A bagad (, ) is a

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...

band, composed of

bagpipe Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, ...

s ( br, binioù, french: cornemuse), bombards and drums (including

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, tenor and bass drums). The

pipe band A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums, used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing the Great Highland bagpipe, a ...

tradition in Brittany was inspired by the Scottish example and has developed since the mid-20th century. A bagad plays mainly

Breton music Since the early 1970s, Brittany has experienced a tremendous revival of its folk music. Along with flourishing traditional forms such as the bombard- biniou pair and fest-noz ensembles incorporating other additional instruments, it has also branched ...

, 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 Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

has at least one ''bagad'' and there are over eighty in total. There are also many ''bagadoù'' outside Brittany, owing to large-scale Breton emigration throughout France. Bagad Lann Bihoue is well known to belong to the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...

. For competition purposes the ''bagadoù'' are ranked into five categories. Major competitions take place annually in

Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress * Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria * Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France ** Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Br ...

and in

Lorient Lorient (; ) is a town ('' commune'') and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in western France. History Prehistory and classical antiquity Beginning around 3000 BC, settlements in the area of Lorient are attested by the presen ...

, where the

National Championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...

takes place during the Interceltic Festival in August.

Premier Category 2008

The most successful ''bagadoù'' compete in the 'Premier Category'. * Bagad Brieg, Briec �
Bagad Brieg
* Kevrenn Alre, Auray �
Kevrenn Alre
* Bagad Roñsed-Mor,

Locoal-Mendon Locoal-Mendon (; ) is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. Toponymy Known as Locus Sancti Guitali in 1037 and Sanctus Gudualus in 1387. From the Breton ''lok'' which means hermitage (cf.: Locminé), and ''G ...

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Bagad Roñsed-Mor
* Bagad Kemper,

Quimper Quimper (, ; br, Kemper ; la, Civitas Aquilonia or ) is a commune and prefecture of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department. Geography Th ...

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Bagad Kemper
* Bagad Cap Caval,

Plomeur Plomeur (; ) is a commune in the Bigouden region of Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Plomeur is situated between the larger communes of Penmarc'h to the South-West, Guilvinec and Treffiagat to the South, as well as Po ...

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Bagad Cap Caval
* Kerlenn Pondi,

Pontivy Pontivy (; ) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It lies at the confluence of the river Blavet and the Canal de Nantes à Brest. Inhabitants of Pontivy are called ''Pontivyens'' in French. Map History A ...

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Bagad Kerlenn Pondi
* Bagad Bro Kemperle,

Quimperlé Quimperlé (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Geography Quimperlé is in the southeast of Finistère, 20 km to the west of Lorient and 44 km to the east of Quimper. Historically, it belo ...

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Bagad Bro Kemperle
* Bagad Quic-en-groigne,

Saint-Malo Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, on the English Channel coast. The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Alli ...

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Bagad Quic-en-Groigne
* Bagad Gwengamp,

Guingamp Guingamp (; ) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 6,895 as of 2017, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Gui ...

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Bagad Gwengamp
* Bagad Sant-Nazer, Saint-Nazaire �
Bagad Saint-Nazaire
* Bagad Er Melinerion,

Vannes Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic Era The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who live ...

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Bagad er Melinerion
* Bagad Beuzeg ar C'hab,

Beuzec-Cap-Sizun Beuzec-Cap-Sizun (; br, Beuzeg-ar-C'hab) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France, lying on the promontory of Cap Sizun. Population Inhabitants of Beuzec-Cap-Sizun are called ''Beuzecois'' in French. See a ...

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Bagad Beuzeg ar C'hab
* Bagad Penhars,

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Bagad Penhars
* Bagad Ar Meilhoù-Glaz,

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Bagad Ar Meilhoù-Glaz
* Bagad Sonerien Bro Dreger,

Perros-Guirec Perros-Guirec (; br, Perroz-Gireg) is a commune in the department of Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany. It has been a seaside resort since the end of the 19th century. Geography Climate Perros-Guirec has a oceanic climate (Köppen climate classificat ...

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Bagad Sonerien Bro Dreger

National Champions

* 2017 Bagad Cap Caval * 2016 Bagad Cap Caval * 2015 Bagad Cap Caval * 2014 Bagad Kemper * 2013 Bagad Kemper * 2012 Bagad Kemper * 2011 Bagad Kemper * 2010 Bagad Cap Caval * 2009 Bagad Cap Caval * 2008 Bagad Cap Caval * 2007 Bagad Brieg * 2006 Bagad Kevrenn Alré * 2005 Bagad Kevrenn Alré * 2004 Bagad Kemper * 2003 Bagad Ronsed Mor * 2002 Bagad Kemper

External links

* Official Bagadou Association
Bodadeg Ar Sonerion

Bagadou
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