Update 1: Player moves in full-effect with top bands
The fall is the migratory season not only for birds, but also for pipers and drummers taking flight from one band to another, as they look to settle on new ground for 2010.
With the promotion of the Inveraray & District Pipe Band of Inveraray, Scotland, to Grade 1 a certainty, the band is the beneficiary of several newcomers, including top-flight pipers Callum Beaumont from Simon Fraser University, Alastair Fletcher and Alasdair Henderson from ScottishPower, and snare drummer Gus Sicard from ScottishPower.
While the status of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band is not known, a source close to the band has said that it will be intact for the 2010 season, but the band’s status within the Strathclyde Police force is still uncertain.
In addition to the departure of former Pipe-Major Donald Mackay to become Pipe-Sergeant at ScottishPower, replacing the departing Peter Hunt, the Strathclyde Police band has lost a few members including snare drummers David Ross to House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead, Olav Goud to Boghall & Bathgate and tenor-drummer Scott Currie. Though Strathclyde has added drummer Leslie Galbraith, who joins from Robert Wiseman Dairies-Vale of Atholl.
Additional reported transfers: Graham Drummond moves from Boghall & Bathgate to Field Marshal Montgomery; Emma Buchan has left Boghall to become the new Pipe-Sergeant of Torphichen & Bathgate, which also picks up rising solo piping star, David Shedden, who joins his father, Pipe-Major Stuart Shedden; and Billy Archibald moves from Boghall & Bathgate’s Juvenile band to Fife Constabulary.
Meanwhile, the 2009 World Champions, Simon Fraser University, are reporting a net increase, despite the loss of pipers Callum Beaumont to Inveraray, James Beaumont (family reasons), Andrew Smith to the Rocky Mountain Pipe Band, and drummer James Laughlin, who has moved to New Zealand. Joining SFU are pipers Keith Paton, a former member who was Pipe-Major of the Keith Highlanders Pipe Band for the last two years, R.J. Houston from the Australia Highlanders and snare drummers Blair Brown (Peel Regional Police), Tano Martone (Shotts) and Duncan MacPherson (LA Scots).
SFU Pipe-Major Terry Lee says that his band currently has 27 pipers, 13 snare drummers, five tenor drummers and a bass drummer on its roster.
Other moves include side drummers Steven Shedden from Boghall & Bathgate to House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead, and Aaron McCarten has left Ravara to join Field Marshal Montgomery.
Last month, the Grade 1 Peel Regional Police reported a substantial gain of personnel, allowing the band to create a feeder-band system.
Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more player moves as they become known.
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