Up at 5.30am, plaiting hair, dressing, breakfast, uniform checks. Nerves and a lot of chatter around. There is optimism and positivity in the chatter. This is the day we have prepared for for two years. As our tutors and staff have told us it's about our best performance not the results. We are ready!
The Glasgow Green is where the Worlds are played. There are 190 bands in total and 45 bands in the Juvenile grades. It is a much, much bigger competition than any of us have experienced. Apparently approximately 5000 competitors and a crowd watching of about the same.
At band competitions the pipers prepare and tuning up separately to the drum corp. Our tutors and helpers go around the circle and listen for how our pipes are sounding and make fine changes. We all appear happy with anticipation of what is to come.
Prior to going into the Arena 1 to compete we go into the final tuning area where we play and warm up as a band, then it is all go. We form in rows, march partway to the line playing, stop and go through a military-type routine to ready ourselves. The stewards advise us to play and next minute we hear Richard say, "quick march".
Our time has come. Our chests are beating hard, but our minds are focused. Every note, every embellishment, every beat. The whole event from marching to the line to marching off is six minutes. We have done it! We played really well. Our tutors are happy with our performance. There are tears of joy and relief for some, adulation and congratulations to each other. This is the best feeling. Playing as one and for each other. Now the wait until our results are announced much later in the day. It's time to watch other bands and wait in anticipation now.
