Pipes & Drums Heading to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Pipes & Drums Heading to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
February 11, 2016 at 12:12 PM
The Pipes & Drums are putting the final touches on preparations for their trip to Wellington next week having been selected to perform in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2016, New Zealand 'Fanfare for the Future.’
The Edinburgh Tattoo is renowned for drawing together hundreds of musicians, dancers, pipers and drummers in an international cast of over 1,200 military and civilian performers, all selected from amongst the best acts in the world. The pageantry, military precision, choreography, music, lighting, projection, special effects - with the addition of a live audience in the mix - will give our students memories which they will be able to look back on for the rest of their lives. While everyone will have to work hard to deliver the very best performance they are also sure to have a great deal of fun in the process.
The band has worked steadily through the holidays as music to be worked on has arrived in stages from Scotland. In one of its rare appearances away from Scotland, the Edinburgh show has added a special New Zealand theme following on from ANZAC Centenary celebrations. One of the technical challenges faced by our pipers has been to lower the natural pitch of their instruments to meet modern concert pitch, which will allow them to integrate their sound with singers, fiddlers and to play alongside the brass and woodwind of The Welsh Guards and HM Royal Marines Band.
Our students were thrilled to discover that amongst the famous names of Guards and Scottish Regiment Pipes and Drums they will be joining with in the Massed Bands, the late Dr Adam MacFarlan's regiment will be represented (The Pipes & Drums of The Royal Highland Fusiliers). The boys and girls are understandably a bit nervous but are especially proud to represent Saint Kentigern in this truly international event.
The band's first three days in Wellington will be devoted to rehearsals. The Tattoo will be staged in the Wellington Westpac Stadium over four nights from 18 - 21 February and will be seen by 104,000 people.
We wish all involved with the Pipes and Drums the very best for this amazing event!
