of Amsterdam Pipe band was laid down on the 1st of January 1974, when some ex-members of The Amsterdam Boys' Brigade Pipe Band and some members of The YMCA Pipes and Drums joined forces under the name "Selected Piping Group Amsterdam". The goal was to create a band that could play music at a higher level.
In 1975 the band for the first time took part in the World Pipe Band Championships in Corby; with a big help from P.M. David Duncan and L.D. David Brown, both from The Bucksburn & District Pipe Band, the band reached a 7th place in Grade 4. The band at that time was led by Pipe Major Peter Korzilius and Leading Drummer Carel Ooms.
In 1978 the Dutch pipeband scene was modelled to the RSPBA format and bands had to register. following the desire to create an own identity for the band the name was changed to "The City of Amsterdam Pipe Band" under the leadership of P.M. Richard van der Horn. After getting several prices in Grade 4 the band was promoted to Grade 3 in 1980.
During the eighties a lot of success was booked as well as in Scotland as on the Continent, like winning The English Championships in Nottingham and winning several prices at the major competitions in Scotland. The result of this was the promotion to Grade 2 in 1987; quite a unique thing to happen to a continental band that had absolutely no Scottish background. The band stayed in Grade 2 for only 2 years; At the end of 1988 the band fell apart due to several circumstances. Only the drumcorp stayed together and kept on playing on its own for a whole season and won several indoor contests for drumsalutes as The Copenhagen Winter Competition and The Amsterdam Spring Competition.
Since 1990 the band is working again as a complete unit. Starting again in Grade 3 and build up under the leadership of P.M. Gert-Jan van Achterbergh, Peter Exmann and later Fred Bronius, a solid foundation was laid down for the band, that was achieving great successes in the years after 2001.
In 2001 Pipe Major Richard van der Horn came back to the band. Under his leadership the band as well as the drumcorps became Scottish Champions in 2004; in the same year the band became 3rd at the Cowal Games, which secured a promotion to Grade 2. Hard work resulted in 2006 in a very rewarding 11th place at the British Championships in Grade 2 that year. Something that has never been equalled by any Dutch band so far.
The present "City" is under the leadership of P.M. Gertjan van Achterbergh and L.D. Carel Ooms and has for the years to come several ambitions to fulfill. In the Fall of 2008 a cooperation started with The Beatrix Pipe Band that will secure our continuity, also on a longer term. All this indicates that we can truly believe in a healthy future for the band.