News

Junior Piper Gordon forbes has signed a deal with Aberdeen Football Club to join the ranks of the AFC Youth Academy. Gordon signs for the Dons from ALC Lewis Utd, and will feature as a Centre Back for the Under 17 side.

All at the band would like to wish Gordon the best of luck with AFC!

The North of Scotland Outdoor season began with a 3rd place for Bucksburn & District Pipe Band, on an overcast day at The Haughs. The band played it's Medley set in Grade 2, giving a controlled performance that also picked up the runner up place in drumming.

The Junior Band, competing in Grade 4A picked up 7th place, with the majority of the band competing at the Turriff contest for the first time.

Bucksburn & District have kicked off proceedings on 2010 by taking part in the North of Scotland Mini Bands followed by their traditional "Smoker" social night.

The Mini Bands saw both Junior and Senior groups introducing a number of new members to the competition scene, with many new members taking part in Grade 4A alongside some more experienced young heads. Well done to Hayley Greig on her first competition as Lead Drummer in 4A!

The Senior Band saw debuts for Andrew Clark in the Pipe Corps and Allan Davidson in the Drum Corps as the band picked up 3rd in Grade Two and 2nd and 3rd in Grade One.

The evening's social event saw a number of special awards handed over to those who have done their bit to help make Bucksburn Pipe Band the great community that it is.

The Jim MacDonald Trophy is handed out on an annual basis to a member of the Junior Band who shows commitment, hard work and all the great traits that Jim himself held dear. In 2010 it was awarded to Caitlin Drummond for her efforts over the past year.

The Joker Watt Trophy is awarded to Senior Band members who have again showed all the traits of commitment and effort needed to help a pipe band function. It was awarded to "Band Mum" Linda Niven for the immense workload she carries keeping the band running.

The Band also chose to recognise 4 individuals who have done a huge amount of work in important roles for the band over many years. Honourary Membership was granted to Heather Dallas (Secretary) and Lyndsey Spiers (Junior Band Pipe Major), and Life Membership was awarded to David Brown Jnr (Lead Drummer) and Graham Gauld (Band Manager / President).

Congratulations to all!

As preparations begin in earnest for the 2010 season, Bucksburn & District Pipe Band have strengthened their ties to the band regarded as the most successful in the World at teaching their own Pipers and Drummers.

Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band's Lead Drummer Gordon Brown and Pipe Sergeant Ross Harvey have been helping to mentor the band through the Winter, looking at technique, tune choices and arrangements, instrument tuning and band set-up.

The sessions held so far have been incredibly successful, giving the band a real boost as the new material takes shape.

Bucksburn & District Pipe Band had a success filled day at the North of Scotland Solo Piping & Drumming Championships. The band fielded a large entry of junior pipers and drummers, many making their first appearance in the solos.

Caitlin Drummond won the 15 & Under Piobaireachd, against a strong line up. Ross Baxter took a magnificent 4th place in the 15 & Under Slow Air & March, with Caitlin Drummond 6th. David Wright took 6th in the 17 & Under March, Strathspey & Reel contest. Gordon Forbes placed 5th in the 17 & Under Hornpipe & Jig section.

In the Drumming contests, Jordan Watt placed 3rd in the biggest ever Pad & Sticks contest - well done! Lachlan Gibb took 5th in the 17 & Under MSR, and 2nd in the Hornpipe & Jig to make 3rd overall in his age group. Scott Niven placed first in the 18 & Over MSR and Hornpipe & Jig to secure the overall title for the first time.

Too all winners and participants - well done from all at Bucksburn!

Bucksburn & District Pipe Band kicked off the 2nd half of the season with the journey to Inverclyde for the European Pipe Band Championships.

The Grade Three band made its Major Championship debut. Despite having a large number of Pipers and a Bass Drummer making their first ever appearance at a Major, they placed a solid 11th out of 15 in Grade 3B.

The Grade Two band took part in the March, Strathspey & Reel contest, drawing their #2 set, Father John McMillan of Barra, Arniston Castle and Loch Carron. They placed 11th overall, equalling their best placing in a number of years. The Drum Corps placed 8th out of 18, an impressive result for a young group, including one debutant Snare Drummer Scott Brander.

Photos and a video of the Grade Two performance can be found in the Multimedia Section.

The RSPBA Scottish Pipe Band Championships marked the beginning of the 2009 competition season for Bucksburn Pipe Band.

Despite ominous looking rain storms on the journey South from Aberdeen, the Band got a dry and relatively warm period to warm-up and perform in. The Band competed with a Pipe Corps of 18 and a Drum Corps of 10 - a total of which 12 were playing there first contest with the Band and 9 of those for the first time at Grade Two level.

The Band played in the Grade Two Medley contest, performing a completely new set of tunes. The Band played extremely well and left the field pleased with the performance. The results were a 3rd and 7th in Piping - using new Chanters from Neil Selbie at Pettigrew Bagpipes - 20th in Drumming and 19th in Ensemble.

Despite the disappointing results in Drumming and Ensemble, the Band was happy with the overall performance on the day. Band President Gus McAskill was very positive on the performance saying "With fresh new faces in the Band to boost the existing member’s enthusiasm, Boxy couldn’t have asked for a better start to a Championship season. Having gone through a huge transition within the Band over the last 6 months, the band worked incredibly hard to produce such a great performance on Saturday. After the performance the opinion from the Band was “relief and great delight” on how well we played. I’m sure and convinced that as the season progresses, the band performances will get stronger and better".

A video of the performance can be found here.

It’s the beginning of a new season, with new tunes, all with new challenges and changes within your band. We at Bucksburn & District , this year, after so many years of having the same unchanging ‘rear end’ of the band are in that very same position.

We see the Drum Corp of old led by L/D David Brown along with Jade McDermid, Jo Lancaster, Lyndsey Milne and Stephen Moggach along with Tenors, Keith Mann, Sophie Gibb, Chris George and Bass player Graham Gauld coming to an end.
Many years of hard work, experience and dedication being given to the band, especially by David and Graham, seeing a few hard and difficult times offset by the multitude of ecstatic times had at the Boxy camp. David moving into his judging capacity as an unattached adjudicator and Graham, well, the sticks aint hung up yet.

Every dark cloud however has a silver lining and we at Bucksburn are proud to announce the new Drum Corp led by the Bucksburn born L/D Scott Niven along with Sinead Bruce, Lachlan Gibb, Chris Henderson and the return to the fold of Martin Gibb. Tenors, we are glad to say, are Sophie Gibb and Chris George, who we are thankful remained at the band, along with Catherine Ellis and Gillian Wright. The big Bass being ably controlled by Simon Davidson.

Band President Gus MacAskill said “ What makes the transition special for our band is the fact that all the new Drum Corp have been taught, tutored and nurtured through our own band feeder system. These guys are exceptional already – I can’t wait to see the future”

The finale of the Spirit of Speyside went with a bang, as the Bucksburn & District Pipe Bands performed alongside top acts including Capercaillie, Charlie McKerron, Fochabers Fiddlers and even a Tornado fighter jet!

Although threatened with rain showers throughout the day, the event itself stayed dry and was appreciated by a packed arena at the Alice Littler Park in Aberlour.

The Senior Band gave a debut to it's 2009 competition medley, while the Junior Band also performed a 10 minute slot. Both bands then performed a piece called "The Horseman" written by Charlie McKerron, alongwith the Fochabers Fiddlers and the composer himself.

A video of the piece being performed is available here.

A full gallery of photos and video from the day can be found here.

The Bucksburn Pipe Band awards were presented at the annual Smoker night, held in Aberdeen's Belmont Sports & Social Club.

The Jim MacDonald Trophy is awarded each year to a member of the Junior Band who has shown qualities over the preceding year in their attitude, deportment, and general wilingness to help the band and their bandmates.

This year it was presented to Tenor Drummer Catherine Ellis in recognition of her hard work teaching and helping to include other members in the band scene. We wish her the best of luck in the new challenges she faces moving up to Grade Two.

The Joker Watt Trophy is awarded to a member of the Senior Band who has shown those qualities that Joker himself held - a dilligent band member, always with a good word for his band mates, and always in immaculate uniform.

The Joker Watt Trophy was presented by President Gus McAskill to Piper Mike Webster in acknowledgement of his help teaching beginners, steady part in the pipe corps and balance of his busy work - band life.