Wallacestone & District Pipe Band

With the outdoor competition season now well underway, the band travelled north to Forres on the Moray coast last weekend to take part in their first major championship of the season, having not attended the UK Championships in Northern Ireland.
After taking first place in grade 3 at Markinch Games the previous week, they were hopeful of making a top six place, and were delighted to finish third, after playing their new MSR in difficult conditions.
The drum corps had an excellent result, taking the drumming prize, and with it, the title of
Grade 3B British Drumming Champions 2024.
Well done to all involved.

The band are delighted to announce recently having secured its first ever sponsorship deal.
Pilley Electrical Services is a family run business based in Stirling, who specialise in the highest quality of electrical work, carried out throughout Scotland.
The company are led by father and son team, Alan and Craig Pilley, who dropped in to a practice in Brightons last week.
Alan, who is better known in pipe band circles as “Joe”, has been a stalwart member of the band for over a decade and said they are “delighted to be involved in sponsoring the band and looking forward to an exciting competition season”.
Alan and Craig were photographed with the pipe major and leading drummer alongside band chairman, Peter Anderson.

https://pilleyelectrical.co.uk/

Congratulations to Wallacestone bass drummer Kris Scobbie who was part of the NYPB who opened the concert for the current World Pipe Band Champions, Boghall & Bathgate, at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow yesterday.
The show was part of the annual Celtic Connections music festival, the pipe band concert being one of the highlights. As well as Kris performing with the NY PB, the Boghall line up included no less than three sons of current Wallacestone players. Gavin and Calum Burns, whose father Jas plays in the Wallacestone drum corps and Gleren Meneghin, who flew in from New York to take part in the concert. Gleren’s father, Jean Pierre, also travels over from his home in Brittany each summer, to compete with the Wallacestone drum corps.
Well done to all involved for an excellent show.

The band are absolutely delighted to introduce our brand new Wallacestone & District Pipe Band Tuition Programme!

With over 150 combined years experience in the piping and drumming community, our tutors are here to take you from Chanter to Pipes and Pad to Drum!
Our programme will provide tailored tuition from ages 9 and up in all aspects of Piping and Drumming with a view of adding another competitive band to our ranks! Our tuition programme is looking to begin Mid-September, and the band currently practices in Brightons on Monday and Thursday nights!
If you’re interested in learning, register your interest below:https://us21.list-manage.com/survey…

After the departure of PM Neil Henderson in December, an EGM was held last month and piper Ciaran Payne, who has been a member of the band for the past five years, was appointed the band’s 9th Pipe Major.
The band has now started on a re-building programme and have already added a number of players to its roster.
We are still actively seeking new players for the band and have also requested to be regraded to 3A for the 2023 season.
Any pipers or drummers who are ambitious, driven and willing to work hard to help the band achieve success, please feel free to contact the new Pipe Major, Leading drummer Stewart Gardiner, or any band member.
The music for the 2023 season has now been chosen and the band will be ready to return to the contest ring by mid summer.
Wallacestone & District currently practice on Monday and Thursday evenings in Brightons, between 7:30 and 9:30, with the practice venue only a few minutes walk from Polmont railway station, or around a ten minute drive from Falkirk.

After 11 seasons in charge, Pipe Major Neil Henderson has decided to stand down for the role.
The announcement was made at the band’s AGM held in Brightons on 8th December.
Neil can proudly look back on a very successful tenure which saw the band gain promotion three times, taking them from grade 4A to grade 2. The band would like to thank Neil for his hard work and dedication over the years and wish him well for the future.
The search is now on for a suitable successor, who will only be the 9th Pipe Major in the band’s 135 year history.

Interested parties should contact the band secretary, Julia Kay through this webpage or the band’s Facebook page.

The 2022 contest season has now come to an end with the band unable to compete at as many contests as hoped.
With Covid in the ranks, the band was forced to withdraw from the European Championships at Inverness, but did bounce back with creditable performances at both the Scottish and World Championships against a high quality grade 2 field.
Looking to next season, the band hope to strengthen all sections, so are keen to hear from any players who would be interested in coming along to join the band.
The Pipe Major and Leading Drummer can be contacted through social media or the band’s webpage, so if you think you have the ability to compete in grade 2, or currently play in a lower grade but willing to work to improve your playing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Huge congratulations to Tommy and Peter Anderson who were both Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) in the recent Queen’s Honours list and were recognised for their contribution to piping and pipe band drumming. Both brothers have been involved with the Wallacestone & District Pipe Band since childhood.
Tommy was Pipe Major of the band for over 30 years and these days continues to assist the Camelon Pipe Band, while younger brother Peter is still a playing member of the Wallacestone drum corps.
Well done gentlemen.

Wallacestone and District Pipe Band celebrate our 135th anniversary in 2022 and to commemorate this we are launching a composition contest! Tunes should be in March format with any time signature permitted. 1st prize is £500 and the winning tune will be named after the band. Composers of the top 3 shortlisted tunes will be invited to the Band dance on the 19th of November where the winner will be announced. Tunes will be judged anonymously by Craig Sutherland and Craig Muirhead plus Pipe Major Neil Henderson. The last date for entries is Saturday 13th of August 2022 and the winner announced at the band dinner dance on the 19th of November 2022.
For full details of the rules etc please see the band Facebook page or contact Pipe Major Neil Henderson.

The band was delighted to return to the competition field at Battery Park in Greenock on 21st May when they took part in the Grade Two Contest at the British Pipe Band Championships.
No silverware this time round, but happy to be back with a decent performance after a break of 30 months.
The band are not making the journey to the UK Championships at Lurgen, but will make the trip north for the European Championships in Inverness next month.