Pipe Band retains national crown

It was another highly successful New Zealand Pipe Band Championships for the St Andrew’s College Pipe Band, with the A Band, once again, clear winners in the Juvenile Grade.

Pipe Band Manager, Graeme Bryce says it was an “amazing result” for the band, with all four judges placing them first in piping, drumming and ensemble. “The band also performed incredibly well against the adult bands in Grade 2, where they finished runners-up and were first in drumming. It was also great to see our very young B Band, which includes a Year 6 drummer, take fourth place in Juvenile Grade and third in Grade 4A.”

A group of 56 students and seven staff from St Andrew’s were among the 1500 people who took part in the championships, held at Onewa Domain, on Auckland’s North Shore in mid-March. Thousands more people turned up to watch and support the players, at what is the largest pipe band festival outside of Scotland.

Graeme says a highlight was the St Andrew’s Pipe Band dinner attended by 112 students, staff, and parents on the Friday evening. “The dinner was an opportunity for the Band to honour the seven Pipe Band leavers from 2023. Pipe Band Director, Richard Hawke presented them with leavers’ medallions, and also presented a medallion to Christine Leighton, given this will be her last national championships with us as Rector.”

A spectacular Street March was held in Takapuna on the Saturday morning. On the Saturday evening, the group was excited to relax with pizza and watch the 12,000 Miles documentary, which followed four New Zealand bands, including St Andrew’s College, as they travelled to Glasgow to pit themselves against the world’s best at the 2023 World Pipe Band Championships.

“We are proud of our Pipe Band students, who achieved some great results and were excellent ambassadors for St Andrew’s College. We have large numbers of students joining the Pipe Band, which is in great shape as we look to the future,” says Graeme.