This page has been created to support Overseas Bands who wish to visit the UK and participate in an RSPBA Championship or Local [minor] contest.
Joining the RSPBA
To play at an RSPBA organised competition the Band must be registered with the Association. Please consider the Articles of Association and Standing Orders and Rules of the RSPBA prior to progressing your application for registration. To register your interest in becoming a member of the Association please contact the RSPBA using the contact page of the website or email enquiries@rspba.org.
A number of steps are involved in Registering a Band and the Band Members prior to the Band being given a grade and being able to enter a competition. The RSPBA HQ will guide you through this process.
The “Non UK Annual Subscription Form” will be provided by RSPBA Headquarters in Washington Street. This requests basic information about the Band – Name of the Band, Tartan, Band Secretary and Pipe Major Details and the category of Band membership Adult or Juvenile. Once returned this allows the Association to allocate a Band Number and collect the Fee.
The RSPBA Headquarters will provide details on how to make payment for a New Band the 2026 New Band Fees for Overseas Bands are: –
Adult Band: £231.00 in Sterling.
Juvenile Band: £210.00 in Sterling.
Where the band is a member of a fully subscribed RSPBA Affiliate Association the above fee is set at 50%.
Once the Band registration number has been assigned, the Band detail including the status of any Fees payment (New and Renewal) can be found using the Fees section of the website.
Obtaining a Grade and Registering your players
To play in the competition the Band needs to be graded and each playing member of your band must be registered with the Association. The Standards and Grading group of the RSPBA (S&G Group) is made up of members from the Music Board of the Association. They will consider the information provided to them and assign the Band to a grade based on the standard of the Band Members joining the Band.
The current rules regarding the registering of players can be found in Section 3 of the Standing Orders and Rules.
It is the responsibility of the Band Secretary (Member) to ensure the roster of Band Members is kept up to date. The details of Band Members can be maintained using the Band Administration Forms for Player Release, Player Registration, Dual Registration, Pipe Major Change and Secretary Change.
Entering a Competition
Currently, the Association hold 5 Major Championships throughout the season; these are the, British, United Kingdom, European, Scottish and World Championships. In addition to these each branch of the association will hold local or minor branch competitions.
Applying to be a member of the association does not convey the right to play in one of its competitions. Every competition, whether it is a Major Championship, or a Local Minor Competition must be entered into in its own right and the fee paid to enter the event.
The Competition dates with the relevant details of where the application can be sent to can be found in the Calendar section of the website as soon as the dates are available.
Applying to enter a Major Championship is done through this web site in the Fees section when the entry is available.
The Draw dates and last entry dates for each Major competition will be available as a news item on this website.
Playing Requirements
The Playing requirements for Championships and Minors is detailed in the Reference Information on Competition Format (Format Guide) – Outdoor Contests in the Music Board Section of the Information, Procedures and Forms page of this website.
Requirements for the Championships are strictly as per the Format Guide. Where changes are made to format these will be notified in this website and the guide update. The requirements for each Major will be made known as a News Item early in the year. Minor competition format generally follows section 8.2 of the guide, however each branch can let you know the requirements when you apply e.g. if the next Major is for an MSR in a grade they may choose to play MSR at the Minor.
Novice Juvenile B, Grade 4B, Novice Juvenile A and Grade 4A
The tunes which NJB / G4B and NJA / G4A bands are allowed to play in a Championship are contained in the Prescribed tunes list. Bands should select tunes within these lists for their competition sets that allow the Band to perform at their best.
On the day of the competition
- Remember your bus pass (Coach Pass) if you requested one. This will be provided to you from HQ or the Branch on application.
- Register your band when you arrive. Have someone from the band go to the Registration tent to register the band.
- Dress appropriately for the weather. UK weather is notoriously changeable.
- Have a recce to find your arena.
- Arrive at the final tuning area on time. The Stewards will search you out and usher you to final tuning.
- March up to the line and arrive on time! The Stewards will ask you to move to the line. Please move when requested as the timely running of the competition depends on this.
- Bring the band to a halt. You will be met on the line by the Director in charge of the arena and they will point out the Ensemble adjudicator (or lead adjudicator for the day at a minor). When they are ready, they will ask you to commence your performance. The PM should give the command to begin.
- After completing your performance leave the arena on the march.
- Please leave the beer tent in plenty of time to line up for the March Past. The Stewards and Directors will direct you.
- Adjudicators’ Critique Sheets will be available at the end of the March Past. An announcement will be made to notify bands where to obtain the sheets.
