New Strathclyde Police to debut in May concert

The Strathclyde Police Pipe Band will perform publicly for the first time with its new pipe-major and revamped line-up, playing a concert on May 7 at Maghera High School, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The event is the annual concert hosted by the Mid-Ulster Drumming School.

The concert will be the first appearance of the band under Donald MacKay, who was appointed pipe-major after the 2004 contest season after the retirement of James Wark.

Sources from within the band state that several other significant changes have been made to the Strathclyde Police, including the addition of Don Bradford, the former pipe-major and member of several Grade 1 bands. Strathclyde Police have also added several “guest” players from Australia, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the United States, and has appointed two pipe-sergeants, an approach also used during the band’s most glorious years in the early 1980s when Iain MacLellan named both Angus J. MacLellan and A. John Wilson to the post.

The band will reportedly debut new competition and concert material, and guest musicians, Alan Henderson of Blazin Fiddles and Ross Martin of Cliar and Diamh will play with the band on several selections. Also scheduled to perform at the concert is solo piper Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, and the students and instructors of Mid-Ulster Drumming School.

The Strathclyde Police will also play a concert in Stirling, Scotland, later in 2005.

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