The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is about to enter the busiest period of its season: the European Championships in Belfast on the 31st, the Pipe Up! festival with the joint FMM/SFU concert in Belfast on the 6th, the Ulster Championships in Lisburn on the 7th, and the Piping Live! festival in Glasgow leading up to the ultimate event, the World Pipe Band Championships on the 14th. This is a period of time for last minute practice and time to sell merchandise! However this year, instead of selling band products to raise money for the benefit of FMMPB, the band is launching a charitable campaign to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Breast Cancer Awareness is a UK registered charity, whose mission is to beat Breast Cancer. They aim to do this by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band are raising money to help their pink ribbon campaign, selling our own DVDs at a discounted rate of just £10 for a limited time only. 100% of the proceeds go to charity. The limited time period is for the two weeks between the European and World Championships, also incorporating the Pipe Up! and Piping Live! festivals. In order to make this happen, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band and our sponsors R G Hardie & Co have agreed to make the charitable contribution of the whole cost of the DVDs, so that all sales income can go directly to Breast Cancer Awareness.
Our goal over the next two weeks is to meet the Pink Challenge www.breastcancercampaign.org, by generating £2500 for the charity, to do this we need to sell 500 DVDs minimum. We’ll be selling our DVDs online, at the joint FMM/SFU concert at the Waterfront Hall on the 6th of August, and at our public band practices the week before the World Championships. Please help us to beat Breast Cancer, and snap up the opportunity to get a fantastic Re:Charged DVD at its lowest ever price.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band finished as runners-up at the All-Ireland Championships in Ballina, County Mayo, on Saturday 3 July. The bubble of glorious sunshine which had graced the competition circuit since May had definitely burst, with colder weather taking its place, including heavy wind and rain towards the end of the afternoon. The All-Irelands always involves playing twice, and FMM was last on the grade one competition for both the MSR and Medley. The band drew its second March, Strathspey & Reel set: Pipe Major Tom McAllister, Susan MacLeod & Charlie’s Welcome and was able to chose its number one medley selection for the second event. The band put in two solid runs and despite a spontaneous upset of rain mid-Medley, was very happy with both its performances. When the results were called, FMM finished as runners-up on the day.
The band will take a short competitive break during July, where they will be preparing for the upcoming joint concert with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band of Canada scheduled for the Waterfront Hall in
Belfast on 6 August, and of course in the countdown to the World Pipe Band Championships which is just 7 weeks away. The band’s next public performance will be the European Championships on Saturday, 31 August, in Belfast.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band had a fantastic day out on Saturday 26 June, in Annan,
Scotland. The day marked the second major championship of the 2010 season and once again the contest benefited greatly from sunny skies and high temperatures for perfect piping conditions. 115 pipe bands competed in the event and thousands of spectators attended to watch the bands. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band had an early draw, playing fourth on our of fourteen Grade 1 bands. The band drew is second March, Strathspey & Reel set: Pipe Major Tom McAllister, Susan MacLeod, and Charlie’s Welcome.
The band was very happy with its performance and as the result were called, were delighted to be named British Champions for the second year running. The result makes two for two major wins this season. Also repeating their major wins was
DollarAcademy in the Juvenile section, taught and led by FMM piper Matt Wilson.
There is no time to break for FMM, who are due to compete at the All-Ireland Championships this coming weekend in Ballina, County Mayo.
You can listen to a recording of the band’s winning performance here, thanks to Lynn Clark.
It was a beautiful day in Bangor for all the bands competing at the County Down Championships on Saturday 19 June, 2010. The day made for an enjoyable competition for all, where highs of 22 degrees met with a cool and refreshing breeze off the waterfront for good piping weather. The Grade 1 competition consisted of three bands and the contest marked the first March, Strathspey & Reel competition of the season, as well as a Medley contest in a double event formation. The band drew its number one MSR, Highland Wedding, Blair Drummond & Pretty Marion, and also played its number one Medley set. The results were favourable, with Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band gaining eight out of eight possible first place marks from the judges, including Best Drums and Best Bass Section.
The band’s next performance will be the British Pipe Band Championships in Annan,
Scotland, this Saturday the 26th.
It’s just two months today until the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band performs live alongside the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. The concert is being jointly promoted by the RSPBA NI Branch and the Belfast City Council and tickets can be purchased for £20 directly from the Waterfront Hall’s website. A good portion of the concert hall is now sold out, so book your tickets today to ensure you don’t miss out on a phenomenal night!
It was a great weekend for FMM soloists on Sunday 31 May, when members of the band took many of the major solo prizes at the Blair Atholl Highland Games. The contest is the first major outdoor event on the Scottish solo scene and this year’s event was so big that the light music had to be broken into three different heats, with each competitor having to play a qualifying March, Strathspey & Reel and also Hornpipe & Jig in order to progress to a final which took place in the afternoon. In the end, FMM players featured in all major results, with Donald MacPhee finishing second in the 'A' Grade Piobaireachd, and Gordon McCready winning both the MSR and Hornpipe & Jig. Ryan Canning wasn’t far behind, finishing third in both the MSR and also the Hornpipe & Jig and Alastair Dunn finished 4th in the MSR and Donald MacPhee 6th. These results came on the back of the Bathgate Highland Games, which saw Jonathan Greenlees finishing second in the Open Piobaireachd, third in the March and third in the Strathspey & Reel, with Gordon finishing third in the Piobaireachd.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band retained the title as Scottish Champions on Saturday 22 May, in Dumbarton, Scotland. The band won the title for the second year running, this year playing a Medley competition to mark the first major championship of the season. The sun was shining and temperatures soared, reaching 26 degrees at the height of the day and 24 degrees as the band played in the afternoon. The band drew its 'Number 1' Medley selection and finished up on top with two firsts in piping, a second in drumming and a second in drumming to the win the competition seven points clear of the second place band.
A big congratulations must also be extended to Dollar Academy Pipe Band for their win in the Juvenile section. Dollar is led by FMM piper Matt Wilson, who helped his band to secure two first in piping and win the Juvenile Scottish title. Congratulations Matt!
The band’s next performance will be the County Down Championships in Bangor, on 19 June, 2010.
We’re pleased to announce that the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has made its grand opening to the world of social media and now has a brand new page on Facebook. Within the first 24 hours of the site’s launch, we gained over 1000 members, and the figures are now over 2000! While the formal FMMPB website will still remain the band’s official point of contact, our new Facebook site will have the added benefit of up to date information as it happens and is fully interactive, so Facebook users can comment on posts, listen to recordings, load up their own photographs of the band and network with fans and band members.
All content is public and you can view the page by clicking here, or join the page for frequent updates and FMMPB news as it happens!
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band won the Co. Tyrone Championships, the first competition of 2010, held in Dungannon on 15 May. In contrast to last year’s event which was wet with very cold temperatures, this year the day was mild and dry, with moderate sunshine to make for perfect piping conditions. The many bands and drum majors benefited from the good weather, and the competition was well attended. Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band was last on in Grade 1 and drew its number two selection. The medley opens with a rendition of well loved favourite Caber Feidh, usually played as a Strathspey but arranged as a hornpipe by New Zealander Martin Frewen and the Mason’s Apron, but played as a jig. The performance was well received and the band finished in first place, gaining two firsts in piping, a first in ensemble, and a second in drumming. You have listen to the medley below.
It has been a busy and successful spring for many members of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band as they not only prepared for the upcoming competition season with the band, but competed in solo contests from Scotland to San Francisco.
In Northern Ireland, the Ulster Solo Piping and Drumming Championships took place on 17 April at Monkstown Community High School. Members of the band were dominant throughout the grades. The Piobaireachd was won by Andrew Carlisle, with Emmett Conway finishing second, and Conor McCallion third. Andrew also won the light music, finishing as Senior Ulster Piping Champion after winning both the March Strathspey & Reel, and the Hornpipe/Jig. Ashley McMichael also featured well, finishing third in the MSR, fifth in the Hornpipe/Jig, and finishing third overall. Conor McCallion won the Intermediate Piping March Strathspey & Reel event, with Jonathan Lamberton in third, and Emmet in fourth. FMM drummers also did well, with Gavin Noade finishing as runner-up Senior Ulster Champion, having finished second in the MSR and third in the Hornpipe & Jig. Earl Glasgow finished third in Intermediate drumming and Gareth McLees finishing second in Junior drumming, with Aaron McLean in fifth.
In Scotland, the annual Duncan Johnstone competition for pipers graded B and C by the Competing Piper’s Association took place on 20 March at the National Piping Centre. The event is considered to be one of the most competitive open contests for pipers in these grades. Michael Fitzhenry finished third in the B Grade Piobaireachd and new piper Graham Drummond won the C Grade Piobaireachd and also finished third in the C Grade MSR. Emmett Conway placed fourth in the combined B/C Jig. At the Kingdom Thistle solo competition on 17 April, 128 people competed throughout the many events held at Lochgelly High School. Piper Matt Wilson finished on top, winning the Open MSR and gaining the combined MSR/Hornpipe & Jig overall award.
Across the rest of the world, FMM piper Ian Lyons of Australia did well at the R. U. Brown competition, held in Adelaide on 1 May. Ian finished third in the Gold Medal for Piobaireachd, won the open MSR, and finished second in the Hornpipe/Jig. On the other side of the world, Jonathan Greenlees was competing at the Dr Dan Reid Memorial Invitational Solo Piping Competition in San Francisco, held at the Marines Memorial Hotel on 1 May. The event events a few pipers from around the planet and is held in a formal setting following by a black tie event. Jonathan was competing in the Cameron Gillies section, and finished second in the Piobaireachd, second in the MSR, and first in the 6/8 March, to finish second overall, just missing out on a Piobaireachd preference.
Well done to all of the solo competitors from FMM on behalf of the band and hopefully they will have continued success throughout the summer.
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has announced its schedule of competitions and public performances for 2010. This year, the band will compete in ten competitions, including the five major championships as well as five competitions on the home front. The Scottish Championships will again be held in Dumbarton, the British Championships will be held in Annan, the European Championships are at home in Belfast, the World Championships in Glasgow and the Cowal Championships in its historical Dunoon location.
Locally, the band will compete in Dungannon, Bangor, the All Ireland Championships in Ballina, County Mayo, the Ulster Championships in Lisburn and Portrush. The band will also be performing in a major concert alongside the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band on Friday 6 August, at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. The concert will take place the evening prior to the Ulster Championships, which will be held in the band’s home town of Lisburn. Click here to view the full schedule.
The 1st of January, 2010 marks the beginning of a new year and a new decade. For the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, it also marks an opportunity to look back over the past ten years, a period of unparalleled success in the band’s history.
Since the year 2000, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has claimed a colossal number of RSPBA Major Championship wins, more so than any other band over the decade. During the last ten years, FMMPB has claimed 4 Scottish Championships, 4 British Championships, 8 European Championships, 4 World Championships (5 times runner-up), 6 Cowal Championships, and 6 RSPBA Champions of Champions titles. The number of RSPBA major wins between 2000-2009 is a remarkable 28 major championship titles. In addition to that, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band also claimed 9 Ulster Championships and 7 All-Ireland Championships on the home-front.
The decade 2000-2009 has undoubtedly been the most successful period in the band’s history, and also included the live recording of two major “World’s” concerts: Unplugged in 2002 and RE:CHARGED in 2007. The international appeal of the band has spread with pipers and drummers travelling from Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, France and Denmark to join members from the North and South of Ireland to be part of the FMM experience. The band’s support continues to extend to all corners of the globe with numbers as high as 52,354 visiting our website each year. In 2006 the band secured sponsorship from R G Hardie & Co Ltd, a partnership which will ensure that the band are well placed to meet the desire for even greater success in the years ahead.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band look forward to the start of another successful decade and enter 2010 as the current Ulster Champions, All-Ireland Champions, Scottish Champions, British Champions, European Champions, Worlds Runners-Up, Cowal Champions, and RSPBA Champion of Champions.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is about to enter the busiest period of its season: the European Championships in Belfast on the 31st, the Pipe Up! festival with the joint FMM/SFU concert in Belfast on the 6th, the Ulster Championships in Lisburn on the 7th, and the Piping Live! festival in Glasgow leading up to the ultimate event, the World Pipe Band Championships on the 14th. This is a period of time for last minute practice and time to sell merchandise! However this year, instead of selling band products to raise money for the benefit of FMMPB, the band is launching a charitable campaign to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.
It was a beautiful day in 
It was a great weekend for FMM soloists on Sunday 31 May, when members of the band took many of the major solo prizes at the Blair Atholl Highland Games. The contest is the first major outdoor event on the Scottish solo scene and this year’s event was so big that the light music had to be broken into three different heats, with each competitor having to play a qualifying March, Strathspey & Reel and also Hornpipe & Jig in order to progress to a final which took place in the afternoon. In the end, FMM players featured in all major results, with 
We’re pleased to announce that the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has made its grand opening to the world of social media and now has a brand new page on Facebook. Within the first 24 hours of the site’s launch, we gained over 1000 members, and the figures are now over 2000! While the formal FMMPB website will still remain the band’s official point of contact, our new Facebook site will have the added benefit of up to date information as it happens and is fully interactive, so Facebook users can comment on posts, listen to recordings, load up their own photographs of the band and network with fans and band members. 
Across the rest of the world, FMM piper 
