The African Skye Pipe Band

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Posted : 13 October 2008

African Skye at the PBASA Solo Drumming Championships

Steven St Clair-Hall and Mark Gouvea were placed second and third respectively in the Open Snare Drumming event at the PBASA South African Solo Drumming Championships held at St Benedict's College in Bedfordview on Saturday, 11 October 2008. Kyle MacLeod and Jennifer Austin were placed third and fifth respectively in the Junior Snare Drumming event while Seamus Lindsay finished third overall in the Novice Snare Drumming section.

Posted : 15 July 2008

A funny thing happened on the way to the start line

Pictured above is Mark Gouvea, of African Skye fame, appearing as a guest drummer with the 1 Medical Battalion B Pipe Band at the recent Natal Scottish Gathering held on the 28 June 2008 at Natal Mounted Rifles headquarters in Durban.

Posted : 9 July 2008

African Skye Pipe Band invited to inaugural South African Tattoo

The African Skye Pipe Band has been invited to participate in the Massed Pipes and Drums display at the inaugral South African Tattoo. The Tattoo shall take place in the Outdoor Event Venue at Montecasino in September this year. Bookings are now open at Computicket.

Posted : 8 July 2008

African Skye B are declared Grade 4 PBASA Regional Champions

The African Skye B Pipe Band won the Grade 4 division at the St Benedict's Gathering on Saturday, 5 July 2008. The band was also declared PBASA Regional Champion Grade 4 Band and Drum Corps. Well done to Pipe Major Angus Bellingan, Leading Drummer Dave Jeffrey and the rest of the team on this superb achievement.

Posted : 18 June 2008

Jennifer wins PBASA Junior Solo Drumming Invitational

Jennifer Austin (pictured right with Angus Bellingan and Muire Lindsay) won the Junior section of the PBASA Solo Drumming Invitational at St Benedict's College in Bedfordview on Sunday, 15 March 2008. John Scullion of Northern Ireland adjudicated the event. Other African Skye drummers who were invited to compete and played, were Kyle MacLeod, also in the Junior, and Steven St Clair-Hall and Mark Gouvea in the Open.

Posted : 18 June 2008

African Skye B maintains winning streak

The African Skye B Pipe Band maintained it's winning streak at the Pretoria Boys Highland Gathering on Saturday, 14 June 2008, taking home both the champion Grade 4 Band and Drum Corps prizes.

Posted : 18 May 2008

Taryn Leads the Way

History was made at the Jeppe Gathering at Jeppe High School for Boys on Saturday, 17 May 2008, when Taryn Townsend (pictured right) became the first female drummer to lead a Drum Corps, African Skye A, in the Premier South African pipe band division. Although female drummers have been part of the South African pipe band fraternity for many years now, it is the first time that a female drummer has actually led a drum corps onto the competition field in the Premier grade in South Africa.

Posted : 13 May 2008

The Parlotones DVD Concert

Last Thursday, 8 May 2008, the Parlotones performed live at Emperor's Palace. The show was recorded for a live DVD. One of the guest artists was our very own Steve Buchanan. Click here, Parlotones Live, to see some pictures of Uncle Buc in action.

Posted : 2 March 2008

The African Skye Solo Piping and Drumming Championships

The African Skye Solo Piping and Drumming Championships were held at St Benedict's College in Bedfordview, Johannesburg on the 1st March 2008. The Overall Open Piping Champion was Joshua Hogg and, the Open Snare Drumming Champion was Steven St Clair-Hall. Bob Worrall (pictured right), the internationally renowned adjudicator, judged some of the open piping events. The complete results are in Competition Results and pictures from the event are in the Gallery.

Posted : 10 January 2008

Our CD is now also available online at loot.co.za. Please click on the link below to purchase.

Posted : 8 January 2008

2008 has arrived and, with it, the 10th Anniversary of The African Skye Pipe Band. From humble beginnings in January 1998, the African Skye organisation has grown to a membership of some 50 people over the last ten years. From learner musicians right through to premier grade players, we cater for them all. We have a band competing in the premier grade in South Africa, Grade 2, and a band in Grade 4. Members of the band are also involved in the tuition of the Jeppe CBC Boksburg Pipe Band which competes in the Novice Juvenile grade. We also run a piping and drumming school which has been largely responsible for the growth in our membership over the years.

Piobaireachd has always been an aspect of piping that has been lacking in the African Skye organisation. However, that is all about to change. Chris Terry, a local piobaireachd specialist, is currently running a piobaireachd school at the African Skye bandroom for pipers from the band. This will be one of many piobaireachd schools that our pipers will be involved in this year, setting the foundation for years to come.

For the first time this year, the African Skye organisation will host a solo piping and drumming competition. This will take place in Johannesburg on the 1 March as "The African Skye Solo Piping and Drumming Championship". We are hoping it will become an annual event in the local piping and drumming calendar.

In our continuing endeavours to improve the standard of our bands, we have secured the services of Bob Worrall, the renowned international pipe band adjudicator, to take us through our paces early in March. While he is in South Africa, Bob will also adjudicate some of the solo piping events at "The African Skye Solo Piping and Drumming Championship" as well as adjudicate solo piping and band events at the CBC Boksburg Gathering on the 15 March.

Sales of our debut CD, “An African Journey with Skye”, recorded live at our concert at the UJ Theatre in February last year, are ticking over nicely. This two-disc CD is retailing for R150.00 and can be ordered through Contact Us.

That is all the news for now. Please keep checking back to see what's new as we grow our site.

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