Bagad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bagad is a Breton band, composed of bagpipes (Breton: biniou), bombardes and percussion (made up of snare, tenor and bass drums). The pipe band tradition in Brittany was inspired by the Scottish example and has developed since the mid-20th century. A bagad plays mainly Breton music, but a bagad's music is evolutionary (new forms and musical ideas are experimented with at each annual national competition).
The plural for bagad is unusual in that many are referred to as bagadoù but for two, three or any other specified number they are simply referred to as bagad (following the rules of Breton grammar).
Every major town and city in Brittany has at least one bagad and there are over 80 in total.
For competition purposes the bagadoù are ranked into five categories. Major competitions take place annually in Brest and in Lorient, where the National Championship takes place during the InterCeltic Festival in August.
Some of the most successful bagadoù are Bagad Kemper, Bagad Roñsed Mor, Bagad Kevren Alré, Bagad Bro Kemperle, Bagad Brieg, Bagad Cap Caval, Bagad Sant Nazer, and Bagad Kerlenn Pondi.[citation needed]
