A veteran of
previous shows at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, The House of Edgar Shotts
& Dykehead Pipe Band returns to the venue with their ‘Caledonia’ show to
entertain a full house thirsty for good piping music at the annual
pre-Worlds concert hosted by Phoenix Honda Glasgow Skye Association Pipe
Band.
As the most
successful Scottish pipe band of the last two decades, the Shotts Band
represents Scotland’s strongest hope for taking top honours at the World
Pipe Band Championships, which they have won on no less than 15
occasions with their unique brand of innovative and progressive musical
arrangements.
‘Caledonia’
presents an opportunity to hear one of the world’s greats at the top of
their game performing new, traditional and favourite compositions in the
world’s favourite pipe band concert venue.
It is
with sadness that The
House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band announces the sad news
received from the McAllister family of the passing of our former pipe
major, John K MacAllister.
John
passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Thursday 6 March,
2008.
The
band owes a significant number of its honours to John. His strong
leadership during a highly successful period of 14 years brought home no
less than 44 first places, including 4 World Pipe Band Championship
titles to the village of Shotts.
The
funeral will take place on Wednesday 12 March, 2008 at 1100 hours in
Calderhead Parish Church, Shotts.
The
condolences and prayers of everyone concerned with the band past and
present are with the McAllister family at this sad time.
The
House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band is to attend Central Florida
Highland Games in Orlando, Florida on 19 & 20 January, 2008 as guests of
the Scottish American
Society of Central Florida.
The
band will perform in concert in Orlando's Metro Church on the evening of
19 January, 2007, as well as making appearances at the highland games
during both days.
The
band is looking forward to making it's first full appearance in the USA
and entertaining Florida's Scottish music enthusiasts.
For the
first time this year, a major pipe band championship was blessed with
sunshine at Cowal Highland Gathering in Dunoon on 25 August, 2007.
The House of Edgar Shotts
& Dykehead Pipe Band resumed the form that earns results, securing
the runner-up spot for the second year in succession. The band just lost
out on first place on an ensemble preference.
Meantime, both the drum corps and bass section won the top drumming
awards in Grade 1.
Congratulations to everyone in the band on a fine performance.
The House of Edgar Shotts
& Dykehead Pipe Band competed in the World Pipe Band
Championships in Glasgow on 11 August, 2007 and performed two very
strong runs to secure third spot.
Yes,
major competition number four and for the fourth time there was
torrential rain to contend with.
Most
convincingly, the band won the Medley section of the competition,
playing their new 'The Circle of Fear' selection for the first time.
The band will make its
final competition appearance of 2007 at Cowal Highland Gathering in
Dunoon in two weeks time.
The
European Pipe Band Championships in Inverness on 28 July, 2007 saw
persistent rain and mud wreck what should have been a great day for pipe
bands in the town.
Shotts took fourth prize in Grade 1, the weather playing its part in
affecting the band from reaching its potential just as it did with other
competitors.
The
band will now prepare for the forthcoming World Pipe Band Championships
in Glasgow in two weeks time.
The
Shotts drum corps opened the Live Earth event in London on 7/7/07
alongside Queen's Roger
Taylor, Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad
Smith in a one-off performance especially composed for the event.
The
score was constructed around the SOS Morse Code 'Dot Dot Dot, Dash Dash
Dash, Dot Dot Dot' rhythm.
The
corps would like to thank guests Russell Duffy, Malcolm McEwan and Scott
Birrell as well as Blair Brown's stunt double, Glenn Brown.
The House of Edgar Shotts
& Dykehead Pipe Band drum corps has accepted an invitation to play
in the opening performance of the forthcoming
Live Earth
concert to be held in Wembley Arena, London on 7 July, 2007.
The
concert is part of a number of events worldwide that are intended to
raise awareness of climate change.
The
corps will join the likes of Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Queen's Roger
Taylor in a 100 strong percussion cast playing a signature drum score
written especially for the concert.
