Pipe Band Drumming Lessons - News
North of Scotland Solo Drumming Contest 2011
19th November 2011
The annual solo drumming and piping contest was held in Elgin high School for the second year running, although entries were down a little on last year, particularly in the adult grades, the junior events were still a closely fought contest. 13 of my drummers from Bucksburn and Towie were entered for the contest, and with two judges listening to different grades at the same time the day passed in a rush!
All the guys did themselves proud, working hard in the build up to the day, and putting in good strong performances during the contest. It was great to see 4 of them tackle an MSR for the first time, and 4 new drummers taking part in the NoS solos for the first time. It was also great to speak with adjudicators Paul Turner, Joe Noble and Stevie McQuillan after the contest to get more feedback on how everyone played.
Massive thanks also to Piper Davie Patterson who played for all the drummers on the day!
Sadly not everyone can get a prize, but congratulations to the following prizewinners:-
Katie Brander - 1st Sticks & Pad
Jack Ferries - 3rd Sticks & Pad
Ewan Dallas - 3rd 14 Years & Under 4 Part March
Lachlan Gibb - 1st 17 Years & Under 6-8 Part March, 1st 17 Years & Under MSR, 1st 17 Years & Under Hornpipe & Jig
Jenni Clark - 1st 14 Years & Under 4 Part March (Tenor)
I was relatively happy with my own performance, feeling much happier with the Hornpipe & Jig (1st) than the MSR (2nd) which I felt just lacked a little life. Thanks to my piper Neil-John Robertson who put in two flawless runs to make it very easy to play along with on the day. Congratulations to Brian Martin of Buchan who won and David Harling of Badenoch & Strathspey for making it a tight contest!
Montrose Armistice Parade
13th November 2011
The Lathallan Schools Pipe Band led the Rememberance Day parade through a dull but relatively warm Montrose to participate in the national services to remember those who gave their life for their country.
I was pleased to see a number of new drummers from the school taking part in their first external event with the band and putting on a very good show. The feedback from the Montrose branch of the Royal British Legion has been extremely positive, well done to those who played.
Lathallan Highland Games 2011
24th September 2011
A rare event in Scotland - especially in September - an outdoor solo drumming contest! Lathallan School holds a mini Highland Games on the last weekend of September each year, with junior Solo Piping & Drumming events, stalls, amusements and plenty things to do.
This year saw a record number of entries with over 80 altogether, and 31 in the drumming categories - all of them pupils of mine at 8 different schools and bands! A tiring, but very satisfying day to see so many of the guys performing so well for the judge, Nicky Gibson. Credit to him for keeping up a high standard of crit sheet for the drummers right through to the end of a long afternoon - very useful advice for the young drummers. Also, a huge amount of thanks to Lachlan Gibb for helping me keep track of the drummers, and to Andrew Clark, David Wright, Ian Dallas, Ali Sanger, Theresa Cuthil, Katrina Lovie, Drew Anderson and Euan Chapman who accompanied the drummers throughout the afternoon - very much appreciated!
Results for the top 3 in each section were awarded as follows:
Section 1 - Pad & Sticks (Age 10 & Under) 3 Entries
1. Harry Grant - Lathallan School
2. Finlay Watt - Towie & District / Craigievar Primary School
3. Ian Lockhead Anderson - Lathallan School
Section 2 - 2 Parts March (Age 13 & Under) 15 Entries
1. Ewan Dallas - Bucksburn & District
2. Carrie Watson - Bucksburn & District / Lathallan School
3. Morven Drummond - Bucksburn & District / Alford Academy
Section 3 - 4 Parts March (Age 16 & Under) 9 Entries
1. Conan Webster - Bucksburn & District
2. Rachael Lowe - Bucksburn & District
3. Ross Sibbald - Bucksburn & District / Westhill Academy
Section 4 - Tenor Drum (Age 16 & Under) 4 Entries
1. Jenni Clark - Bucksburn & District
2. Mairi McKinnon - Bucksburn & District
3. Isabelle Harrison - Gordonstoun Schools Pipe Band
Brechin Solos 2011
17th September 2011
The outdoor season is gone and we are headlong onto the solos! Saturday 17th September saw the City of Brechin Pipe Band host their annual solos contest, with a strong entry across the grades performing for drumming judges Eric Ward (snare) and Lynne Ward (tenor).
With only the first lesson of the year back at school under her belt, I was very pleased to see Lathallan School pupil Amy Abernethy pick up 4th place in the pad & sticks section, playing the 3/4 March "Green Hills of Tyrol". This was her first contest outside school, so very well done!
In the Under 15 Years Novice Section, Conan Webster took 3rd place, playing James Laughlin's score to "The Taking of Beaumont Hamel" for the first time as he prepares to play at the World Championships for the first time. Conan receives great quality tuition from James at Come 2 Drum via Skype.
In the 15 - 18 Years Novice category, Rachael Lowe took her first solos win playing David Brown Snr's score to "King George V's Army", a particular favourite of mine as I took my own first solos win with this score in 1997.
In the Under 18 years intermediate class, Ewan Dallas and Carrie Watson put in strong renditions of the "King George V's Army" score, to take 4th and 8th places respectively.
The last of the snare drummers to compete were Lachlan Gibb and Allan Davidson in the 18 & Under MSR, taking 2nd and 4th places.
In the Tenor sections, Jenni Clark took 2nd in the 18 Years & Under MSR, and 4th in the Open Tenor class.
Mintlaw Contest & North of Scotland Champion of Champions
22nd August 2011
The Summer is flying past, and already the North of Scotland contests are all over. Sunday saw the last outdoor contest of the year at Mintlaw's Aden Country Park, on an almost sunny day with just 2 showers to contend with!
I had both Bucksburn & District N/J and Towie & District out in Grade 4B, so plenty drums to tune up! Bucksburn & District won the Best Novice Band, Best Novice Drum Corps and Grade 4B prizes, and were Runner-Up in Grade 4B drumming. Towie & District finished their first year in competition off well with 4th overall in Grade 4B and 3rd in drumming.
Now that the 3 outdoor contests at Turriff, Aberdeen and Mintlaw are past, the Champion of Champions tables have been finalised. Bucksburn & District N/J were crowned Champion of Champions Grade 4B 2011, and Runners-Up in Grade 4B drumming table to worthy champions Elgin & District. Towie & District made a superb first season with 4th in the Champion of Champions table and 3rd in drumming table - well done!
One more outdoor contest to go at Cowal Highland Gathering and then the focus turns to the solos with contests coming up at Brechin, Lathallan School, RSPBA World Solo Drumming Championships, and the North of Scotland Solo Championships before the end of the year.
Lathallan Presentation Day
9th July 2011
Lathallan School held it's annual end of term Presentation Day on Saturday 9th July 2011. The Pipe Band plays a big part in this day, concluding with the change of command where the new P/M and L/D are announced. This year I've chosen Carrie Watson as Senior L/D and Finn Marsden as Junior L/D - I'm sure both will do a fantastic job next year. Here's a video clip of the drum corps performing Alex Duthart's 1973 fanfare.
Aberdeen Highland Games
21st June 2011
All 3 of my bands picked up prizes at Aberdeen Games.
Bucksburn & District got 3rd in both Grade 1 and Grade 2, the N/J band won best Novice band and Novice drum corps and 2nd overall in Grade 4B, and Towie got 3rd in Grade 4B!
Great day out, pity the weather didn't hold up!
Bucksburn Novice/Juvenile
Towie & District
Bucksburn N/J wins at Turriff
5th June 2011
The annual pipe band contest at Turriff turned into a great day out for the Bucksburn kids. They won best Novice band and also the overall Grade 4B prize.
They played the set of MAP 2/4 Marches "Greenwoodside", "The Drunken Piper", "I'll Gang Nae Mair Tae Yon Toon" and "Sweet Maid of Glendaruel".
Well done!
Theatre appearance with Caledon
6th May 2011
I've been taking to the stage at Aberdeen's His Majesty's Theatre to take part in the Fiddlers Spectacular show, alongside Fred MacAuley, Caledon, the Aberdeen and Banchory Strathspey & Reel societies and the rest of the Bucksburn & District Pipe Band. The show went down "reely" well, with local paper giving us rave reviews:
Cranking up the second half, Bucksburn & District Pipe Band were rapturously received for their outstanding sense of camaraderie, musical discipline and timing and the group are surely a great advert for every youngster out there considering a career in pipes and drums.
Good stuff guys!
Kingdom Thistle Success
17th April 2011
Lead Drummer of Bucksburn Novice / Juvenile band Ewan Dallas won the Under 13 Drumming contest, with adjudicator Jim Baxter placing him first in a field of 21 young drummers from across the country.
He played my score to the 2 parted march "Sweet Maid of Glendaruel", which the Bucksburn N/J band will be finishing their competition set with this summer. Well done!
Singapore & Malaysia Trip!
6th April 2011
Just back from a 16 day trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur with Gordonstoun Schools Pipe Band!
What a great trip, with some brilliant concert venues including schools, orphanages, the Singapore Flyer ferris wheel, and lots of visits to tourist sports, shops, and amazing food.
The guys have been working hard to get ready for their first real trip along with the school choir and orchestra and did themselves proud on a fun filled trip!
Prizewinners at North of Scotland Mini Bands
18th March 2011
Bucksburn & District N/J won the Novice category of the NoS mini bands, picking up both the band and drum corps prizes.
I am also very pleased to see one of my other bands out competing for the first time - Towie & District picked up 11th and 12th places, well done!
Arbroath Solos Results
12th March 2011
Congratulations to my pupils who picked up prizes at the Arbroath Music Festival Solos held on 12 March.
Ewan Dallas won the Novice Drumming category, playing King George V's Army, and was also named as Junior Drummer of the Day - Well done!
Carrie Watson picked up 2nd place in the Intermediate Drumming category at her first attempt in the higher grade.
Lachlan Gibb won the Under 18 Years MSR event playing Highland Wedding, Blair Drummond and John Morrison of Assynt House.
Jenni Clark won the Under 18 Years Tenor Drumming Section.
North of Scotland Solos
20th November 2010
Busy day! 15 of my pupils made their way to the NoS Solos in Elgin. Great performances from all of them, very very proud. Lachlan Gibb took home 4 trophies, for 1st 17 & Under March, and 3rd in Under 17 MSR, Hornpipe & Jig and Overall. Jenni Clark put in 2 superb performances to take 2nd in the 4 part march and 1st in the MSR on tenor drum - well done!
I picked up 2nd in the Adult grade behind Brian Martin who was on top form to win both the MSR and Hornpipe & Jig sections.
Brechin Solos
19th September 2010
My young drummers put in some top notch performances at the Brechin solos to take home 5 trophies!
Carrie Watson (video clip below) won the Under 15 Novice Drumming, with Ewan Dallas 2nd and Conan Webster 4th. Lachlan Gibb won the Under 18 MSR, and Jenni Clark took 4th in the Open Tenor drumming. Well done!