Founder and visionary of The Force, Display Team of Champion Drum Majors. Born and raised in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, but now residing in Mid Ulster, Paula Braiden is the most decorated and distinguished Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) Drum Major and instructor in the World.

Now an RSPBA Drum Major Adjudicator, Paula first began learning to be a Drum Major at the tender age of 6 years old by former 4x times World Champion Drum Major Alastair Patterson followed then by 5x times World Champion Drum Major Alan McBride, who mentored Paula throughout her career.

Paula’s trophy cabinet boasts an array of every major championship there is to win;

• 6x World Championship titles;
• 5x World Championship runner-up placings (consecutively);
• 11x European Championship titles;
• 15x British Championship titles;
• 10x Scottish Championship titles;
• 7x Cowal Championship titles;
• 3x United Kingdom Championship titles;
• 11x Ulster Championship titles;
• 10x All Ireland Championship titles;
• 11x Northern Ireland Champion of Champions titles;
• 12x Scottish Champion of Champions titles.

It would be fair to say that most people would react quite similar when discovering Paula’s wealth of achievements and experience.

Check out our Commendations page also to discover people’s experiences of Paula and The Force at past events.

Along with competing, Paula also has a wealth of experience as Senior Drum Major at several prestigious international military musical tattoos and events, such as:

• Senior Drum Major at Avenches Festival Tattoo, Switzerland (8 Years);
• Senior Drum Major at St. Gallen Tattoo, Switzerland (2 Years);
• Senior Drum Major at the Moscow Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, Russia;
• And various other international military musical tattoos, festivals and events across the World.

On top of her role as Senior Drum Major, Paula has also had the pleasure and experience of co-producing the Massed Pipes and Drums at the St. Gallen Tattoo, Moscow Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival and the Walled City Tattoo (Derry/Londonderry) including the full production of the Ballymoney Charity Tattoo and several indoor mini Tattoos and events based in the UK / Northern Ireland.

Paula has been a keen advocate in passing on her knowledge and expertise to the younger generation and has been teaching for over 24 years. Her elite team within The Force are all past pupils of Paula’s dissolved ‘PB Class of Drum Majors’ and are all Champions in their own right. Paula’s record for teaching the younger generation of Drum Majors is exemplary as she has produced 7x World Champion Drum Majors within her ranks over that time and countless other major championship titles.

Paula is one of multiple tutors who now form part of The Force Academy, which has just recently launched and provides World class tuition through physical or virtual lessons.