Issue 27 - Sept 2011 - Scots College

THE PIPE BAND
GOVERNMENT HOUSE
OPEN DAY
The newly refurbished Government House
was open to the public over an April
weekend. On the Sunday our Scots College
Pipe Band gave two performances on the
North Lawn in front of the terrace. These
were widely applauded and enthusiastically
received by the visiting public.
The link between Government House
and the College has been a long-standing
one, as it was his Excellency Sir Charles
Fergusson who provided his personal
piper to tutor the boys at Scots. This of
course led to the foundation of our band
and the reason we wear the Fergusson
tartan for our kilts.
ANZAC DAY DAWN PARADE
The Wellington Dawn Parade for ANZAC
Day revealed a first for Scots College and for
our Pipe Band. Pipe Major Connor Macrae
was given the highly sought-after honour
of playing the lament following the firing
of the gun to herald the dawn. Connor
played Flowers of the Forest faultlessly and
with right and due reverence. It was a very
moving, thought-provoking and sobering
gift to the assembled.
Connor and other members of our
Government House
USA Memorial Day
band joined forces with the city’s other
bands to provide a parade band for the
street march that followed the service.
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY
CAPPING PARADES
This year’s capping parades looked as if they
might be caught up in the horrid weather
that seemed to hang about Wellington
that week, but both days dawned with fine
blue skies and bright but wintery warm
sunshine. It was good to see the boys back
in the city leading a parade although there
were some suspect notes!
SERVICE OF
REMEMBRANCE FOR U.S.A
MEMORIAL DAY 2011
Each year the United States hold a day of
remembrance on the last Monday in May.
This year our pipe band was invited to play
for and attend the New Zealand-American
Association service at Old St. Paul’s in the city.
We mustered a full band for this special
event and played outside the church as
the various dignitaries and guests arrived.
Drum Major Christopher Poppe martialled
the boys in good order and the music was
presented well, under Pipe Major Connor
Macrae’s direction.
During the service, a number of
wreaths were presented in memory of
those fallen in times of conflict and war.
The address was given by David Huebner,
The Ambassador of the United States of
America to New Zealand.
After the service the Ambassador
met the boys, thanked them for their
participation and congratulated them
upon a fine performance.
CEILIDH
This year’s Ceilidh was held off-site due to
the closure of our Scots Chapel/Hall during
the building of the new CPAC building.
Luckily, QMC offered to provide their hall
for our use which was thankfully accepted.
The Scots Ceilidh at QMC became a reality
on Saturday the 11th of June thanks to
the efforts of Rowan Macrae and her team
of parents. It was indeed a vibrant and
exciting occasion with all the traditional
Ceilidh trimmings.
The live band “Steam’n” provided
momentum for dance after dance and
our own band presented stunning
performances. However, this year’s
highlight had to be the address given by
Pipe Major Connor Macrae ably assisted by
his team. Connor’s rendition of the Burns
ode was stunning, and the best dramatic
interpretation I have ever witnessed.
TRAFFIC WARDEN’S
PARADE
Moved back into the second term, the
Traffic Warden’s Parade in July was the
third street march that we undertake. It
is usually the largest of all the parades
and begins at Parliament steps, travelling
all the way down Lambton Quay and on
to Civic Square. Trailing behind the band
were thousands of orange coated, banner
waving Primary School traffic wardens
complete with traffic cones and crossing
lollypops!
Ceilidh
Traffic Wardens
Ceilidh Haggis Address
20 THE QUAD | SEPTEMBER 2011 – ISSUE 27 THE QUAD | SEPTEMBER 2011 – ISSUE 27 21