Toronto Police Feeder Band Closed

The Toronto Police Pipe Band has decided to dissolve its Grade 3 feeder unit, citing the need to strengthen the ranks of its Grade 1 band.

After the 2002 season, several key members of the Grade 3 band approached Pipe-Major Ian K. MacDonald and Lead Drummer Alan Savage with the desire to play full time in the Grade 1 band. Both bands won the 2002 Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario’s Champion Supreme title for most aggregate points in their grades over the season.

According to MacDonald, members of the Grade 3 band not joining the Grade 1 band will be encouraged to stay with the group’s parade band and improve their skills with regular instruction from members of the competition band.

“Our goal is to hopefully start up something competitive the following year involving some younger players,” said MacDonald. “These players would benefit from the experience of players currently found within every part of our organization. Therefore, it is true that for the time being, there will only be one competitive band within our organization.

“Having two Champion Supreme winning bands within the PPBSO has been something that I am very proud of, and we are making these types of moves only with the hopes of strengthening the foundation of our organization.”

p|d

What do you think? We always want to hear from our readers, so please use our comment system to provide your thoughts!

Do you have news? Be sure to send your information to pipes|drums. We can’t report what we don’t know about! Please remember to support the businesses that advertise and make the not-for-profit p|d possible.