The North Queensland Scottish Pipe Band (NQ Scots) announces the launch of its new Brisbane-based SEQ Rehearsal Group.

Following the successful startup of a band formed to represent smaller North Queensland community bands on the competition field, NQ Scots has decided to extend the success of its unique method of operation to a wider group of musicians.

When asked why a band based in North Queensland was opening rehearsals so far away in South East Queensland, the project’s founder and pipe major, Fraser Martin, said that “Several of our players currently live in the SEQ region and regularly travel to rehearsals in the north. Additionally, we are aware that there are numerous people in SEQ who are either not participating, or struggling to participate, in bands due to the restrictions of work and family commitments. Our extended model of operation gives those people an ideal opportunity to continue to indulge their passion with minimal impact on their private lives.

The band has enjoyed a successful record in Grade Four since its inception – winning the 2010 Queensland State Championships and being placed second at the Victorian State Championships in 2011. Throughout this time the band has participated in several concerts, culminating in the bands first 2 hour concert on May 7th in Charters Towers.

“I think this concert is an outstanding achievement for the band and its members,” said Fraser Martin. “The entertainment for the 2 hour show is entirely provided by the members of the band. No guest bands or other celtic groups are involved in this one. It is testament to the members’ enthusiasm, dedication and musicianship.”

“Distance has forced us to think hard about how we operate and to find solutions to work around the problems we encounter. We simply don’t operate like a normal pipe band at all,” said Fraser Martin. “We have more in common with a state orchestra than a regular pipe band, both in terms of how we operate and how we approach our music and our learning methods.”

“The analogy of a state orchestra is an interesting one,” said Fraser Martin. “Many of our members are active in at least one other band. This is something that is common place in professional music circles, but very much less evident in the pipe band world. And that’s a great pity because we rob ourselves of some very interesting possibilities.”

The band rehearses on average about one weekend in every 5 week period. The long spell between rehearsals gives members time to not only get on with the important things in life, but gives them time to properly prepare for their effective participation in the rehearsals.

“The cornerstones of the band’s successful program,” said Fraser Martin, “are structure and organisation, forward-planning, and a highly efficient use of time and music development techniques on the weekend-long rehearsals.”

The first Kickstart Rehearsal will take place on Saturday 28th of May, 2011. It will be held at The Voyager Centre, Kittyhawk Drive (end of street), Chermside from 10am to 4pm.

This first Kickstart Rehearsal is an opportunity for those who may be interested in participating in the NQ Scots rehearsal and performance program to find out more and participate in a rehearsal. The Kickstart will be much shorter than a normal rehearsal weekend and will start off with a meet and greet session and overview of how the band operates logistically. This will be followed by a rehearsal session that will include an introduction to some of the techniques used by the band to fast track their development.

The band organises its rehearsal and performance programs into 3 month blocks. Following the SEQ Kickstart Rehearsal on May 28th, the Brisbane-based rehearsal group will then synchronise its schedule with the Townsville-based group.

Dates for July to September block include the weekends of July 23rd, August 27th and September 9th, culminating in a concert performance at the Mackay Entertainment Centre on September 10th.

The final quarter of the year 2011 is scheduled and directed towards the participation in the NSW Championships in Sydney.

Those wishing to participate in the forthcoming Kickstart Rehearsal are asked to contact, in the first instance:

Fraser Martin
pipeband@nqscots.com
0402 353 477

A Kickstart package of music is available for download from the band’s website at www.nqscots.com/music