CELTIC FESTIVAL
St Andrews on the pipes
THE St Andrew’s College pipe band was in Knysna on the weekend taking part in one of the biggest music festivals, the annual Knysna Celtic Festival.
The full-day event celebrates Celtic music, dance and games at venues across Knysna. The day kicked off with a slow-to-quick street march competition – the only one of its kind in South Africa.
This was followed by a spectacular parade of massed pipes and drums, with more than 100 pipers, drummers and dancers from across the country.
The St Andrew’s College pipe band consists of 14 members from grades 912 but pupils from as young as Grade 3 from St Andrew’s Prep are busy learning to play to join the band, the school reported in a statement.
The pipe band is directed by Angus Nixon, and Chris Terry is the piping tutor. Sarah Kirk and Sachin May are the snare drumming tutors and Sheldan Dolfe is the bass section tutor.
Although this was not the first time the band participated in the festival, this was the first time that a school band competed against adult bands, in this event – four of them.
Intermittent showers and occasional rays of sunshine made it a hard day for finding tone. The band nonetheless remained focused, said the school.
The band took part in the selection contest and delivered a mature performance that wowed the audience and got the judges thinking.
The “College” band claimed third place and successfully built on the good reputation that has now become a norm at competitions.
St Andrew’s College pipe band director Nixon said they were very happy to have had the chance to participate in the festival again. Angus said the school was very pleased with the success of the band, which was attained through the hard work and dedication of the pupils.
“We are pleased with the success that the band has achieved recently, and hope that we can keep it up for the remainder of the year. It is good to see so many children enjoying this music and learning life lessons through their respective instruments and disciplines,’’ said Nixon.
St Andrew’s drum major, Sanele Mboto, commanded the band well in the street march and was also named the best drum major of the day, a real feather in the cap since the competitors were two adult drum majors.
In the solo competition there was a small but competitive field. All pipers and drummers gave of their best, some competing in particular events for the first time.
Pupil Andre Renaud, who was competing for the first time, pitted himself against senior opposition in the reel event and came fourth.
The novice piping competition was also contested by the band’s pipers.
St Andrew’s Prep pupil Christopher Pretorius emerged victorious as the overall winner of the day, with Arran Hepburn finishing in second place.
The school’s pipe major, Jonathan Campbell, led the band to a successful quartet victory as the band mustered the last of their strength at the end of a long day to put on a good performance.