News

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.