It is with
pride, pleasure, and celebration that the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band is able to reflect on 2011, as the
band’s historic year comes to a close. 2011 will be
remembered not only as one of the most successful years in
the history of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, but
also as one of the most successful seasons in any Grade 1
pipe band’s history, ever. For FMM, the major historical
achievements of 2011 include an undefeated season across
nine competitions, a seventh world title, a tenth RSPBA
Champion of Champions award, and a second ‘Grand Slam’
victory, becoming the only band in history to achieve this
twice. Other achievements of personal satisfaction to the
band include winning both the MSR and the Medley at the
Worlds with just 12 points (18 points clear of second place-
the largest margin for any World Championship win in over a
decade), winning Pipe Band of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots
Trad Music Awards, and celebrating 30 years at the helm for
Pipe
Major Richard Parkes MBE.
In a
retrospective look at the year, FMM has featured in the
pipes|drums 2011 New Year's Honours, being deemed 'Pipe
Band of the Year' and the band’s Grand Slam success being
named as the top pipes|drums news story of 2011.
Frompipes|drums: “Field Marshal
Montgomery – what a year it was for the 2011 World Pipe Band
Champions. In Pipe-Major Richard Parkes's thirtieth
anniversary year as leader of the Belfast-based FMM, the
band won a rare clean sweep of the five RSPBA major
championships, and, in the opinion of many who were there,
turned in performances at the World's that stand up as the
best ever. Can a pipe band get better than what we heard
from Field Marshal in 2011? Only time will tell, but FMM
raised the standard to a stratospheric level, and received a
large majority of the votes as Pipe Band of the Year with
more than 80 per cent.”
As exciting
as 2011 has been for the band, it will be back to reality
for FMM and a winter of more hard work and discipline as the
upcoming 2012 season brings a clean slate for
everyone. Happy New Year from the Field Marshal Montgomery
Pipe Band - and thank you to all the dedicated band members,
as well as family, friends, and supporters of the band who
have contributed to this historic year.
2011
has been a good year for the family of FMM drummer
Aaron McCarten as
they welcomed the arrival of their third son, Toby
Christopher McCarten, into the world on 13 December.
Aaron
has been a member of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
for two seasons now, and in that time Aaron and his wife
Suzanne and two sons Jake and Benjamin have well and truly
become part of the FMM family. And that family has just
grown - with baby Toby adding to the McCarten clan! Toby was
due Christmas Eve but decided to make an early arrival, and
came into the world at the Royal Victoria Hospital in
Belfast weighing 6lb 6oz. Aaron says, “I’m hopeful that
all three boys will become drummers, but perhaps Toby will
buck the trend and be a piper! This might give me a
guaranteed piper for the solos, but Graham (Drummond) and
Ashley (McMichael) are still needed in the meantime!”
In the interim, while Graham and Ashley wait several years
to be relieved of their piping duties, we would like to wish
the entire McCarten family huge congratulations on behalf of
the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band!
Since the
official launch of our new
merchandise range in August of this year, the Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has proudly filled more than
100 orders in just four months. We’re extremely proud of the
support the band has received from around the world, with
merchandise orders coming in from as far afield as South
Africa and Argentina, and of course being popular at home
too. We’ve processed a large number of orders in the run-up
to Christmas, and hope that our merchandise makes a lovely
holiday gift for fans and supporters of the band! For anyone
wanting to place a merchandise order for the holiday period,
please be aware that the last date to do so to ensure your
order arrives on time, is FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER, 2011. That’s
only four days remaining to place your Christmas orders!
Thank you so everyone who has purchased merchandise in their
support of the band.
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has confirmed their
participation in the 2012 Pipes of Peace Concert, taking
place on Thursday, 9 August 2012, at the SECC in
Glasgow. The concert is being arranged for the second year
running at the SECC by the folk group
Celtic Spirit,
and this year the organisers have invited FMM as well as
Vancouver’s
Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band,
along with other artists to be arranged. The event is
sponsored by R.G.
Hardie & Co. Ltd,
who are of course the official sponsors of the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band. Tickets go on sale at the end of
January and cost £18.50. More information will become
available in the coming months, so don’t forget to check
back to FMM’s website as more information becomes available!
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band was successful in its
nomination at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, and
scooped the title for Scottish Pipe Band of the Year at the
famous traditional music event, held in Perth on 3
December. The award was given on the basis of popular vote,
with traditional music fans from across the world voting for
their favourite entries. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe
Band was delighted to be nominated for this year’s award,
and even happier to be the winner! FMM piper
Glenn Ross was there to
receive the award on the band’s behalf.
In addition
to the prize giving, the event itself consisted of an
evening’s entertainment with some of the world’s top trad
musicians, and the televised programme will air on BBC ALBA
on Monday 5 December at 10pm, and will be repeated Friday 9
December at 9pm. For those outside of Scotland, you can
watch the programme on Freeview 8, Virgin Media 188, Freesat
110, Sky 168, and of course
www.bbcalba.co.uk.
On behalf
of the entire Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, we would
like to say thank you to all of the band’s friends and
supporters who voted for us and helped us to gain the
title! We really appreciate the worldwide support!
Over
the years, the pipe band world has benefitted from increased
BBC support, with the annual television feature of the World
Pipe Band Championships, and Northern Ireland in particular
has benefitted from a number of programmes covering local
championships. However for the first time ever, producer
Alex Johnston has achieved something completely different
for the pipe band world and TV audiences alike: a two part
special interest documentary following the in-depth story of
two rival pipe majors and their rival bands, to really
explore the psychology, dedication, and insider’s experience
of what it takes to claim a World Championship title.
The premise
of the documentary is this: “Richard Parkes has been pipe
major of the Field Marshal Montgomery pipe band for thirty
years. In that time, he has won the Grade One World
Championships on six occasions. In 2010, he was runner up to
his friend, Terry Tully, pipe major of the Saint Laurence
O’Toole band from Dublin. In these two programmes we follow
Terry and Richard from the start of the 2011 season as one
tries to hold on to his title and the other strives to take
it from him. With unrestricted access to the two pipe majors
through planning, rehearsal and into the performance arena,
this is an insider’s view into the world of competition pipe
bands and just what it takes to be the champions of the
world."
Pipe
Dreamers will feature in two parts, aired on BBC Two
Northern Ireland on Wednesday 30 November, and Wednesday 7th
December, at 7.30pm. (Viewers in Scotland/England/Wales can
watch the programme on Sky Channel 992, or on BBC iPlayer
which can be accessed from the BBC Northern Ireland
webpage. Viewers in the Republic of Ireland should check
with their local network for BBC Northern Ireland.)
Whether you
are a FMM fan, a SLOT fan, or just a lover of pipe bands in
general, this programme aims to encapsulate and venerate our
great tradition, and we hope you will spread the word and
enjoy the programme.
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has been nominated for Scottish
Pipe Band of the Year at the 2011 Trad Awards, taking place
on 3rd December in Perth, Scotland. The Trad awards are well
known in the traditional music scene and work on a voting
basis - anyone in the world can nominate their favourite
traditional music act, and anyone can then vote for their
favourite contestant. This year the nominations include the
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, the Boghall & Bathgate
Caledonia Pipe Band, the 1st Battallion Scots Guards Pipes &
Drums and George Watson’s College Pipes & Drums. Voting
takes place between 31st October and 18th November. Help
the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band to win the Scottish
Pipe Band of the Year, and
vote here today!
It’s hard
to believe that after such a busy summer for the Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, band members have had made the
time for their solo ventures as well. August, September and
October have been packed with solo results for many of the
band’s soloists, and the last major solo piping event of the
year on 5 November has finished the season. The results are
listed below:
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
will go down in history as the first pipe band ever to win
two Grand Slam victories after winning the Cowal
Championship on Saturday 27 August. The band won the Cowal
Championship with just 5 points, and a ten point margin
between FMM and the next placed band. Up until Saturday, the
elusive ‘Grand Slam’ (i.e. winning the Scottish, British,
European, World, and Cowal Championships in a single year)
had only ever been achieved three times in pipe band
history: by Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia under Pipe Major J.
K. McAllister in 1959, by Strathclyde Police under Pipe
Major Ian McLellan BEM in 1985, and by Field Marshal
Montgomery under
Pipe
Major Richard Parkes MBE in 1993. The Grand Slam is
without a doubt the most difficult achievement a pipe band
can hope to attain, and it only seems to come around once in
a competitive lifetime, with 26, 8, and 18 years going by
between occurrences. For the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe
Band, securing the Grand Slam was a tremendous achievement
in its own right, however being the only band to do it
twice, puts FMM in the history books. Saturday’s Cowal
Championship win marked the finish to the band’s undefeated
2011 season, and was the band’s 11th Cowal Championship
title, 48th major championship win, 107th consecutive top 6
finish at a major championship, 10th RSPBA Champion of
Champion’s title, and 2nd ever Grand Slam. The season is not
only one of the most successful years ever in the history of
the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, it is one of the
most successful seasons in any Grade 1 pipe band’s history,
ever.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
would like to thank all its members for their hard work, and
especially its friends and fans for their moral support
throughout the season. We would also like to give special
congratulations to our new drum major,
Samantha
Gordon, on an excellent first season in the senior
grade, concluded by winning her first major championship in
the senior level at Cowal on Saturday.
The band will now take a well deserved
break, and enjoy the quiet months to come as the 2011
Ulster, All-Ireland, Scottish, British, European, World,
Cowal and RSPBA Champion of Champions!
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band became World Champions on
Saturday, winning the coveted World Pipe Band Championship
title for the seventh time in history at Glasgow Green. Over
8,000 pipers and drummers took part in the competition, and
over 40,000 people came to watch with thousands more around
the planet following the premier Grade 1 competition live
through the BBC’s online stream. For the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band, the pressure was never greater after
an undefeated season of wins in the build-up to the Worlds
only adding to the expectation for the band to perform well
on the most important day of the year. FMM fielded its
biggest ever band at the Worlds, with 44 members working
together to produce two performances worthy of a world
title. The hard work and focus of the last year paid off,
and the band finished not only as champions, but as winners
of both the March, Strathspey & Reel and the Medley
event, winning the title with just 12 points, 18 points
clear of the next placed band. The margin is the strongest
win for any World Champion band in over a decade. Across the
two events, the band gained six out of eight first place
marks, including winning the Best Drumming prize in the
Medley event.
The band is
extremely proud of both of Saturday’s performances, and in
addition to being a remarkable achievement for everyone
involved in FMMPB, the win is also a special one for
Pipe
Major Richard Parkes MBE, who gained his seventh world
title in his 30th anniversary year as Pipe Major.
On behalf
of the entire Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, we would
like to thank all our friends, supporters and competitors
who have taken the time to e-mail us, leave messages of
congratulations on the band’s official
Facebook page, and share in the band’s celebrations. To
finish the season, the band has just one more competition at
the Cowal Championship in Dunoon on Saturday 27 August.
Watch the
band’s World Championship winning performances on the BBC
iPlayer here:
Watch the
winning announcement and ensuing celebrations here:
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band won its 21st Ulster
Championship on Saturday 8 August, in Banbridge, County
Down. The contest was the band’s seventh straight win of the
2011 season, completing the perfect build-up to the World
Pipe Band Championships next weekend. In addition to
remaining undefeated as a band, another two firsts in piping
bring this year’s total to 18/18 first place marks in piping
in 2011, a remarkable feat. The Ulster Championship was
originally scheduled to be a two event contest in Grade 1,
however heavy rain led to the Medley being cancelled with
only a March, Strathspey & Reel contest taking place. The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band tuned up for just fifteen
minutes before competing, and played Highland Wedding, Blair
Drummond and Pretty Marion to gain four straight firsts. The
weather cleared up in time for the march-past, where a
special mention was given to the band on its 21st win in the
60th anniversary year of the Ulster Championship.
The band
will now focus all of its efforts on the World Pipe Band
Championships taking place this weekend in Glasgow on
Saturday 13 August. The band will arrive in Glasgow
mid-week, and will hold two public practices on Thursday and
Friday before the big day. Practices are held in Kelvingrove
Park just off Kelvin Way as shown on our map below, and run
from 2.30 to 4.00. All visitors are welcome. In the event of
rain, the band may be practicing elsewhere, but all efforts
will be made to practice outside if possible.
Members
of the band will also be featured in this year’s
Piping Live! festival, which runs from Monday 8 August
to Saturday 14 August. Kyle
Warren kicks off the week on Monday, performing in
George Square at the Bar Marquee at 4.15, free entry, and at
Piping on the Clyde at the Renfrew Ferry at 7.00pm, free
entry. Alastair
Dunn will be performing a Lunchtime Recital at 12.15 at
the National Piping Centre, tickets at £6. On Tuesday, Kyle
will be featured again, this time at the Street Café at the
National Piping Centre at 12.00pm, free entry. Graham
Drummond will be competing in the second heat of Piping
Idol, held in the Street Café at the National Piping Centre
at 3.00pm, free entry. On Wednesday, the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band will be presenting a mini-band at the
College of Piping at 1.00pm, free entry. At the same time on
the other side of town,
Aaron McLean will be competing in the independently run
Innovation Drumming for Drinks at 1pm in Todds Bar at
Strathclyde University, entry at £10. Jonathan
Lamberton will be competing in the third heat of Pipe
Idol, held in the Street Café at the National Piping Centre
at 3.00pm, free entry. On Thursday,
Emmett Conway will be
competing in the fourth heat of Pipe Idol, also held in the
Street Café at the National Piping Centre at 3.00pm, free
entry. To book tickets or learn more about Piping Live!,
visit the
Piping Live! official website.
With
little over a week to go until the World Pipe Band
Championships, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has
taken a minute to thank Premier, the generous sponsors of
the band’s percussion instruments. The Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band has been using Premier HTS and
Professional Series pipe band drums for a few years now, and
has benefited in drumming and ensemble results from the
clarity, volume, and projection of the Premier brand
instruments. We’re proud and thankful for our sponsorship,
and would like to invite all our fans to take the time to
meet the Premier team at the World Pipe Band Championships
next week, or to see what Premier is all about by visiting
their
website. If you’re a Facebook user, please visit
Premier’s official Facebook page and become a fan. You
can also find the link from
FMM’s Facebook page.
The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band now has over 4000
followers on Facebook! The band’s official social media
presence was launched in May of last year, and has quickly
become one of the most popular pipe band pages in the world
of Facebook. Over 4000 people now “like” the
FMM Facebook page, and friends and followers of the band
regularly read and participate in posts. Although the band’s
official website is always the top location for FMM news,
the band has been able to use Facebook to interact with its
fans, post competition results within minutes of the
announcement and keep people up to date with general band
happenings with almost weekly posts during the summer
competition season. Become a FMM fan on Facebook today and
see what all the fuss is about!
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band won the European Pipe Band
Championships on Saturday, 30 July, on home ground in
Belfast. The major win continues the band’s undefeated run
of 2011 competition success, and is the sixth competition
and third major championship in a row which the band has won
this year. In addition to remaining undefeated as a band,
FMM’s pipe corps also continued undefeated with another two
firsts from the judges in piping to make a perfect 16/16
first places in piping in 2011! The contest marked the
band’s 46th major championship win, and its 10th European
Championship title.
This year’s
European Championships was a huge success, with sunshine,
large crowds, and 100 pipe bands enjoying the beautiful
setting at Stormont in Northern Ireland’s capital. In
addition to the thousands of local spectators, thousands of
people around the world tuned in to watch the live streaming
of the contest, which received an unprecedented number of
views which overwhelmed the server! For those who attended
in person, the all-day sunshine continued unabated into the
afternoon for the Grade 1 competition, and the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band’s last place draw meant that the band
performed for a huge crowd to finish the day. The band once
again drew its new medley, which received a huge applause
and healthy affirmation from the judges to gain two firsts
in piping, a first in ensemble, and a third in drumming. The
band’s win, with just 6 points, was 6 points clear of the
runners-up with 12 points.
Photographs courtesy of
Doug Elliot
The band has
one last competition before the all-important World Pipe
Band Championships in Glasgow, and will compete next
weekend at the Ulster Championships in Banbridge, County
Down.
While the
band has been busy practicing and competing, members of the
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band have also been at work on
the solo piping circuit on the few free weekends without a
band engagement. Here is how a few of the band’s members
have fared during the months of June and July:
Alastair
Dunn
3rd in
'A' March at Inveraray
Andrew
Carlisle
1st in
Piobaireachd at South Uist
1st in
March at South Uist
1st in
Strathspey & Reel at South Uist
1st in
Piobaireachd at North Uist
1st in
March at North Uist
2nd in
Strathspey & Reel at North Uist
1st in
Piobaireachd at Highlands and Islands Young Piper of the
Year
1st in
March at Highlands and Islands Young Piper of the Year
1st in
Strathspey & Reel, Highlands and Islands Young Piper of
the Year
1st in
Hornpipe & Jig at Highlands and Islands Young Piper of
the Year
Donald
MacPhee
6th in
'A' March at Inveraray
4th in
'A' Strathspey & Reel at Inveraray
1st in
'A' Strathspey & Reel at Rosneath
4th in
March at Balloch
Emmett
Conway
6th in
'C' Strathspey & Reel at Inveraray
Gordon
McCready
2nd in
'A' Strathspey & Reel at Rosneath
2nd in
March at Strathmore
1st in
Strathspey & Reel at Strathmore
Graham
Drummond
5th in
'B' March at Inveraray
2nd in
'B' Strathspey & Reel at Rosneath
James Gore
4th in
Hornpipe & Jig at Highlands and Islands Young Piper of
the Year
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is pleased to announce the
launch of a new range of band
merchandise, just in time for the World Pipe Band
Championships! The range offers a huge selection of band
products, with over 20 items for sale on our
website. Merchandise includes everything from clothing,
hats, and band ties, to CDs, DVDs and music books. In
addition to a variety of clothing offered in standard men’s
sizes, the range now includes clothing sized especially for
women, and special items for children. Long term fans of the
band will also be pleased to see a few special items for
sale - including the 'Vintage Polo' as a flashback to FMM in
the early ‘90s- and copies of the band’s RE:CHARGED CD and
DVD signed by
Pipe
Major Richard Parkes MBE. Your purchase helps the band
to continue its activity and is a fantastic way to support
the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band. Clothing items are
made to order, and all FMM official merchandise can be
bought securely through our online shopping cart. We hope
you enjoy shopping with FMM!
The
30th anniversary of
Richard Parkes as Pipe Major of the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band has made news on the popular internet
magazine,
pipes|drums. The article includes a short write-up and a
video interview with Richard, who details some of his
personal highlights over the past 30 years. As for the
future, fans of the band will be happy to hear Richard
promise, “I’m going to continue to do it as long as I’m
capable of doing it.” Visit
pipes|drums to read the full story.
2011
marks an emotional year in the history of Field Marshal Montgomery
Pipe Band - the 30th anniversary of Richard Parkes as Pipe Major.
It
was in mid-July 1981 that Richard – aged just 21 - took over as
leader of FMM and embarked on what has become one of the greatest
journeys in the history of the modern pipe band era. Back in 1981,
FMM were a fledging local band from Northern Ireland having just
been promoted a few years earlier to Grade 2 after winning the Grade
3 World Championship in 1976. Prior to Richard becoming Pipe Major,
FMM were holding their own in Grade 2 and had started to gain a
degree of local notoriety following a couple of prizes at the major
championships in Scotland. But breaking through to compete with the
Grade 1 champions of the day – Strathclyde Police, Shotts & Dykehead,
Boghall & Bathgate and Dysart & Dundonald – was a dream rather than
a reality. All this was to change. With just a few practices under
his belt, Richard led FMM as Pipe Major for the first time at the
Ulster Championships in early August 1981 – the band placed 4th.
Just two weeks later, FMM secured 2nd place in Grade 2 at the World
Championships- the band’s best prize ever. From that day forward,
the future of FMM would be forever changed.
Under Richard’s leadership, FMM has won an amazing 45 major
championships - including 6 World Championship titles. The band has
also amassed 9 Champion of Champions awards and 19 All Ireland
titles. And since breaking through into the Grade 1 prizes in 1990,
the band has secured a staggering 104 consecutive prize winning
performances. While competition success has never been far away, the
journey has been about so much more. There have been highs – such as
the band’s two sell-out concerts at the Glasgow Royal Concert hall
in 2002 and 2007 – and lows – such as Richard's serious illness in
2004.
Over the last 30 years Richard’s willingness to help others and to
offer advice has become renowned the world over. He is respected as
one of the great Pipe Majors. His leadership of the band and his
commitment to excellence has attracted players from across the
world. Though if you speak to Richard he will always say how
“humbled he is that such young talented people make an effort to
come and play in his band.” However ask any member of FMM –
past or present - what the secret is to the band’s success, or why
they put in the hours of practice and preparation year-in-year-out,
there is only ever one answer - Pipe Major Richard Parkes MBE.
On
behalf of everyone associated with FMM, we thank you Richard for
your 30 years of service and we look forward to continuing on this
journey with you for a good few years yet.
The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band won its 19th All-Ireland
Championship title on Saturday 2 July in Lisburn, County Down. The
contest was the fifth win for the band this year, continuing a
strong run of success which has marked the first half of the 2011
season. The band also gained another unanimous verdict in piping,
with firsts from all four piping judges, making it a perfect 14 out
of 14 firsts in piping this year to date.
Photograph courtesy of
John Kelly
The
All-Irelands take same format as the Worlds, and the band drew it’s
number two March, Strathspey & Reel yet again this year, and
performed its new medley for the third time. In the end, the band
won the MSR and just lost out on the Medley on an ensemble
preference only, to secure the overall title.
Video courtesy RSPBANI. To view other videos from the 2011
All-Ireland Championships in Lisburn please visit the RSPBANI website
at
www.rspbani.org.
The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band retained their title as British
Champions for the third year running at Annan, Scotland, on Saturday
25 June. The contest was the second major championship win and the
fourth straight win in a row for the band this year. The win is the
band’s 45th major championship title over the last twenty years, and
its 8th British win.
Photographs courtesy of Erin Gilmour
The
competition was well attended, and it is understood that the RSPBA
and Dumfries & Galloway Council worked extremely hard to make sure
the spacious venue was competition ready for Saturday after heavy
rains the week preceding. Luckily the 126 bands which competed were
blessed with much better weather after the difficult conditions at
the Scottish Championships a month before. For the Grade 1 bands
competing in the later half of the contest including FMM, the
afternoon was dominated with cool temperatures and very light rain
which meant that moisture and cold would still be a factor for
setting up pipes. FMM’s draw was third last, and the band was
pleased to draw its new Medley for 2011, getting the chance to air
the new set at a major championship for the first time, and only the
second time publicly this year. The band put in a great performance
to a responsive crowd, and was delighted to be called out as British
Champions when the results were given. In addition to continuing
the season with another win for the band, the two first place marks
from the judges in piping add to the streak of 10 out of 10 first
place finishes in piping this year from all the contests to date,
including the County Down Championships which hosted both an MSR and
a Medley event. The band finished the day by playing off the park,
as is tradition.
The
band’s next competition is the All-Ireland Championships held this
coming weekend in Lisburn, County Down. However the band will be
taking a short two week break from reporting band news while our Web
designer is unavailable, so for up to date results and videos from
the next competition, don’t forget to check the websites of the
RSPBA Northern
Ireland Branch,
pipes|drums,
or follow us on our very own
Facebook page.
The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band won their third contest of the
season at the County Down Championships in Newcastle on Saturday, 18
June. The Grade 1 contest format required the bands to play twice,
both a March, Strathspey & Reel as well as a Medley in a double
format akin to the World Championships. With each band playing
twice, the weather would play a critical role after the torrential
rain at the Scottish Championships a few weeks before. Luckily the
weather was kind to the bands, and the slightly overcast and cool
but temperate conditions allowed all the bands to spend more time
tuning up than at Dumbarton, providing the crowds with a good
contest to listen to.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band drew its new March, Strathspey & Reel set, Balmoral Highlanders, John Roy
Stewart & Charlie’s Welcome, playing the new set for the third time
this year. The band was also able to air its brand new Medley for
the first time to an appreciative crowd, a great day out before next
weekend’s British Championships which is also a Medley event. With
two good performances, the band was pleased to win the overall award
when the prizes were called, winning the March, Strathspey & Reel
event and narrowly losing out on the Medley on an ensemble
preference only, to take the overall title.
It was also a good day for the band's new Drum Major,
Samantha Gordon,
who won the Senior Grade for the first time on Saturday.
The band finished the
day by participating in the parade down the main street along
Newcastle’s picturesque waterfront.
The
band’s next competition is this weekend at the British Championships
in Annan, Scotland.
The
Piper’s Persuasion website is a non-profit project run by Allan
Hamilton, which features video interviews with some of the most
important figures in the piping and drumming world.
Richard is the 29th interview to be featured on the site, and his
feature is split into eleven different videos of varying lengths,
covering Richard’s own background and piping influences, to his
views on musical selection, solo and band competition, instrument
set-up, and more. Click
here to watch Richard's interview on the Pipers' Persuasion website.
The venue has changed for the County Down Championships, schedule for Saturday 18 June. The RSPBA (Northern Ireland Branch) has informed bands that the venue on the 18th, originally scheduled for Banbridge, will now take place in Newcastle at Donard Park. The Ulster Championship scheduled for Newcastle later in the summer will be held in Banbridge rather than Newcastle, as originally scheduled. For more information, please visit the
RSPBANI website.
R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd have supported FMM since 2006, and have helped transform the look of the band through the creation of an exclusive band tartan named Drumalig, and the introduction of the Piper Range uniform which encompasses everything from jackets and waistcoats right down to the shoes the band wears. Many pipers in the band also play Peter Henderson bagpipes.
The new website has many features, including a free bagpipe buyer’s guide, new product photos of their range of bagpipes and chanters, a new featured artist section commencing with Finlay MacDonald, and links to the company’s social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube along with up to date news.
We hope you’ll visit www.rghardie.com and support the company, which supports us!
Just one week after the Scottish Championships, members of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band competed in the first outdoor solo contests of the year on the Scottish solo circuit. Continuing the pattern of cold and wet weather (although hardly as wet as the weekend before in Dumbarton), soloists competed at Bathgate Highland Games on Saturday 28 May, and the Blair Atholl Highland Games on Sunday 29 May. Gordon McCready had a perfect run in Bathgate winning the Open Piobaireachd, March, Strathspey & Reel, and Jonathan Greenlees finished third in the Strathspey & Reel. Gordon was also the man of the hour at Blair Atholl, winning the Open MSR, Hornpipe & Jig, and finishing third in the 'A' Piobaireachd to win the overall title. Jonathan Greenlees also made the prizes finishing fifth in the 'A' Piobaireachd, and sixth in the Hornpipe & Jig. Graham Drummond finished sixth in the Open MSR, and James Gore was third in the 'C' Piobaireachd.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is also pleased to announce that its new drum major, Samantha Gordon, competed in her first contest since joining the band, last weekend in Enniskillen. The competition was also her first contest in the senior grade after winning the 2010 World Pipe Band Championships at the Juvenile level. Samantha finished third overall.
The band’s next public engagement is at the County Down Championships in Banbridge on 18 June, and FMM’s many soloists will continue their solo season simultaneously throughout the month of June.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band retained their title as Scottish Champions on Saturday 21 May, in Dumbarton, Scotland. The band won the title for the third year running, and for the 11th time in its history. The first major championship of the year was well attended with 134 bands competing despite the terrible weather conditions. The weather was a major factor for all bands on the day, as the rain poured down so consistently that there wasn’t even a few minutes break where bands might come out from under cover, making it a difficult decision for pipe majors to choose between trying to tune up, and trying to keep dry.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band kept the playing to a bare minimum before going on the field, essentially competing with an 'out of the box' sound just like many of the bands in the Grade 1. The band drew its new March, Strathspey & Reel set, Balmoral Highlanders, John Roy Stewart and Charlie’s Welcome which was the first time to air the new set in competition. The performance was a winning one, gaining two firsts in piping, a first in ensemble, and a fourth in drumming to secure the overall title with 7 points. Due to the weather conditions, the RSPBA chose to cancel the march-past, and Chief Executive Ian Embelton read the results aloud on a loud speaker while bandsmen and women congregated under umbrellas near the judge’s tent. In the end it was a satisfactory day for FMMPB despite the wet, and a great start to the 2011 season. The band’s next competition is in Banbridge, County Down, on 18 June.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band started its domestic season with a win in Dungannon, County Tyrone, on Saturday 7 May, 2011. The contest marked the first outdoor competition of the year in Northern Ireland and in Grade 1 consisted of a March, Strathspey & Reel event.
The day was marked with cold and wet weather which affected many bands throughout the day however intermittent downpours were broken up by clearer skies and patches of sunlight for the Grade 1 event.
The band drew its number one March, Strathspey & Reel, Highland Wedding, Blair Drummond & Pretty Marion and put in a solid run to start the season.
Despite the challenging weather conditions, the band's performance secured a first place overall win, with two firsts in piping, a first in ensemble, and a second in drumming.
Video courtesy RSPBANI. To view other videos from the 2011 County
Tyrone Championships in Dungannon please visit the RSPBANI website
at
www.rspbani.org.
Although an informal solo event, some members of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band took part in the evening entertainment arranged by the Aughintober Pipe Band for after the contest, and represented their band and various countries at the International Piping in the Park event held in the Beer Tent in Dungannon. Gordon McCready won the overall event, with Donald MacPhee gaining recognition as the most entertaining piper of the night!
The band will compete in its next competition at the Scottish Championships in Dumbarton, Scotland, on Saturday 21 May.
Members of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band are due to represent their band, and their countries, at 'International Piping in the Park,' a special solo competition taking place after the band competition in Dungannon on 14 May this coming Saturday.
The contest is a fundraiser for the Aughintober Pipe Band, and draws on the unique international piping influence which has made its way into some of Ireland’s top bands these days, with one piper each from the USA, England, Scotland, Canada, Northern Ireland, and Ireland who are members of either the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band or the St Laurence O Toole Pipe Band. Representing FMM are Donald MacPhee (USA), James Gore (England), Gordon McCready (Scotland), and Jonathan Greenlees (Northern Ireland.)
The event format gives each player 20 minutes, in which they must perform a March, Strathspey and Reel, and thereafter the stage is theirs to play whatever they choose and secure a crowd vote. The contest will take place in the Beer Tent at Dungannan Park, and it will begin at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £7.50 per person, and for bands wishing to buy many tickets at once, a discount of five tickets for £35 or ten tickets for £65 is available. Tickets can be purchased from any Aughintober band member, or by email or phone via Gail Graham at press@rspbani.org or +44 (0)7738 787043. Come along and support your favourite country, band, or the most entertaining act!
2011 has been a busy spring with lots to report from the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.
Every spring the pipe band world sees personnel changes, and this year the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has welcomed the addition of 11 new members to its ranks, including 4 pipers, 4 snare drummers, 2 tenor drummers, and a new drum major. The new players have been working hard over the winter alongside the existing members to prepare for the start of the season, and player profiles have now been published in the band’s roster section.
Other Web updates for the spring include the 2011 competition schedule, an updated band history section including a meticulous historical timeline, and a new results page with a comprehensive results table detailing every major prize the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has won since it entered Grade 1. The new history and results pages aim to give insight into the band’s storied history, and to catalogue the band’s success and development for the interest of fans, competitors and general pipe band enthusiasts.
On the solo front, FMM members have continued their individual solo successes into 2011. In Northern Ireland, FMM piper Ashley McMichael continued his competitive success from 2010, winning the Ulster Solo Championship at the senior level to back up his All-Ireland title from September. Ashley secured the Ulster title by winning both the March, Strathspey & Reel event, and the Hornpipe & Jig. Kris Coyle finished second in both events, with Emmett Conway third in both events. Conor McCallion won the Intermediate grade, and finished third in the Piobaireachd. On the drumming front, Gareth McLees won the Intermediate Drumming and Aaron McLean finished second in the Junior. FMM members also competed at the Cullybackey Solo event, and Ashley McMichael again finished on top winning the senior piping with Emmett Conway in second place, Jonathan Lamberton was third in the Intermediate grade and Aaron McLean won the Junior drumming event. In Scotland, band members competed at the Duncan Johnstone March, and Graham Drummond finished fifth in the 'B' Grade MSR, and Emmett Conway finished fourth in the 'C' Grade MSR and second in the 'B/C' Jig contest. At the SPA contest on 9 April, Gordon McCready was second in the Piobaireachd and second in the Strathspey & Reel. At the Kingdom Thistle competition on 16 April, Matt Wilson finished 5th in the MSR, and Aaron McLean finished 5th in the Open MSR and Hornpipe & Jig in the drumming.
On a personal front, two long serving members have had happy baby news. FMM piper David Middleton and his wife Valerie welcomed the birth of baby Ralph Middleton on 17 December, 2010. David announced the news that they were expecting at the end of last season, and the band looks forward to meeting baby Ralph. FMM drummer Earl Glasgow and his wife Ann also shared happy baby news, and Matthew Glasgow was born on 6 April. Earl has been a member of FMM for a remarkable 18 years, and as the band’s Chairman, is responsible for most of the organisation of the band behind the scenes. The band would like to give a special thank you to Earl for his continued commitment to FMM behind the scenes, even with his new role as father. Congratulations to both David and Earl, and their families.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band will be making its first public appearance of 2011 at the County Tyrone Championships in Dungannon on Saturday 14 May.
2011
has been a good year for the family of FMM drummer
The Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band was successful in its
nomination at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, and
scooped the title for Scottish Pipe Band of the Year at the
famous traditional music event, held in Perth on 3
December. The award was given on the basis of popular vote,
with traditional music fans from across the world voting for
their favourite entries. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe
Band was delighted to be nominated for this year’s award,
and even happier to be the winner! FMM piper
Over
the years, the pipe band world has benefitted from increased
BBC support, with the annual television feature of the World
Pipe Band Championships, and Northern Ireland in particular
has benefitted from a number of programmes covering local
championships. However for the first time ever, producer
Alex Johnston has achieved something completely different
for the pipe band world and TV audiences alike: a two part
special interest documentary following the in-depth story of
two rival pipe majors and their rival bands, to really
explore the psychology, dedication, and insider’s experience
of what it takes to claim a World Championship title.
Members
of the band will also be featured in this year’s
With
little over a week to go until the World Pipe Band
Championships, the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band has
taken a minute to thank Premier, the generous sponsors of
the band’s percussion instruments. The Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band has been using Premier HTS and
Professional Series pipe band drums for a few years now, and
has benefited in drumming and ensemble results from the
clarity, volume, and projection of the Premier brand
instruments. We’re proud and thankful for our sponsorship,
and would like to invite all our fans to take the time to
meet the Premier team at the World Pipe Band Championships
next week, or to see what Premier is all about by visiting
their
The
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band now has over 4000
followers on Facebook! The band’s official social media
presence was launched in May of last year, and has quickly
become one of the most popular pipe band pages in the world
of Facebook. Over 4000 people now “like” the
The
30th anniversary of
2011
marks an emotional year in the history of Field Marshal Montgomery
Pipe Band - the 30th anniversary of Richard Parkes as Pipe Major.
Field
Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band’s own
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band kept the playing to a bare minimum before going on the field, essentially competing with an 'out of the box' sound just like many of the bands in the Grade 1. The band drew its new March, Strathspey & Reel set, Balmoral Highlanders, John Roy Stewart and Charlie’s Welcome which was the first time to air the new set in competition. The performance was a winning one, gaining two firsts in piping, a first in ensemble, and a fourth in drumming to secure the overall title with 7 points. Due to the weather conditions, the RSPBA chose to cancel the march-past, and Chief Executive Ian Embelton read the results aloud on a loud speaker while bandsmen and women congregated under umbrellas near the judge’s tent. In the end it was a satisfactory day for FMMPB despite the wet, and a great start to the 2011 season. The band’s next competition is in Banbridge, County Down, on 18 June.
The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band started its domestic season with a win in Dungannon, County Tyrone, on Saturday 7 May, 2011. The contest marked the first outdoor competition of the year in Northern Ireland and in Grade 1 consisted of a March, Strathspey & Reel event.
