THINKING OF JOINING US?
If you're thinking of joining the band and you're not sure how or what to do.
Here are all the W's
WHY should you join us?
The band is a fantastic place to…
- Make friends
- Do something different
- Achieve new goals
- Learn new skills
- Learn Leadership skills
- Work as a team
- Gain confidence
- Travel to new places, sometimes even abroad
- Be part of a friendly and talented team
You don’t need to read music or have any musical skills, playing in a pipe band really isn’t as hard as it looks!
WHAT will it cost?
£1 a week!
Yes, just one pound and a small joining fee. When you come along you'll have 4 free weeks to decide if you would like to join. You then pay a £5 joining fee, then it's just £1 a week.
WHAT do you get for your £1 a week?
The band will pay for everything else you need.
- Tuition
- Instrument
- Uniform
- Travel to engagements
We may ask for a small amount of money when the band has weekends away.
WHAT age do I have to be?
Between 10 and 18 years to join the band.
When you get to 18 and still love playing with the band you don’t have to leave, you then become an adult leader, using the leadership skills you’ve learned in your time in the band.
WHERE do we practice?
St Mary's Primary School, Chanters Road, Bideford, Devon EX39 2QN
On Wednesdays and Fridays
7pm to 8:45pm
Just come along on one of these nights and we'll be happy to show you what we do so you can see if you like it.
WHAT do the band do?
Engagements - The band travel all over the South West performing at carnivals, fetes, concerts, and shows as well as leading parades.
Fun Stuff - It’s great to march in a carnival getting cheered and clapped and sometimes afterwards we even get free food and drink! The fetes are fun too we get a chance to look around all the stalls and go on any rides, and because we’re performing we get in for free!
Serious Stuff - As well as the fun things we have important engagements
and performances too.
- Military Events
- North Devon Show
- Leading the Civic party at parades in Bideford.
Overseas and Away Trips - We have been to...
- New York, America - Tartan Day Parade
- Manteo, America - Bideford's twin town
- Normandy, France - D-Day Anniversary
- Ashbourne, Derbyshire - Highland Gathering
- Edinburgh, Scotland - Broke a world record
- Theme Parks - Just for fun!
PRACTICE NIGHTS - Practice nights are split into two.
Chanters, Sticks and Pads - The first part of the night is spent in separate groups, Side Drummers, Pipers and Tenor Drummers. In these groups we teach and learn new tunes.
Members are taught by other youth members and overseen by adults, this makes learning fun and relaxed without the stuffy schoolroom feeling.
About half-way through the evening we stop for a break, it’s a chance to have a run around and play games or chat with your new friends.
Pipes and Drums- For the last part of the evening the whole band join together, playing our bagpipes and drums to make some noise. The new ones don’t miss out, they get to march within the band and join in the fun.
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU
- Regular Attendance
- Becoming a member of the band does take commitment and we do expect regular attendance and even some practice at home.
- As with every hobby it does take dedication to be good at what you do, so the more practice the quicker you'll be in uniform out playing in the band.
So there it is, not really that complicated. . .
- Turn up Wednesday and Friday
- Pay £1 a week
- We will teach you to play the pipes or drums
- We will supply you with a uniform
- We will supply you with an instrument
- We will take you to perform all over the South West or maybe even the world!
Easy - We'll see you next week!