Tartan Talk: Cookstown plays host to United Kingdom Solo Drumming Championships this weekend

In addition to the adult grade, where competitors play for the Bobby Rea Cup and one of six coveted semi-final spots in the upcoming World Solo Drumming championships, there are five juvenile grades which is in line with the grades at the World Solo Drumming.

The adjudicators are Jim Baxter and A Craig, and things get under way at 11am with Juvenile 1 followed by Juvenile 2 and then Juvenile 3 at noon and Juvenile 4 at 12.40pm.

The adult grade gets underway at 1.30pm with Ravara’s leading drummer Matthew Shaw on first.

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Marlacoo Pipe Band Big Breakfast

Marlacoo Pipe Band are running a Big Breakfast fundraiser on Saturday September 27th in Tandragee District Hall. The hall will be open from 7.30am to 2pm and the band would appreciate your support if you’re in the area.

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Down Academy Pipes & Drums Juvenile Solos

Prospective entrants for the juvenile solos organised by Down Academy Pipes & Drums should note that the closing date for entries is today (Friday 5th September). The competition will be held at Ballynahinch High School on Saturday, September 13th, and things will get under way at 10am.

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Queen Elizabeth Pipe Band Annual Concert

The Queen Elizabeth’s annual concert will take place on Saturday, October 11. Artistes include the host band, Solus Highland Dancers, Closkelt Pipe Band, Mid Ulster Drum Major Academy, Blazin Bellows, 3rd Party, Alan McBride and Rab Lennox [compere]. Tickets available from band members, War Memorial Hall Castledawson, on Tuesday nights 7:30pm- 9:30pm or James 07592308880 or Caitlin 07841520692.

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Blackthorn Pipers Society begins this month

The summers over and it’s time for the Blackthorn Pipers Society to begin operations.

Their first session takes place at 7pm on Wednesday, September 17 in the Ulster Scots Community Building at 1-9 Victoria Street, Belfast BT1 3GA.

The society meets on the third Wednesday of each month and will run until April.

The first guest piper for September is Alastair Donaghy who has a very successful solo piping career, both here in Northern Ireland and over the water in various competitions. He has won the Senior Ulster MSR prize as well as the Senior Ulster Hornpipe and Jig prize. To add to this, he has also won the C grade MSR and Hornpipe and Jig prize at the prestigious Highland Society of London Competition.

Alastair has been a member of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band since 2016, and during that time he has won the World Championships three times, as well as a host of other major and All-Ireland championship prizes.

In addition to Alastair a number of other pipers will perform in the opening hour and if the past is anything to go by there will be a number of rising piping stars playing, illustrating the potential that exists and, above all, the outstanding tutoring that goes on.

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New Travel Awards for Bands

Last week, the Department of Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA announced the Travel Awards for Bands which is an innovative scheme designed to support bands playing at showcase events outside of Northern Ireland.

The total amount of the grant is £100,000 and bands will be able to apply for grants of between £500 and £5,000 towards their travel costs.

Applications are now open and will close at noon on Monday, September 22.

The Travel Awards for Bands Programme is open to the following types of bands: Accordion Orchestra/Band (part, melody or marching), Brass Band, Concert Band, Flute Band (part, melody or marching), Pipe Band, and Wind Band.

The Arts Council has designed this programme to provide support to enable established bands based in Northern Ireland to travel outside of Northern Ireland with the following aims:

l To develop bands’ performance skills, networks and audiences via opportunities to showcase outside of Northern Ireland.

l To contribute to the growth of equality of access to and opportunities in the arts for groups within the bands’ sector in Northern Ireland

l high quality musicianship.

l a commitment to training and musical education, particularly of young people; and,

l a commitment to repertoire and technique development in relation to the band’s existing repertoire and technical standards.

In addition, applicants must provide evidence that they have been invited to showcase or perform by a relevant organisation, event, festival, promoter, tour operator in the location to which they intend to travel.

I would imagine that this type of funding might suit a range of band activity such as Grade 1 bands attending some of the more expensive destinations of RSPBA Major contests or those who might be invited to events such as the Lorient Festival or one of the many European tattoos.