G'Day, Stranger!

1. •  
     CommentAuthorFraser
   • CommentTimeJul 19th 2010 edited

    
   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
   
   NQ SCOTS PIPE BAND WINS QUEENSLAND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
   
   WARWICK QLD, AUSTRALIA - JULY 18, 2010 - The North Queensland Scottish Pipe Band (popularly known as NQ Scots) won first place and with it the title of Queensland State Champions G4 this weekend at the Queensland Pipe Band Championships held at Scots College in Warwick.
   
   “We are absolutely ecstatic about this result,” said NQ Scots Pipe Major Fraser Martin of Cairns. “We have worked so hard to put North Queensland on the pipe band map of Australia. We no longer feel like the poor cousins. We are now State Champions and setting the trends.”
   
   "We competed in a field of 10 grade four bands for the state title. South East Queensland has had such a strong hold over the competition scene. No one expected a band from the north to come in and take away the title."
   
   The band is a representative band and its members are drawn from the greater regional areas of Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton. The band rehearses once a month, primarily in the Townsville region. "Each band rehearsal is a small logistical miracle," said Fraser Martin. "Members travel up to 8 hours to just to get to a rehearsal. And then they have to drive back."
   
   "We were up against bands who rehearse as much as three times per week," said Fraser Martin. "Yet we managed to achieve this formidable result despite our band members being so widely dispersed throughout North Queensland."
   
   The band takes such a strong pride in representing North Queensland that it has taken out the best dressed band award at both the recent Queensland Championships and the earlier Australian Championships. "We are setting a precedent. We make a fashion statement, albeit in kilts, and I think the rest of Queensland, and Australia will follow," said Fraser Martin.
   
   The NQ Scots pipe band has a very strong visual identity, sporting the green and red tartan of King George VI. This band's emblem represents the flora and fauna of North Queensland using a licuala ramsayi and a crocodile.
   
   "Our mascot is a crocodile, taken from our badge emblem. We have affectionately named our crocodile Albert," said Fraser Martin. "He appears with us wherever we go. I think the bands from down south feel a little intimidated by him. But he's really sweet. You can tell by his big toothy grin."
   
   "We get some funny looks and curious questions from airport security taking a crocodile head and bagpipes onboard. It takes a fair bit of explaining."
   
   The 18-member band competed for the very first time earlier this year in April at the Tartan Spectacular Australian Championships, where it was placed 10th in field of 23.
   
   "Competing at the Australian Championships earlier this year was a baptism by fire for the band - most of whom had never taken part in competition before. We felt as if we had been thrown in at the deep end. But we were delighted to have been placed so well and came away with a solid determination to work harder than ever over the following months to attempt to gain the Queensland State Championship title," said Pipe Major Fraser Martin.
   
   The band was formed only in the middle of 2009 as part of a North Queensland initiative to promote celtic culture and to curb the decline of local community pipe bands whose numbers were dwindling.
   
   Fraser Martin, who founded the NQ Scots Pipe Band, is also the founder of the popular Brisbane-based Queensland Highlanders Pipe Band, who are currently Queensland's leading grade one pipe band.
   
   The NQ Scots band has developed a clever regime of rehearsing once a month as a group, supported by individual development and preparation through the use of the internet as a means of learning and practising in preparation for each monthly rehearsal.
   
   "We use an innovative teaching approach, into which we have added our own special blend of North Queensland grit and determination. And the combination clearly works, " said Fraser Martin.
   
   The band will perform later this year at the Ayr Water Festival, on 4th August and at the St Andrews Day Concert held in Mackay Entertainment Centre on 12th September.
   
   In 2011 the band plans to take part in the New South Wales Championships and the New Zealand Championships and will of course return to South East Queensland to defend its title.
   
   Further information is available from the band’s website at: http://www.nqscots.com
   
   ENDS
   
   For further information contact:
   
   Fraser Martin
   Phone: 0402 353 477
   Email: pipeband@nqscots.com
   Web: www.nqscots.com
2. • CommentAuthorDavid
   • CommentTimeJul 30th 2010

    
   Hi all,
   
   I told Gold Coast to watch out you where coming I told them the same thing for the Aussies (but not all judges hear the same thing)and they heard you tuning up before you went on at Warwick albeit from a distance, but you guys sounded great. Congratulations on your well deserved win and look forward to having a few tunes with you soon.
   
   Dave.
3. •  
     CommentAuthorBevan
   • CommentTimeJul 30th 2010

    
   Thankyou David. Hopefully see you soon.
4. •  
     CommentAuthorFraser
   • CommentTimeAug 18th 2010

    
   Letter of congratulations from Ayr & Lower Burdekin Caledonian Association Inc.