Editorial #1 – 14 things for 2014
Andrew Berthoff did 7 things he saw in 2013 as being “realisations”. I’m going to go for 14 things I’d like to see in 2014. Maybe 14 is a bit adventurous, but we will see how we go. Perhaps we will get there!
- More competitions for grade one bands – Palmy and the Nationals is just not enough competition for all the grade one bands in the country. Sure it’s difficult to get around and quite costly, but let’s think about ways in which we can give our grade one bands more competition. It makes them better, it gives the public more enjoyment and exposure to good music, and means our bands get the opportunity to showcase themselves to a wider audience.
- A warm, sunny, dry National Championships – Timaru was dreary, wet, and dull. Not that that is anyone’s fault, but it’s not ideal. Tauranga in 2012 was excellent, sunny, hot and dry. Let’s have a repeat of that again eh?
- A band inside the top 6 at the Worlds – we’ve had a Juvenile World Championship, now it’s time for a Grade 1 World title! We can dream at least, but a band in the top 6 at the worlds would be a pretty cool thing for New Zealand bands.
- A stable F – well I can hope anyway!
- More tweed – it is essential for any serious soloists wardrobe that there is at least one item of tweed in the ensemble.
- A New Zealand Drumming Association – a formal, national body for drummers to be part of, like the P&D but with less rules and more focus on the development of performance drumming in New Zealand. There is great stuff going on in Christchurch and in the Lower North Island – let’s build on that and create national, standardised association that benefits all drummers.
- Royalties for Worlds Bands – each year the bands get their recordings flung around the world at no recompense to the bands themselves. They may not be huge royalties, but some should be paid to those bands who have their performances put on CDs and DVDs and sold to punters around the world.
- The Worlds to stay in Glasgow – this might be unpopular with those who think the worlds should travel around the world, but anywhere else would feel bizarre. Glasgow is the hub for the worlds – not only because it’s been there forever and a day, but because of PipingLive! and the associated events around that time. Keep the Worlds in Glasgow.
- A televised New Zealand Championships – maybe not for 2014, but certainly things can start to be put together for 2015. The Worlds does it, the Glenfiddich does it, heck even the BCPipers did it for their Annual Gathering! This would give greater access to people in New Zealand and across the world who can’t make it, open it up to the muggles of the world, and showcase the best in New Zealand pipe bands to the world who are dying to listen to us live.
- A return to the Victoria Police Pipe Band as a full unit – please, Victorian Government, give them their band back. The history is priceless, there is no price on their legacy.
- RNZPBA should introduce a limit on imports – or at least make international players register with a New Zealand band if they compete overseas as well. We should all remember that it’s the New Zealand Championships. While we appreciate there is a certain international element to pipe bands now, there should be a limit on how many non-resident players there are in each band. This isn’t to try and eliminate competition, but to encourage local teaching and growing of our own future stars.
- Re-introduce 2 medleys for the Nationals for grade one, replace MSR with March Medley in Grade 4 B – it is probably time to put back in the 2 medleys requirement to the National Championships for Grade one. Currently the requirements for G1 and G2 are the same and that isn’t right – as prominent band members said when the change happened, it is a sign we aren’t as strong or as good as our Scottish/Canadian counterparts. Grade 4 B bands should be encouraged to play good music well, rather than hard music not well – a march medley instead of an MSR would give them the skills and the launching pad to build technique, blowing, sound, rudiments and all the good pipe band basics.
- Re-introduce the Quick Step. It must be done.
- For New Zealand Pipe Band’s to support and encourage one another. We have a tremendous camaraderie in this country, especially in the upper echelons of pipe band performance, and we should be supporting each other just as solo pipers do in competition. The rest of the world is bad at it, so we should lead the way in supporting those who are achieving on an international stage.
What are some of yours? We would love to know – comment below or leave us a facebook message!
