Gordonstoun’s renowned Pipe Band has taken part for the first time in the oldest and longest civic parade in the world, dating back over 800 years.
The pipers and drummers, a favourite of HM King Charles, featured alongside many of the UK’s top military bands in the Lady Mayor’s Show yesterday (Saturday 8 Nov).
The Gordonstoun Pipe Band was the only Scottish school, and non-military band, selected to take part in the famous three-mile procession.
They played a varied set, including ‘On the Road to Passchendaele’, to coincide with Remembrance Day.
Band members as young as 12-years-old joined more than 7,000 other musicians and performers, as they made their way through the streets of London past iconic landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Courts of Justice and Fleet Street before finishing at Mansion House.
The annual Lord Mayor’s Show first started in the 15th Century to parade the newly appointed Mayor of London to swear allegiance to the crown.
This year was the first time the event was called the ‘Lady Mayor’s Show’ in honour of new Mayor Dame Susan Langley DBE.
The privilege of representing Gordonstoun on the world stage came as the Pipe Band’s celebrates its 70th anniversary. Gordonstoun was one of only two schools, and three pipe bands, featured in the parade.
The band regularly plays at the annual Braemar Gatherings attended by The King and have also shared the stage with Folk-Rock superstars Skerryvore and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
Gordonstoun Drumming teacher Scott Niven said:
“It was an enormous privilege for our pipers and drummers to be selected to take part in the Lady Mayor’s Show and represent Gordonstoun on the world stage.
“They held their nerve and did the school proud, while featuring alongside some of the best military bands in the UK.
“The parade is one of the most prestigious events in the calendar, with over 3,000 people invited to take part.
“We found out in April that the school had been selected for the parade and since then it has been heartening to see how motivated the students have been to reach the high standards required to compete with the best bands in the UK.
“Many of the youngest members of the band have been doing extra practice sessions at breakfast and lunchtime to ensure they were properly prepared for the big day.
“For those, who only joined a few years ago, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity being part of the oldest and longest civic parade in the world.”
The 20 boys and 20 girls in the band, aged between 12 and 18 years, were made up from students from the UK, Thailand, Hong Kong, Sweden and Germany.
They had a special rehearsal on Friday before the parade when they put on a performance outside busy Cannon Street Station to raise funds for London Poppy Appeal. The charity is the Royal British Legion’s flagship fund raising event, helping veterans of the UK Armed Forces.
Gordonstoun has close links with the military, with several students coming from families involved in the Armed Forces.
Student Angus Sheldon, 17, said:
“It was a real privilege being the lead piper for the Gordonstoun Pipe Band in one of London’s oldest and most spectacular traditions. To be part of the school’s first ever Pipe Band to play through the streets of London in such an historic event was something I’ll remember for a long time.”
Student Molly Warren, 17, leader of the Corps of Drums, said:
“While we have experience of playing at several prestigious events around Scotland, this is the first time we have travelled to London to perform in such an internationally renowned parade.
“It was really exciting for us to have the opportunity to perform in front of so many tourists and visitors in London. I’m proud of the commitment that our Pipe Band has demonstrated in the weeks of intensive rehearsals leading to this event.”
On Remembrance Day, Gordonstoun Pipe Band joined with Gordon’s School Pipes & Drums to perform at their school Remembrance Parade in Woking.
Some members of the Gordonstoun Pipe Band also took the opportunity to perform in a recital at London’s Steinway Hall on Friday.
Gordonstoun recently announced a partnership with world-famous piano maker to become the first ‘All-Steinway’ school in Scotland.
The partnership with Steinway & Sons will also bring master classes by Steinway artists to Gordonstoun, performance opportunities at Steinway Halls around the world and access to the finest equipment for the study of music.
Gordonstoun head Simon Cane-Hardy said:
“Gordonstoun Pipe Band has a long and illustrious history and taking part in the Lady Mayor’s Show is another proud chapter for the band, as it celebrates its 70th anniversary.
“The talent and dedication shown by the students is symbolic of the school’s ethos of challenging students to be the best version of themselves.
“Watching our pipers and drummers stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best military bands in the UK was testament to all the extra hours they have put in over the past few months. Their rendition of ‘On the Road to Passchendaele’ was very poignant and a worthy contribution to such a special occasion.”
There are now more than 150 students piping and drumming in the school every week.
Many were first introduced to the pipes through a programme at Gordonstoun’s Prep School, that ensures every child plays a musical instrument.
Students from the school have gone on to join the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, which pipers and drummers must pass auditions to join. The band’s Lead Drummer, the senior student in charge of the drummers and who plays the lead ‘solo’ parts in tunes, has also been part of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.