One of the responsibilities of the Music Board is to assign competitors to the grade that reflects their abilities. The fundamental principle is that grading standards should be equivalent across all the North American pipe band associations.

Initial Grading

If a soloist or band transfers to the MWPBA from another pipe band association, the MWPBA will recognize the grading of the prior association under the reciprocity provisions of the Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations (ANAPBA). For a band, the Board will verify with the prior association that no significant roster changes were made in connection with the transfer. If changes were made, the band will be treated as a newly formed band.

A newly formed band must submit its complete proposed roster before it is graded. In some cases, the Board may be familiar enough with the members to assign a grade on that basis. If not, the Board will request an audition recording.

A new solo competitor who has never been graded is assigned to Grade 4 by default. However, a competitor who wants to become familiar with the competition process may choose to start in Grade 5. If an experienced player applies to enter solo competition in a higher grade, or if a player applies to return to solo competition after an absence of more than a few years, the Board will request one or more audition recordings.

Annual Regrading

Band regrades are usually initiated by the Music Board after the end of the contest season and are announced at the MWPBA Annual General Meeting in November. The Board reviews the results from the season to determine whether any band is clearly and consistently performing above its current grade level or is consistently failing to meet the minimum standard in its current grade.

The solo regrade process also starts after the end of the outdoor season. For soloists, the process is more detailed and relies primarily on Grade Level Assessments. These are confidential written assessments that every adjudicator completes for every event. Most important are any assessments indicating that the player is Above Grade Level or Below Grade Level.

The adjudicators are aware that the assessments will be used by the Music Board for grading decisions. The assessments are confidential to encourage complete candor from the adjudicators. ANAPBA has prepared a standard for Recommended Grade Level Expectations to assist in this process. The MWPBA conducts adjudicator training seminars to make sure that the assessments are made on this shared North American standard.

Typically, a player will need at least two or more Above Grade Level assessments before the Music Board approves an upgrade. An assessment is not dependent on the strength of the field in a given contest.  A player could win a small or weak contest in one grade yet still be under the standard of the next grade. Conversely, a player who finishes third in a large and strong contest may be Above Grade Level (along with the first and second place finishers).

Therefore, contest results indicate a competitor's ability at the current grade level and do not indicate a competitor's readiness for the next grade. The Board only considers contest results to evaluate a competitor's consistency.  For example, if a competitor wins two contests, but also finishes sixth at two contests, the Board will likely wait to upgrade the competitor until there is a stronger record of consistent success. Similarly, winning a Champion Supreme award does not guarantee an upgrade because a highly active competitor might win the award in the current grade without necessarily being ready for the next grade.  Finally, the "Performance Level" checkmark at the bottom of each score sheet is not used for grading purposes and is not even shown to the Board. It is primarily intended to give the competitor feedback on his or her general development and identify areas for improvement.

If an adjudicator assesses a performance as Below Grade Level, the Board will inform the player of that and monitor the competitor's performance. If a player receives multiple Below Grade Level assessments in a single season, or in consecutive seasons, the Board may move the player to a lower grade. These downgrades are handled confidentially.

When is a regrade petition likely to succeed?

Although competitors who are not regraded at the AGM are free to petition for a regrade up until March 31, the Board regularly denies a number of petitions. Remember, the Board has already reviewed the extensive records from the prior season. If a player was not upgraded on that record, filing a grading petition will not change the result.  In general, grading petitions are only appropriate when the petitioner can provide some new information to the Board.

Bands can petition to be regraded. Most commonly, a petition will be based on a significant change in leadership or members. If the Board agrees that the change is so significant that the results of the past season are no longer relevant, the Board will treat the band as a newly formed band and request an audition recording.

Alternatively, a band that was not upgraded at the AGM can petition for an upgrade. To avoid upgrading a band that is not ready, the Board will not involuntarily upgrade a band at the AGM unless the Board feels that the band clearly meets the standard of the next grade. But if a band indicates that they are willing to take the risk, the Board might upgrade a band for which the grading assignment is unclear. If a band is upgraded on that basis, the Board closely watches the band's performance during the following season.

Soloists who are not upgraded at the AGM can also petition for a regrade. The Board has more detailed feedback on soloists than on bands and upgrades after the AGM are less common. Unlike a band, a soloist should not file a petition that says nothing more than "I thought my results last season were pretty good," or "I feel like I'm ready for the challenge of the next grade." A petition by a soloist must provide new information to the Board.

Usually, this is done when a player has scores sheets and results from solo contests run by another association. In that case, the Board will review the new information. Additionally, at the Grade 4 level, the Board will consider recommendations from a regular personal instructor as new information. In the higher grades, the Board bases the decision primarily on demonstrated performance and a petition for Grade 2 and above should not attach instructor recommendations. If a player believes that he or she has made significant improvement since the end of the prior season, the Board may consider an audition recording.

NOTE: Any competitor applying for a regrade should submit copies of all score sheets from the prior season - including MWPBA sheets and score sheets from contests run by another association.