Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band

DAPB SPRING FUNDRAISER

DAPB was out in action again in the town of Dunoon at Easter, for their Annual fundraiser round town and round the hotels at night.  This was a very successful day on several fronts.  It was the first time we have had a couple of the dancers who join us from Katrina Martin's School of Dancing go and dance in Anselmo's chip shop in Hillfoot Street!  They were well rewarded financially for their efforts, and set the day off to a good start.  The sun was shining, although it was a bit cold, but this did not spoil what turned out to be a very enjoyable day for players, dancers, collectors and the many spectators throughout the day and evening.  Many thanks to everyone who supported us on the day, in particular Genmorag, Selbourne, West End, Esplanade and Mccoll's hotels, and the Hunter's Quay Holiday Village, where we always enjoy performing.  A very big welcome from everyone at Dunoon Argyll Pipeband to the new members for this season - Ashley, Lianne and Jennifer McVicar, and Caitlin Cudihy, who turned out and performed very well once the nerves settled down! 

On Saturday, 1st December, Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band presented a concert in the Pipe Band hall, featuring that virtuoso of the bagpipes, Gordon Walker, and his newly formed pipe band, Mauchline & District Caledonia. The band worked through their reportoire of largely traditional tunes, with Gordon introducing each set and explaining the background to the tunes. Whilst one may wonder at the authenticity of his stories, one cannot question the entertainment factor of his enunciations! Gordon's brother and Leading Drummer, Colin Walker, showed his prowess as a musical director when he accompanied the band on other instruments. A highlight of the evening was Colin's arrangement of several sets of well known, traditional tunes played with keyboard accompaniment, which can only be described as moving, and rousing at the same time.

As well as this, the band played several modern compositions, with many of them having been composed by P/M Gordon Walker himself. The younger pipers in the band were showcased, as they performed as solo pipers, to the rapturous applause of a very knowledgeable audience of in excess of a hundred and twenty people. The evening was interspersed with Highland Dancing, performed by local dancers, Rachel Cliff and Michelle McLeod, accompanied by P/M Jim Prentice as piper.

Members of Dunoon Argyll and Mauchline pipe bands, and especially P/M Gordon Walker would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended this event. The atmosphere in the Hall was electric, which gave the performers a great deal of satisfaction. The venture was organised primarily to raise funds for next years activities for both bands, and it was agreed by all that this was a very successful and pleasurable way to achieve this aim.

At the end of the night, Gordon Walker played some of his legendary 'party pieces', finishing up with a promise to return and do it all again! This was met with great enthusiasm, so you have been served notice - if you missed out this time, don't make the same mistake next time!

DAPB can be seen again on Saturday 17th November, when we will have a representation at McClure's Bar, Dunoon, playing pre Match (for those who aren't informed, the Scotland v Italy football match), helping to create a great atmosphere for what we hope will be an inspirational game for Scotland!!  We will then head back to the 2nd of two party nights at Hunter's Quay Holiday Village.

THE MAIN EVENT OF THE YEAR!

For those who enjoy Piping and Pipebands of the best quality, you will want to look out for tickets, which are soon to go on sale, to a recital on Saturday 1st December in the Pipe band Hall, featuring the mighty

 P/M Gordon Walker, and his band, Mauchline and District Caledonia pipe band. 

 Tickets will cost £7, and the evening will feature some great music from Gordon, highland dancing, soloists, mini-band and full band performances.  With a licensed Bar in situ, snacks and a raffle, where else could you possibly want to be!??!  Tickets will go on sale next week from several venues around town, including McClure's Bar, and also from band members.

Well, now that we have had a well deserved break from the 2007 competition, and, as always happens, some people have gone, and others have arrived, DAPB are back in action!  On Saturday 10th November, we played to a packed audience enjoying a great night at the Hunter's Quay Holiday Village.  A big welcome to 2 of our new players, Jennifer McVicar, piper, and her younger sister, Ashley, tenor drummer.  Many thanks to Rachel Cliff, our dancer, who I think stole the show with some excellent dancing!!

Here is Rachel dancing a Highland Fling - it's hard to get a photograph of her dancing that isn't blurry!

The band was then in action again the next day, leading the Armistace Parade through the town of Dunoon to the Cenotaph.

Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band had a fantastic trip to the Festival Interceltique Lorient, Brittany, for this, The Year of Scotland.  Here they are pictured following their very successful cabaret presentation, with friends from New Ross Pipe Band, Emmit and Des, as well as their drummer friend Jean-Louis, who played with us in our session. 

All the best from everyone at Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band to the grade 4 band who are competing at the Scottish Championships for their first time this season.  Also, best wishes for a good day to our drum major, Florian Faust, from Frankfurt, Germany.  Florian is also competing.  He's the tall one at the front in the picture below!

Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band took a mini-band to the brilliant Seafood Fayre at Loch Fyne Oysters, Cairndow on Saturday 12th May, in the afternoon.  If you like seafood, cheeses, pickles, BBQ smoked salmon, venison,washed down by local ales, whilst listening to live music, this was the place to be!  It was on all weekend, and was great fun.  If you missed it, take a note of it for next year, or miss out!!  What a location the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar is placed in.  DAPB don't look too bad either.

When side drummer extraordinaire, 'Sonic' Jim King had finished his gig with the pipe band, he moved on to his next job - playing as kit drummer for the next band to perform - Saddlebags.  They were great, and had the crowds singing along and dancing, or was that the Champagne and local Ale?!?  If you look closely enough, you will also see from the previous picture that the lead singer was working as the photographer covering the event earlier in the day too.  Who says only women can multi-task!

Well done Mairi - first time playing the bass drum!

Congratulations from everyone at Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band to Disco Dave aka David Buchan, piper extraordinaire, with our grade 3A band, who recently got engaged!!  The lucky lady is Allana Black, not known in piping circles, but no doubt soon will be.  Something else to celebrate folks!!

Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band currently has two competing bands, and is delighted to announce that the grade 3B band has been upgraded to 3A for the 2007 season!  Although we have had several changes of personnel in the band, we hope to be able to work hard during the winter, and justify our new grading. 

Best wishes from all in the band to Sean for a speedy recovery.  Sean, despite being a musician, plays rugby, and recently broke his hand!  Wishing you a speedy recovery, and suggesting an early retirement from 'danger' sports.  (we suspect this is unlikely)

In recent times, Dunoon Argyll Pipeband has enjoyed the privilege of being involved in several local events, and would like to say thankyou to the people and organisations who made this possible.  Firstly, we would like to say a big thankyou to Martin and Liz Donavan from MacClures Bar for their very generous new sponsorship of the Band. Thanks to Steven Ballantyne for rushing to put the name of  MacClures Bar on the bass drum in time for the Massed Choirs street parade which the Band lead at the end of the Mod.  As always, an excellent job was done by Steven.  Thanks also to Shanks wastesolutions for their assistance in getting some jobs done at the Pipe Band hall also in time for the Royal National Mod coming to Dunoon.  Several band members thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this special event, not only by taking part in playing with the Pipe Band, but also as Stewards and Chairpersons for several events during the week, not least of all the solo Piping competitions.  Pipe Majors Jim and Colin Prentice also played for the Highland Dancing competitions at Hunters Quay Holiday Village, and would like to congratulate all local dancers who performed very well on the day, taking many prizes.  In particular, the band would like to congratulate Courtney Cowden, not least of all for being able to dance for the BBC highlights programme at 10.30pm after a full day of competition.  Jim Prentice played for her for this event, but unless anyone recognised his hands, which were shown for all of 2 seconds at the beginning of the dance, no-one else would know!  Jim was however seen in many venues around the town over the Mod week, playing to welcome guests and performers alike.  Thanks to the organisers of the Royal National Mod, those based locally and those based in Inverness, for inviting the Pipe Band to have such an enjoyable share in what was a very prestigious event for our town.

For those that don't know, the Royal National Mod has arrived in Dunoon, and is causing no small stir among the populace!  Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band had a full share in the Piping Day on Saturday 14th October, by providing Chairmen and Stewards for the day.  The Juvenile competitions had large entries, and although the number of entrants for the Senior events was lower, the caliber of players and performances was fierce!  As on several previous occasions, the day belonged to William McCallum, with Angus McColl and Gordon Walker close on his heels.  A very knowledgeable and appreciative audience enjoyed the Hornpipe and Jig competition in the evening, where the panel of 4 judges was quite a daunting prospect for the competitiors!

Pipe Major Jim Prentice was also busy on the opening night of the Mod on Friday night, playing at the Opening Ceremony, and then at the Dinner at the Park Hotel.  He will be in action again a few times more, and then will play along with Colin Prentice, Pipe Major of our grade 4 band, for the Highland Dancing competition on Thursday 19th October, at Hunter's Quay Holiday Village, Dunoon.  Finally, the Pipe Band will lead a procession of Choirs through the town on Saturday morning, finishing at the Queen's Hall, where the Choirs will entertain throughout the morning, as this very special event comes to a close for another year. 

The DAPB News & Information Page

Scottish Champions in Grade 3B for 2006

	DAPB Happenings in September 2006
	The Grade 4 band has been busy since Cowal Games, taking part in a parade for the Clan Lamont Society, then with Pipe Major Colin Prentice playing for them at their dinner/dance in the evening.  This took place on Saturday 2nd September.  Then on Saturday 16th September, Dunoon was privileged to host the Camanachd Cup, which is the Final of the Shinty Championship.  It was televised on BBC2, so the Grade 4 band  along with a few 'extras' from the Grade 3 band, performed at this prestigious event.  They joined together with Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Pipe Band forming a massed band.  They then played from the Queen's Hall to the stadium, before leading the two teams from Fort William and Kingussie onto the Park for the match.  Almost the first shot of the TV programme was the massed band entering the stadium.
	Sadly, we have a number of the Grade 3 band leaving!       We are also pleased to report that our new Drum Major, Florian Faust, competed in a Drum Majors competition in his native Germany, and came second!  Congratulations to Florian.  He was happy to be wearing the band uniform for the first time at a competitive event.    In general, we are busy going through the inevitable change of personnel within the band, which happens at the end of every season.    Sadly, we have quite a lot of members from the Grade 3 band leaving for a variety of reasons, but are still on course for fielding 2 competitive bands next season again.      Our next activity is another parade at the end of the National Mod in October, which Dunoon is also delighted to be hosting this year.

 

DAPB

Email: dunoonpipeband@yahoo.co.uk  

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