City of Rochester Pipe Band to be represented in Australia

As the City of Rochester Pipe Band begin preperations for the Grange Park Military Tattoo next year, we are pleased to announce that we will be represented in Australia as Peter Tennant reports:

July 28, 2012

I am going on holiday next year to Australia. I will, be taking the pipes with me as I am going to go and do some practising
with North Metro Pipe Band who are a Grade 4 competition  band. It will be interesting to see how the practising differs from the City of Rochester Pipe Band. I first started to learn the pipes with a Grade 4 competition pipe band namely Dartford and District Pipe band before they disbanded in 2006/2007 being taught by Rob Hill who in my opinion is a great teacher. I managed to talk him into coming to the City of Rochester Pipe Band to teach our own learners, a task which he has superbly taken on. I am awaiting some music from North Metro to start learning for when I go to Oz, looking forward to the new challenge. 

Posted by peter tennant.

Grange Park Tattoo planning underway



The Massed Pipes and Drums during the 2012 Basel Tattoo, Switzerland

Planning for the 2013 Grange Park Military Tattoo is now well underway. The theme for this years event is "What is a Tattoo?" This year we will be trying to explain this through music.

The opening notes of "Farewell to Camraw", played by a small group of pipers will signal the apperance of the awe inspiring Massed Pipes and Drums setting our show on the road. It is hoped they will be playing rousing renditions of tunes such as "Prince Charles Welcome to Lochaber" and "The 79th's Farewell to Gibralter". This year's prestigious band is drawn from the Royal Air Force and several other civillian bands from across the South of England. They should comprise the City of Rochester Pipe Band, Colchester and District Pipe Band, The highly popular Queen Victoria School Dunblane Pipe Band and the Pipes and Drums of RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. Also appearing later in the show are the Eastbourne Scottish and Epping Forest Pipe Bands.

The Pipes, Drums and Dancers of the Queen Victoria School Dunblane are also planned to appear alongside the Eastbourne Scottish Pipe Band and the Fiona Ray school of Highland Dancing. In this item, we shall try to tell the story of Scottish Highland Dancing.

The Bloco Fogo Samba Band also appear underlining the cultaral acts that Tattoo events bring.

The finale sees all of our Pipe Bands return to the arena and it has a real Scottish flavour to it with tunes such as "The Green Hills of Tyrol", "The Battle's o'er" and "Auld Lang Syne" being played.


All acts appear subject to availability and plans could change at any time, although the theme will remain the same.

We look forward to seeing you all in July.
Christopher Nelson,
Tattoo Producer

Delight for Grange Park as Tattoo gets the green light



Elise Walsh will once again be joining the team as the Tattoo's Production Assistant. Here, she attends a rehearsal for last years Jubilee Tattoo and holds the pipes belonging to Major Tony Daniel, the current Director of Music of the City of Rochester Pipe Band

We are very pleased to confirm that our Tattoo has found a new location. The event will be taking place at the Grange Park Key Stage 5 site next year.

"This comes after discussions with the Head of Key Stage 5", said Elise Walsh, who will reprise her role as Production Assistant once again. "The Jubilee event was such a success that we decided to do the same thing at Key Stage 5 and we are very glad that Mr Hitchings has excepted our proposal", she finished.

No less than 4 Pipe Bands our expected to attend this year to create a 60 strong band from the City of Rochester Pipe Band, The Eastbourne Scottish Pipe Band, The Colchester and District Pipe Band and the Epping Forest Pipe Band based just a few miles from Central London.

The show begins with a combined display by The City of Rochester and Colchester and District Pipe Band playing a brand new set of tunes from the 2012 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Colchester band will later on be accompanying the Fiona Ray School of Highland Dancing in their individual display, which will be performed under the joint direction of Fiona Ray and Lorna Hicks.

We should also have a combined display from the Eastbourne Scottish and Epping Forest Pipe Bands as well as an apperance from the Bloco Fogo Samba Band, who recently wowed the crowds as the Olympic Torch Relay made its way through Borurgh Green.

Of course the ever popular Massed Pipe Bands Finale will return this year and includes favourites such as "The Green Hills of Tyrol", "The Battle's o'er" and "Highland Laddie" plus many more. As ever, the event will conclude with the Tattoo Cast marching off to our signature tune "Marie's Wedding".

We hope you will join us for this event which will take place in July 2013.

With best wishes to all,

Christopher Nelson,

Tattoo Producer

P.S This post will be removed after a 2 month period due to the use of Elise's photograph.