german lowland pipes and drums

The ‘German Lowland Pipes & Drums - Xanten’ are a pipe band that plays traditional, Scottish and modern music on the ‘Great Highland Bagpipes’, the large Scottish bagpipes. The pipers are accompanied on the characteristic side, tenor and bass drums.

The band emerged from the ‘Royal Air Force Germany Voluntary Pipes & Drums’. Since 1985, the later band founders have been trained to become pipers here. After the beginning of the withdrawal of the Rhine Army from Germany, the four German members of the Air Force Band on the Lower Rhine founded their own pipe band in 1994 in order to preserve Scottish music in the region even after the British Army left.

Our name, ‘German Lowland’, reflects the region in which we are based, the Lower Rhine.

We carry the Ancient Tartan of the Clan Farquharson of Aberdeen as the tartan (check pattern of the kilt) and badge (a kind of coat of arms). More at: The GLPD-Xanten and the Clan Farquharson .

Interestingly, there wasn’t a single Scot in the band until 2010. Today we are happy about at least one member with Scottish roots.

Even if the impression may arise that it is already a fairly large band, we are always looking for newcomers.

We look forward to every new addition that is already ready to play. However, if the game skills don’t work out that way, we also train from the bottom up.