South American
Golden Jubilee
Pipe Band Gathering

October 2005

The SASRP Pipe Band celebrated it's 50th anniversary hosting the South American Golden Jubilee Pipe Band Gathering.  Being the oldest pipe band in the region, we believed that the best way of celebrating our anniversary was with all the pipe bands of South America.

The actual event started on Saturday, October 29th with the workshops conducted by foreign and local instructors.

Donald MacKay (P/M Strathclyde Police Pipe Band - Glasgow) during the piping workshops.



Daniel Pereira Pierce (Southern Cross Pipe Band - Monevideo) dring the pipe band sound quality workshop.



Gordon Craig (Glasgow) during the drumming workshops



Kirsty Marsic (Edinburgh) during the Highland Dancing workshops.

 

Later on Saturday, the Scottish Pipe Band Assocition of South America held a meeting with all the South American pipe band representatives.  Among other projects, the SPBASA has elaborated the guidelines by which the gatherings and massed band parades are done.

Left to right: Rick Empson (Riverside Pipe Band), Daniel Pereira Pierce (Southern Cross Pipe Band), Cristiano Bicudo (Scottish Link Pipe Band), Ralph Tuero (SAPA Pipe Band), Freddie Santana MacKinlay (SAPA Pipe Band), Cleve Lightfoot (Andes Highlanders Pipe Band), Ralph Bennet (Andes Highlanders Pipe Band), Mike Flight (SASRP Pipe Band), Ernest Ayling (Highland Thistle Pipe Band).
 

That same evening was the Anniversary Party.

The actual gathering was on Sunday, October 30th starting with the Massed Bands, a spectacular parade with all participating pipe bands playing together, including independent pipers and former pipers of the SASRP Pipe Band.

The pipe band displays started with the host pipe band, the St. Andrew's Society of the River Plate Pipe Band (Buenos Aires, Argentina), including guest former dancers of the band.

Following came the Highland Thistle Pipe Band (Buenos Aires, Argentina):

Then came The Southern Cross Pipe Band (Montevideo, Uruguay)

Half way through the pipe band displays came another series of shows, starting with our special guests Pipe Major Donald MaKay, Gordon Craig, and Kirsty Marsic:

Following came Fairy Dance, a Scottish/Irish-based coreographic group

To close this section, Guillemo and Freddie Santana MacKinlay (father and son respectively) played a duet:

Getting back to the pipe bands, now came the Scottish Link Pipe Band (São Paulo, Brazil), featuring former P/M Norman MacDonald who came from Canada for the event.

Then came the South American Piping Association (SAPA) Pipe Band (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Closing the pipe band displays was the Riverside Pipe Band (Montevideo, Uruguay), hosts of the First South American Pipe Band Gathering, April 2004.

An important feature introduced at this pipe band gathering was the feedback of the guests from Scotland (the three of them are experienced judges) regarding the pipe band displays.  They were asked to give input on the strong and weak points of each of the pipe band performances.  No competitive purpose was intended, instead, this valuable feedback used by the pipe bands for working on improvements.

The Gathering's closing ceremony was with another Massed Bands Parade, but this time with a Highland Laddie performed by all the Highland Dancers.

Special thanks to all of the following

Our guests from Scotland: P/M Donald MacKay (left), Kirsty Marsic (center) and Gordon Craig (right), and special thanks to Joe Noble who helped us from Scotland to find these three gems.

Photo taken on the 9 de Julio Avenue, downtown Buenos Aires, October 31st.

Our Masters of Ceremony Chris Stammers (left) and Carola Durlach (right), and Band Marshall Martin Millan (center)

All the guest pipe bands, especially those coming from abroad, and other participating groups:

Each one of the 1100 persons that attended the Gathering, including some former and founding members of the pipe bands, who joined us for this celebration and have supported the local pipebanding throughout these last 50 years.

Northlands School, who very generously let us host the entire Gathering at their Olivos campus, and we specially acknowledge all the cleaning, security, and maintenance staff's support and hard work during the week-end.

And last, but not least, many thanks to the sponsors and supporters.

		SPBASA Scottish Pipe Band Association of South America
		BA Double Decker Buses
	FOTOSHOW ESTUDIO Diego Fernández Heugas Fotografía y Video Digital Profesional (Official Gathering photography)