StAC World Pipe Band Champs Campaign 2023
Scotland Here We Come
This travel blog has been developed for the purposes of keeping a record of our adventures in Scotland where our focus is to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships.
About Us
Formed in 1919, the Pipe Band holds a significant place in the College’s heritage and Scottish tradition and maintains its integral role at St Andrew’s College today. The St Andrew's College Pipe Band consistently triumphs in National and Provincial Championships and is proud to be New Zealand's premier Secondary School Pipe Band. In 2013, we won the Juvenile Section at the World Pipe Band Championships, and in 2018, we were proud runners-up. This year, in 2023, we are excited to see a delegation of 32 students, 4 tutors, 4 support staff, and supportive parents travel to Scotland to compete at Glasgow Green on Saturday 19 August.
Insiders Guide to Pipe Bands
OUR WHY
We love the comradery and challenge of learning and playing our instruments. A Pipe Band is like being in a big team. When we play, we play for for each other and for the pride in representing the school . There are both large and very small details and nuances needed to carry off a winning performance and we are always striving for improvement. We love that the band is encouraged and respected by our school community. We feel a lot of pride and mana when we play. Many of us get the honour of playing at private events and feel privileged to do so. We love that we get tuition from world class tutors. The A and B Bands get to travel to a national competition each year and the A Band compete in a World Pipe Band Championship every two to three years.
WHO ARE WE?
We have three school bands consisting of A, B and C bands. The A and B bands compete at numerous competitions annually and the C is a learner band. They compete in local Juvenile grade competitions. Students range in age between 8 to 18. Many of our A Band members assist with the B and C bands.
The bands compete in both adult grades and Juvenile (18 and under) grades. Band grading consists of Juvenile, 4b, 4 a, 3, 2, 1 with Grade 1 being the best bands.
Our bands punch well above their weight, often winning or being in the top three of the adult band sections. We have won the Juvenile section more than any other band in New Zealand. This is no mean feat when you consider there are so many students (140) to coordinate and develop and our more experienced players leave at the end of their high school career.
PLAYING AN EVENT
We compete in four to five competitions annually and enter three events across Juvenile, Grades 2 and Grade 4. One is called an MSR (March/Strathspey/Reel) and the other is a Medley which is a selection of seven to nine tunes which change between various time signatures and musical expression. We play the medley with harmonies but don't with the MSR. In the Juvenile event We play 6/8, 9/8 or 12/8 time signatures in the Juvenile bands and usually play two to three tunes which makes up what is called a "set".
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
Hours and hours of lessons, practice with the band and practice at home goes into preparing for a competition. Our instruments are challenging to play and require a great deal of set up, accuracy, musicality, timing, tempo and focus. Pipers need to play the right notes and embellishments, ensure there is the correct amount of pressure in the bag and consider blowing strength. Drummers focus mostly on the same things. Just like pipes, drums are also tuned and they need to consider precision and strength of striking the drum. Tenor drummers also have to concentrate on the flourishing routine for the event.
PIPE SET UP
Bagpipes are a fickle instrument. They are very sensitive to air pressure, temperate, wind and moisture. They need to be set up differently to play with a band as opposed to playing solo. They also need to be tuned in between events. An immense amount of work goes into maintaining these instruments both by the players and tutors.
MARCHING ON
If you have ever watched a Pipe Band competition you may note the band marches into a ring where a circle is marked out on the ground.
When our Pipe Major gives us the signal to start playing and marching it is a nerve-wracking time. We practice this a lot. It is called an "Attack" and we are judged on it. Pipers must all strike our bags and play an E note on the second drum roll. At the same time we start off marching from our left foot in exact unison with other players in our line. We are required to maintain great posture with heads up looking forward as we play.
We march on in rows and then form a circle with even spacing between pipers all while playing, marching backwards and on the spot until a certain part in the music, when we stop moving our feet.. The Pipe Major is the only one who will then move their feet throughout the entire event. This is to keep us in time, dictate the tempo and signal changes from one type of music to the next. Where possible we are required to watch the Pipe Major's fingers also. Side drummers form to the back of the circle, tenor drummers in front of them and the base drum in the middle. Drummers are lead by a Drum Sergeant. We are judged on drumming, piping and ensemble.
