Pipe Band Champs need you
After hosting the 2015 championships, touted as the ‘‘best ever’’, the Celtic Pipe Band club are excited to bring another championship together. The Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Championships also includes the South Pacific Championship, run every three years.
The events run over Friday March 10 and Saturday March 11, with a street march in central Nelson on Saturday morning while the remainder of the events are at Trafalgar Park.
Championship liaison Helen Gilchrist says they’re looking for volunteers to help with the event, with many hands on deck required from parking attendants and gate keepers to catering.
‘‘To bring this contest together the small contest committee has secured the help of several community groups, but still need the input of more volunteers from the community,’’ Gilchrist says. ‘‘If you are part of a group that is able and willing to help on both the Friday and Saturday the organisers want to hear from you.’’
According to organisers, Nelson will benefit from many spin-offs, with the event expected to bring over $2 million into the local economy.
More than 50 bands from around the country will attend, requiring around 5000 bed nights over the three days.
The championships include all the pageantry associated with pipe bands, from stirring music and impressive marching to the drum majors staff flourishing contest.
The Celtic Pipe Band of Stoke have been chosen again to host The Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Championships in March, reports Judith Ritchie.
‘‘The stunning success of the high spinning lethal staff, plus the scary misses always bring spontaneous claps or sighs,’’ Gilchrist says.
Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne will be the guest judge for the marching and playing in patterns display event. There is also a massed band performance, where all bands play the same tune. ‘‘This is a real tear jerker, loved by all,’’ Gilchrist says.
The street march runs from Millers Acre, turning into Trafalgar St and ending outside Subway in Bridge St. The Grade 4 bands then march as one massed band back to Trafalgar Park.
‘‘This is a sight to behold,’’ Gilchrist says. ‘‘The street march was a fantastic crowd-pleaser at the 2015 champs, the whole town came alive with the music, pomp and ceremony.’’
Nelson mayor Rachel Reese will officiate at the street march, taking the salute from the drum major as each band marches past, then making the address at the closing ceremony.
Gilchrist says public perception of pipe bands is often that it’s for the elderly, but that is not the case. This year the Celtic Pipe Band have a juvenile band, with players all under 18 years old. ‘‘It is fascinating to see the numbers of young people gravitating to this challenging musical art form,’’ Gilchrist says.
‘‘The (juvenile) band will have nine girls on bass and tenor, flourishing their pompom-like, glittered handled sticks, looking stunning.’’