Pipe Major Tam Anderson has announced he will retire from the position he took on in 1972. The band are now looking to recruit a “young and enthusiastic player” who will take the band forward. The story has recently appeared on the Piper and Drummer website and any interested applicants are invited to contact our secretary James Condie through this website.
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Having just missed a place in the prize list at the Scottish Championships in Dumbarton, Wallacestone have gone on to pick up three first places with the drum corps coming out on top at the last two contests.
Following their victories at Bathgate, Shotts and Bearsden, the band are hoping to keep up their high standards on Saturday 25th June at the British Championships in Annan, where they finished in 2nd spot last season.
Over the coming summer months the band will be taking part in various activities in the local community. This will include Laurieston School Fun Day on Sunday 29th May, Grangemouth Gala Day on Saturday 18th June and the Free Colliers Walk on Saturday 6th August.
The band has recently returned from a successful visit to China where they were invited to play at the 70th birthday celebrations of ex-pat businessman Nick Watson. The band received a tremendous reception at the party, which also featured musicians who had travelled from Ireland and South Africa to perform in Shanghai. Former Wallacestone drummer and band secretary Alistair Stirling who now lives in Thailand but regularly visits Shanghai on business, also made it to the function to hear the band for the first time in a number of years. Thanks are due again to Nick and his son Alan of Moore & Watson, Falkirk, for looking after the band so well during the trip.
Sadly at the end of the competing season, Leading Drummer Allan Lindsay decided to stand down from his post due to work commitments. Allan hopes to continue playing with the band when he can and has been replaced by Fraser Gardiner who has played with the band for the past few years. Fraser, like many Wallacestone players, has strong family connections with the band, his father, sister, aunt and uncles all having played with the band. The band would like to thank Alan for his hard work and commitment over the past few years and look forward to him leading the singing on the band bus again next season!
