The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Recruitment for pipe band hits first beat
Pupils in Dundee encouraged to sign up for a new pipe and drum band
A kick-start weekend has been held in Dundee to encourage youngsters to sign up for a new school pipe and drum band.
Following a funding announcement of £58,000 in January, a launch party was held at Fintry Primary School over the weekend organised by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust.
More than 100 pupils from Baldragon, Fintry, Longhaugh and Mill o’ Mains schools attended the event, which was organised to encourage as many youngsters as possible to get involved in learning to play a traditional Scottish instrument.
The event saw youngsters being introduced to the various facets which make up a traditional pipe band, including the learner chanter, snare drums, bass drum and tenor drums.
Classes for each instrument will now be set up, allowing the pupils the chance to learn their new-found hobby.
If all goes to plan, by January 2020 Dundee will have a new pipe band able to take part in national competitions, known as DD4 Pipes and Drums Youth Pipe Band.
The plan is for the band, once they have come together and established themselves in the area, to compete in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships – the largest youth pipe band competition in the world.
This year’s competition, which takes place on March 11 in Livingston, will see First Minister Nicola Sturgeon present awards to the various event winners.
Dundee City Council hopes the initiative will encourage a wider community spirit, as well as help shrink the attainment gap in the city.
It follows hot on the heels of the wellreceived Sistema Big Noise Orchestra, which finally launched in September in St Pius and Claypotts primary schools.
More than 260 pupils are signed up with the Big Noise programme, which has been proven to help change the lives of the young people it works with.
Alex Duncan, chief executive of the trust, thanked the council for having the “vision and drive” to take advantage of their funding to set up the band.
She said: “The trust is really excited for the school cluster, it will be a fabulous project.
“We are in the fortunate position to be able to support these schools in Dundee and across Scotland.
“The trust works in partnership with local authorities, school and community groups and parent councils to provide tuition and instruments.”
The trust supports more than 2,000 pupils in state-run schools across Scotland, as well as hosting the annual young persons pipe band championship in March.