IF there are no marches and rallies for independence because of the coronavirus pandemic, and there has not been any since last year, then it follows that you do not need a pipe band to lead those marches.
Yet Saor Alba Pipes & Drums, the official pipe band of the Yes movement, has not been setting aside their chanters and drumsticks, and thanks to the wonders of online technology the group has not only kept the band together but has been able to rehearse and even add new tunes to its repertoire.
“We have been practising twice a month since lockdown started,” said co-founder and band manager Jim Edwards, “and we have a lot of new songs for when we resume marching, hopefully in the run-up to the second referendum”.
He continued: “We had considered doing something online for the movement but the problem has been getting a stable platform allowing everyone to play at the one time.
“Online tuition and practice has been proceeding, however, and now we feel that it is time to try and add to the band, because we think we are looking at a minimum of six months before any large-scale public gatherings are allowed and that gives us time to have a recruitment drive and get new members integrated so that we are ready to play at events.”
There’s no doubt that seeing Saor Alba in their blue bonnets marching at the head of a large crowd of independence supporters had been a stirring sight before lockdown. Like every other part of the Yes movement, they are desperate for public activity to recommence.
There has also been very good news on the recruitment front. When the band started, many pipers from competition bands across Scotland said they would love to join but felt they were unable to do so because they were already members of competition bands and couldn’t be members of any other band.
Jim Edwards sought clarification from the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and he has confirmed to The National that there is no bar to pipers from other bands signing up to play for Saor Alba.
Edwards said: “We were told that competition band members cannot join other competition bands, but we are not a competition band and have no plans to become one so the Association has no problem with other band members playing with us.”
Anyone wishing to join the band, which was recently commended in the Independence Awards organised by The National and the Scottish Independence Foundation, should e-mail saoralbapd@gmail.com
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