City of Rochester Pipe Band to play at Rochester Cathedral

For many years the City of Rochester Pipe Band have played in concerts at Rochester Cathedral, a well known landmark in the heart of the historic city. This year they return to participate in a Childrens Concert in aid of the charity "Voices for Hospices".

We encourage you to come and see the band performing in this historic setting. The event is tomorrow, Saturday 26th October and begins at 7:00pm. Don't miss your chance to see a 19 minute performance with the band in the wonderful setting of Rochester Cathedral. A further post with performance feedback will be released to the public on Sunday.

We hope to see you tomorrow.

Chris Nelson
Honorary Member
City of Rochester Pipe Band

Hollie Steel saves the day at Grange Park Extravaganza

It was always going to be a matter of luck if the entire cast made it to Wrotham for our Pipes and Drums Extravaganza on Saturday 6th July. Just a week before we were due to go live to the public we were faced with a removal to a new venue and the withdrawal of two bands.

This, in theory, left the City of Rochester Pipe Band, members of the Fiona Ray School of Highland Dancing and the highly acclaimed Hollie Steel: a former finalist if Britain's Got Talent who has now been dubbed  one of the finest classical singers in the country. After sending emails to the three remaining acts informing them of a change of venue, they rose to the challenge that faced them magnificently.

As I worked frantically during the week to change the programme, Hollie put the finishing touches to her performance. I had been worried that these sudden changes would cause controversy with our guest, yet I need not have worried at all as you are about to hear. So came the big day on Saturday 6th July. Mr Steve Hitchings, the events Assistant Producer was working with my brother parking cars and marshalling the acts.

I heard an excited voice telling me that Hollie had arrived and I was there to greet her straight away. Hollie smiled as I approached her and I felt a great sense of relief. I knew then that the change of venue did not matter to her as long as she was able to sing. She has a shining personality and an amazing capacity to recognise tunes as well as considerable experience in the organisation of musical events. Her help was to prove invaluable.

We discussed the plan for her rehearsal and she agreed that we should play the Skye Boat Song once through and repeat Amazing Grace three times to allow Hollie to sing the verses. The time came for her to sing in front of the school. As the pipers broke into Skye Boat Song, an amazingly beautiful lilt filled the air. I turned in amazement to see Hollie, smiling slightly, singing this classic Scottish slow air with perfect pitch and excellent timing.

When Hollie began to sing Amazing Grace, I could feel a lump starting to form in my throat and I was trying incredibly hard not to burst into tears as she hit the high notes. Her voice seemed to blend with the pipes beautifully, so it was only natural that there would be an encore during the Finale.

Before Hollie, there had been displays from the Drum Corps and the combined City of Rochester Pipe Band and Hollie gave feedback to me at regular intervals which helped to make the event run smoothly.

During the second Highland Dancing display, I suggested that our penultimate Finale Piece should be another rendition of Amazing Grace, for which Hollie would be accompanied by the combined City of Rochester Pipe Band, who would in turn be joined by our Highland Dancers. Hollie thought it was a good idea and agreed to the plan. The Pipes and Drums played a wartime medley before breaking into Amazing Grace once more. During the encore, The Pipes and Drums were joined by three of the Highland Dancers completing our Finale. It was a very emotional day for me and I am extremely grateful to Hollie for not only singing so well, but stepping in to cover for Steve Hitchings as Assistant Producer for the day.

Since the show, Hollie appears to have developed a keen interest for the bagpipes. There are a whole series of new events planned for the coming year and details will be released in due course. I am delighted to have started working with such a wonderful person and look forward to hopefully helping out more in the months ahead.

Kindest Wishes
Chris Nelson
Event Organiser

Hollie Steel joins Massed Pipes and Drums Extravaganza

I am delighted to be able to announce that former "Britain's Got Talent" finalist Hollie Steel has agreed to take part in the Grange Park Massed Pipes and Drums Extravaganza, taking place at Grange Park's Key Stage 5 headquarters at Holmesdale Technology College in Snodland on Saturday 6th July 2013.

She is part of a programme which includes Massed Pipes and Drums and a group of 6 Highland Dancers. News was broken to a delighted Stephen Hitchings, the event's Assistant Producer/Director and Head of Key Stage 5 on Monday last week. When asked how he felt about Hollie attending, he said: "I didn't think we'd manage it, but we did. Well done Chris, you are a star"!"

Hollie is said to be delighted about participating. In her segement for the show she will be singing "The Skye Boat Song" and "Amazing Grace" with musical accompaniment from three City of Rochester Pipe Band Pipers. She will also be joining the cast for thhe finale.

This is an informal occasion, so we are encouraging all students and staff to take the opportunity to have a chat with Hollie. Grange Park staff will be there to assist if needed.

I would like to thank Hollie's Mother Nina Steel for helping to make this event such a special occasion.

All the very best,
Chris Nelson
Producer/Director

Grange Park gets the star treatment for Massed Pipes and Drums Extravaganza

Organisers of the 2013 Grange park Massed Pipes and Drums Extravaganza can promise a spectacular line up this year in a programme which includes Massed Pipes and Drums, Highland Dancers and a guest apperance from a well known singing sensation.

The show takes you on a journey through Scotland, but has other surprises in store to jazz it up a little.

The opening Drum Salute from the Drum Corps of the City of Rochester Pipe Band signals the apperance of the 90 strong Massed Pipes and Drums, who will fill the arena with the stirring sound of the pipes. The contingent is drawn from across the South East and comprises The City of Rochester Pipe Band, Romney Marsh ATC Pipes and Drums, The London and South East Region Air Cadet Pipes and Drums, members of the East Kent Piping Society and the Stow Caledonian Pipe Band, all playing traditional Scottish tunes.

Experienced Highland Dancer Fiona Ray brings five of her dancers from her school in Offham, Kent to this event. The display, devised by Jenny Barrow, a Rochester based dancer, is set to the music of The City of Rochester Pipe Band, a wonderful display if movement and energy.

No event like this would be complete without a singing act, and so subject to availability, former Britain's Got Talent finalist Hollie Steel joins the cast with the idea of singing a Scottish Medley accompanied by two City of Rochester Pipe Band pipers. We still await official confirmation however.

Soon after this, the finale of the show begins as the Massed Pipes and Drums return in spectacular fashion, playing the haunting tunes "Highland Cathedral" and Amazing Grace" before we hear Robert Burns great song of parting, Auld Lang Syne. The contingent will then leave the field to the strains of "Scotland the Brave" and "The Rowan Tree", bringing our journey around Scotland to a close.

I hope you will come and join us for this unique happening on Saturday 6th July.

Chris Nelson
Producer/Director

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.