During the first week of October (School holidays) we held another workshop, this time with our key tutor being Neil Marriott. The pipers and drummers went over basics, instruments and learnt some new things. On Thursday we played on Napier’s Marine Parade (near the new skate park) – the weather wasn’t so good but we enjoyed ourselves.
Category Archives: News
Spring Concert
The Band is into its practices for the Spring Concert which will feature old and new music along with guest artists A Cappella Fellas and the Napier Boys High School Pipe Band.
The concert is being staged at the Salvation Army citadel, Tait Drive, Napier on Sunday 15 October starting at 2pm.
Tickets are $10 with a gold coin for school children. Just contact a band member to get your tickets.
The music
Flower of Scotland
Scotland the Brave, Rowan Tree, Bonnie Galloway
The Dawning of the Day and La Boum
The Bells of Dunblane
The Sands of Kuwait
The Green Hills and When the Battle’s O’er
Swing of the Kilt
Pipe Major J K Cairns, My Land and Colin’s Cattle
Maori Canoe Song
Ellan Vannin
A Love Song for Deborah Anne (John Cairns)
Highland Cathedral (Uli Roever & Michael Korb)
Amazing Grace
Mull of Kintyre (Paul McCartney and Denny Laine)
On the Road to Passchendaele (Stoddard/Brydon)
Waynne’s group is also doing
Taradale Song (Tracy Rudzevecuis & Rik Bernards)
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
Blossom Parade 2017
On Saturday 16 Sept the Band took part in the annual Hastings Blossom Parade. It was a great day and the band played well.
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We enjoyed refreshments with the City of Hastings PB afterwards – thank you.
Spring Concert
Sunday 15 October
Salvation Army Citadel, Tait Drive, Greenmeadows
In the concert the band will present a variety of music, old and new, that is familiar to our audience. We will also incorporate a segment appropriate to the act of commemorating the sacrifices made by so many over the years and ensuring that they are not forgotten.
Being a Songwriter and knowing that there has never been a song written for the town of Taradale, Tracy Rudzevecuis has been creative and written the ‘Taradale Song’. It is based around the Taradale Town Clock in memory of our fallen local soldiers that went to war and never returned hence, says Tracy, giving them “a voice” from beyond the grave. This is Tracy’s ‘gift to our people and the township of Taradale’. The Band is pleased to be part of Tracy’s dream and will perform ‘Taradale Song’ in concert for the first time.
The Band has developed a musical arrangement ‘On the Road to Passchendaele’ that will feature in the concert. October 12, 2017 is the anniversary of the Passchendaele offensive in WW1. Ever since 1917, Passchendaele has been a byword for the horror of the Great War. In terms of lives lost in a single day, the failed attack on Bellevue Spur on 12 October was probably the greatest disaster in New Zealand’s history.
Tickets $10 for adults, children a gold coin please, the Band’s Associate members can purchase a discounted ticket $5.
Band drumming classes
As you know we’re keen to expand the numbers playing pipes and drums and Alan is planning to get this group underway next month.
Starting Sunday 13 August at 10am at the Band Rooms, Nelson Park.
All welcome – young or not so young.
Word of mouth is very effective so please spread the message ….. please let friends and family know about this opportunity.
July Recital
The Band is pleased that once again our youngsters staged a Recital at the Tamatea Community Church. On Sunday 16 July they played a number of tunes and each person played the test piece Loch Rannoch. Samuel Cater was the winner of this which was judged by our veteran pipers Hugh Harrison and Rod Appleton-Seymour.
July Workshop
July Keeping Warm Workshop
Over the three days 11-13 July we enjoyed a workshop involving many of our members.
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We covered the fundamentals and learnt some new music and refined other tunes. Young Ben even got on to the pipes, playing them for the first time with the group. We also went over the music to be played in the Recital on Sunday 16 July. After a busy week everyone is looking forward to having some time off next week!
Keeping Warm Workshop
When? 11-13 July 2017
WhatTime? 9am to 12noon each day
Where? at the Band Rooms, Nelson Park
What will you get from the workshop?
Instruction on your instrument – pipes or drums – with tutoring from the Band’s senior members. The contest group will have the opportunity to work on their music and practice together. There will also be preparation for the Recital (Sunday 16 July).
The programme
This workshop is for everyone, whether just starting or more advanced, with individual and group sessions. Each day will run from 9am to 12noon with warmup, learning new tunes and revising old ones, group and individual sessions, working on chanters and pads, and pipes and drums.
What tunes are we working on?
The basic repertoire includes those learnt at previous workshops. We will be spending time on the 3/4 bracket PM JK Cairns, My Land and Colin’s Cattle.
New Tunes: The group will again learn new tunes the music for which will be loaded on the Band’s website ahead of the workshop.
Bruce McLeod
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June 20, 2017
The notice we put in the paper said ‘a perfect bandsman’ and those are not words that we would say lightly. When talking about our friend Bruce the list of adjectives includes dedicated, dependable, enthusiastic, hard working, helpful, reliable, supportive, cheerful and kind.
Bruce took up the pipes after he attended the clan MacLeod reunion in Australia in 1999. With typical Bruce determination and stickability he found a tutor, Gray Helliwell, so that in 2003 he was able to stand on stage and play Amazing Grace and Highland Cathedral at the clan MacLeod celebrations in Christchurch. He was persuaded, by Gray, to come along to a band practice and despite his initial trepidation, he was hooked. From 2004 Bruce has been a piper who enjoyed his piping and made a big contribution to the band. In his own words “not being one to give up easily I have persisted and slowly mastered a reasonable number of tunes”.
After the trip to Bundanoon in 2008 Bruce said “if I never progress beyond where I am today I will never regret joining the band and the enjoyment this band has brought me.”
Well, he did progress and in 2011 Bruce was a member of the band that played with the brass band in a concert to raise funds for the Christchurch earthquake appeal and in 2012 he again travelled to Australia, this time to Melbourne, with the band. Over the years he played in all our parades, whenever he could, and even purchased his own full uniform so he could look the part for Anzac Day and Art Deco parades.
We all have our own memories of Bruce but for me the effort he put into getting things right and playing to the best standard he could stand out. He was always cheerful and got a lot of enjoyment out of his music and band activities.
In the past few days band members have been reflecting on Bruce’s presence in the band and this is epitomised by these comments from the mother of two of our youngsters: “He was an extremely kind man to the kids at band. They spoke very highly of him and he will be sorely missed in the Napier Pipe Band.”
That was Bruce, always helping, always interested in piping and band things, always supportive of everyone.
To finish let me quote Bruce again. In the band’s 2009 book ‘Ten Busy Years’ he said ”We each have a talent which only needs awakening given the right opportunity. May our souls grow from the pleasure we bring to others through our music, our song and dance.”
Bruce, we are privileged that you have shared your talents and gifts with us, something we will always remember. May your soul rest in peace.
Taradale Song
Being a Songwriter and knowing that there has never been a song written for the town of Taradale, Tracy Rudzevecuis has been creative and written the ‘Taradale Song’.
It is based around the Taradale Town Clock in memory of our fallen local soldiers that went to war and never returned hence, says Tracy, giving them “a voice” from beyond the grave. Ideally she wants it to be played at an ANZAC Day parade (and eventually pulling in and giving local talented high school students a chance to play a different version every year at an ANZAC service). The next challenge is to do a recording and get the right artists involved.
This is Tracy’s ‘gift to our people and the township of Taradale’.
The Band is pleased to be part of Tracy’s dream.