We have just heard the exciting news that the annual Pipers Trail is to be represented in the Massed Pipes and Drums at this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo by a group of 25 pipers and drummers, playing alongside icons such as the Classical BRIT Award winning Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as the Tattoo Chief Executive and Producer, Brigadier David Allfrey MBE explains in a report published by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association:
For many years, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has drawn the Massed Pipes and Drums from the Armed Services' Pipes and Drums along with invited international Pipe Bands (military and civilian) and some selected schools and colleges.
The prerequisites for attendance have been a smart and soldierly manner (in foot drill and turnout), musical excellence and a commitment to practice and perform across the run (essentially 4 weeks in late-July and August including rehearsals). This year for the first time, we have invited a Regimental Association Pipe Band and we are looking to form a 'house' Pipes and Drums as a pilot for a larger scheme designed to embrace the wider national and international Pipes and Drums community. This scheme will be known as 'The Pipers Trail'.
The Pipers Trail was originally conceived in 2007 as an 'Army in Scotland' campaign to engage with the civil community. Over 4 years the scheme covered the length and breadth of Scotland visiting schools and communities encouraging an interest in the Great Highland Bagpipe, Highland Drumming and Dancing. Now, the project has been taken on by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo with the same broad intentions but also to enable a wider community to participate in one of the world's greatest celebrations of pipe, drums and military music.
This year - with the support of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, The National Piping Centre, The College of Piping and the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming - we are looking for volunteers to form a Pipers’ Trail file on the Tattoo; one of 15 files on parade. We are looking for up to 25 pipers and drummers who can play to at least Grade 3 standard, with the ability to assimilate the 2014 Pipe and Drum score and take in instruction, before rehearsals. We would also like to open the scheme to select and talented younger players.
The successful candidates will be provided with Full Dress uniform (for the duration of the Tattoo: 28 Jul - 24 Aug 14), instruction in foot drill and the opportunity to join 250 other pipers and drummers as part of the Massed Pipes and Drums - one of the largest cohorts ever to play on the Tattoo. The Band will perform each evening in front of a live audience of 8,800 each evening (220,000 across the run) and on a variety of major 'outreach' events.
This year, we are looking for established players, preferably (but not essentially) from within commuting distance of Edinburgh, to kick start the programme. If this pilot is successful we hope to expand the scheme in coming years to grow a significant 'bank' of suitable pipers and drummers in Scotland and from across the world for future Tattoos and other prestige events.
Email applications (to: piperstrail@edintattoo.co.uk) should be accompanied with a CV and accompanied by any evidence of playing standard. If formal qualifications are unavailable, applicants may provide a reference from a Pipe Major of an established Band. Applications close on 1 Jun 14.
David Allfrey
The Pipers' Trail
The prerequisites for attendance have been a smart and soldierly manner (in foot drill and turnout), musical excellence and a commitment to practice and perform across the run (essentially 4 weeks in late-July and August including rehearsals). This year for the first time, we have invited a Regimental Association Pipe Band and we are looking to form a 'house' Pipes and Drums as a pilot for a larger scheme designed to embrace the wider national and international Pipes and Drums community. This scheme will be known as 'The Pipers Trail'.
The Pipers Trail was originally conceived in 2007 as an 'Army in Scotland' campaign to engage with the civil community. Over 4 years the scheme covered the length and breadth of Scotland visiting schools and communities encouraging an interest in the Great Highland Bagpipe, Highland Drumming and Dancing. Now, the project has been taken on by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo with the same broad intentions but also to enable a wider community to participate in one of the world's greatest celebrations of pipe, drums and military music.
This year - with the support of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, The National Piping Centre, The College of Piping and the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming - we are looking for volunteers to form a Pipers’ Trail file on the Tattoo; one of 15 files on parade. We are looking for up to 25 pipers and drummers who can play to at least Grade 3 standard, with the ability to assimilate the 2014 Pipe and Drum score and take in instruction, before rehearsals. We would also like to open the scheme to select and talented younger players.
The successful candidates will be provided with Full Dress uniform (for the duration of the Tattoo: 28 Jul - 24 Aug 14), instruction in foot drill and the opportunity to join 250 other pipers and drummers as part of the Massed Pipes and Drums - one of the largest cohorts ever to play on the Tattoo. The Band will perform each evening in front of a live audience of 8,800 each evening (220,000 across the run) and on a variety of major 'outreach' events.
This year, we are looking for established players, preferably (but not essentially) from within commuting distance of Edinburgh, to kick start the programme. If this pilot is successful we hope to expand the scheme in coming years to grow a significant 'bank' of suitable pipers and drummers in Scotland and from across the world for future Tattoos and other prestige events.
Email applications (to: piperstrail@edintattoo.co.uk) should be accompanied with a CV and accompanied by any evidence of playing standard. If formal qualifications are unavailable, applicants may provide a reference from a Pipe Major of an established Band. Applications close on 1 Jun 14.
David Allfrey
The Pipers' Trail
As stated above, anybody who is interested in applying for this unique opportunity should contact the email address above. I am hugely delighted that the Brigadier is providing the members of the Pipers Trail with such an amazing opportunity and I hope that the publication of this post will assist him greatly in seeing that this plan comes to fruition.
This would be a fantastic opportunity for our younger generation of pipers and drummers to spend time with the staff at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming and I would urge the aspiring piper or drummer to give this some serious consideration. You are being presented with an opportunity to prove your talent in the best way possible.
For our regular readers, there is due to be another event taking place in Edinburgh around this time and more details will be published as soon as I have received them.
On behalf of myself and my colleagues, I wish Brigadier David Allfrey every success with this plan and I hope very much that it proves successful.
I look forward to seeing the finished results in August.
Best wishes to you all,
Christopher Nelson
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