Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - Pipes and Drums

A&SH PIPES & DRUMS ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS ARMY CADET FORCE PIPES AND DRUMS OFFICIAL MAGAZINE July 2018

In This Issue    

Background Events Inverness P & Ds Concentration Achievements

A&SH P&Ds Newsletter Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders have many cadets who, alongside their normal APC activities, are part of the Army Cadet Pipes and Drums.

This newsletter is to highlight the great achievements of the P&Ds over the past year.

The Army Cadet Force Piping and Drumming activity is available to all cadets who are interested. Cadets do not need to have any prior knowledge before attending as instruction is provided at every level. Training weekends are held frequently throughout the year at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh and those who are talented enough can become members of the Army Cadet Force Association Pipe Band. This band are invited to part in a number of events throughout the year including a Beating Retreat at Edinburgh Castle esplanade.

This newsletter gives details of some of the fantastic events that our cadets have been part of over the past year.

The Army Cadet Force offers two career paths up to 4 Star Cadet and these are the APC Military Syllabus and the APC Music Syllabus. However all cadets must complete their 1 Star APC Military Proficiency before progressing through the APC Music Syllabus although this can be completed concurrently with the Music training. Cadets also have the option of completing both the APC Military and APC Music Proficiencies. Many cadets are achieving both awards. Cadets who do achieve both are normally of a very high calibre and highly motivated individuals.

Piping and Drumming has a great track record in seeing its cadets continue their interest in bands after they leave the ACF - a testament to the high standards of training and support received in the ACF. Piping and drumming is available to both Cadets and Adult Instructors within the ACF.

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Stirling Castle Our Pipes and Drums Cadets had the honour of performing as part of the Tri-Service Cadet Force Pipes & Drums at Stirling Castle in April to celebrate the 92nd birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. The performance followed a 21 Gun Salute by members of 212 (Highland) Battery 105 Regiment Royal Artillery.

Beating Retreat On 28th April our Pipes and Drums cadets excelled themselves at the ACFA Beating Retreat as part of the Tri-Service Cadet Force Pipes & Drums. The cadets performed in front of many senior officers, VIPs and members of the public.

Beating Retreat is a tradition dating back to the 1690s – originally the beating of the drum was used to order troops to break off fighting and withdraw to the safety of camp as darkness fell, later it signalled the closing of the camp gates at the end of the day and called back to base for the night. Today Beating Retreat is an evening music ceremony held around sunset.

An absolutely magnificent performance from everyone involved. Well done.

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P & Ds CONCENTRATION Each Year an eight day course of instruction is held at Cameron Barracks, Inverness during the Scottish Schools Easter holidays. The course is open to all cadet forces and attracts upwards of 200 cadets from all corners of the UK annually.

The course is directed by Col Malcolm MacBean MBE, Colonel Army Cadet Pipes and Drums and organised and planned by Sergeant Major Ross Munro, National Cadet Piping and Drumming Executive Officer.

Not only is there first class tution but all cadets are also given the opportunity to achieve music star level, music proficiency and SQA awards.

On the first day of this year’s camp A&SH’s very own Cadet Staff Sergeant Alex Paterson was appointed the Drum Major for the Army Cadet Force Association pipe band, a fantastic reward for all her hard work and very well deserved.

Cameron Barracks has a very long affiliation with both Army Piping and Cadet Force Piping. The first Army Class of Instruction was held at Cameron Barracks in 1910 under the expert tutolage of Pipe Major John MacDonald and supervisory direction of the Piobaireachd Society.

The Army Cadet Force has endeavoured to keep this affiliation alive and very much look forward to the annual trip to Inverness.

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The culmination of the week is the two public performances in Dingwall and Inverness where the Massed Pipes and Drums Beat Retreat and perform live in a Stage Concert setting. Both events are sponsored by Dingwall and Inverness Councils respectively.

Dingwall

Ironworks

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Time for fun At the end of the Pipes and Drums concentration in Inverness the cadets and adults have a ceilidh to celebrate the achievements of the week and say goodbye...til next time.

ACHIEVEMENTS The Army Cadet Force Piping and Drumming activity is structured, progressive and achievable.

It offers a sensible approach to learning which also provides maximum opportunity for achievement.

The syllabus has been devised to cater for all forms of Instrumentation incorporated in the Pipe Band: Bagpipes, High Tension Snare Drum, Tenor Drum and Bass Drum.

There are various levels of achievement in total and these are linked directly to the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board / Scottish Qualifications Authority(SQA) syllabus.

As a cadet learns more about each topic, and gets better at it, they progress through the star levels. Our cadets over the past year have been hugely successful. 

CSM Alex Faulds completed SCQF level 6 snare drumming

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LCpl Jennifer Clarke completed level 4 SCQF in snare drumming

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Cpl Hannah Riding completed level 2 PDQB bass and tenor

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LCpl Emma Snodin completed level 2 PDQB bass and tenor

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Cdt Jack Lang passed level 5 theory in piping.

Other achievements that have been gained through the course and competition include: 

LCpl William Paul won top intermediate snare drummer and over all top drummer

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Cpl Hannah Riding won intermediate top student

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HORSEGUARDS PARADE In July 2017 our cadets had the honour of taking part in the Horse Guards Parade in London.

The show takes place over the two evenings preceding Trooping the Colour. The Massed Bands, Pipes and Drums and Corps of Drums of the Household Division, supported by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and visiting military bands from other services around the world perform a sunset concert involving precision drill, horses, cannons and fireworks in time with the music This is a fantastic experience and a very proud moment for the cadets who have been selected to take part which even involved performing in front of HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex who took the salute.

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Contact Us Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Bn ACF Hartfield House Bonhill Road Dumbarton G82 2DG Tel: 01389 763 451 Visit us on the web at www.armycadets.com/ argyll-and-sutherland-highlanders-battalion-acf

Facebook.com/ArgyllsACF/

@AandSH_ACF

Upcoming Events Pipes and Drums training weekends will continue after summer at Redford Barracks along with a number of other events that the cadets will be taking part in such as:

If you are interested in getting involved speak to your Detachment Commander.

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