Glasgow Skye sees departures after leadership search comes up empty

If the coronavirus lockdown and the cancellation weren’t enough, the ranks of the Grade 1 Glasgow Skye Association have been depleted, after players have departed while a search for a new pipe-major and lead-drummer have been fruitless over the last five weeks.

“We sadly now find ourselves in a position where the majority of our players have accepted offers from other bands, or are taking time out from competing. This in itself makes it more difficult for the band to secure new leadership,” the band said in a statement that also stressed that “this in no way means the end.”

The situation followed the departure of Pipe-Major Ewan Henderson to take the pipe-major role at crosstown Grade 1 rivals Glasgow Police, and the retirement of Lead-Drummer Arthur Cook, which had been planned since the end of the 2019 season.

Glasgow Skye is also well known for promoting the annual Pre-World’s Concert, which they have staged for most of the last three decades. The band said that the concert “will be unaffected.”

Sources close to Glasgow Skye said that the band is well funded, with a good sponsorship, augmented by revenues from the concert, which is almost always sold out.

2019 World Champions Inveraray & District had been on the bill to headline the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall event this August, but the event was cancelled along with the Piping Live! festival, the World Championships and the balance of the 2020 UK pipe band competition season because of the coronavirus. If the 2021 competition season takes place, Inveraray & District will reportedly play next year’s Pre-World’s Concert.

Glasgow Skye has been in operation since 1968 and has been up and down between Grade 1 and Grade 2 several times since the 1980s. The group won Grade 2 at the 2017 World Championships, resulting in its promotion to Grade 1.

Despite the depleted ranks, the organization is still hoping for applications of interest from prospective pipe-majors and lead-drummers by email.

Similarly, the Grade 1 Toronto Police has been frustrated in its search for a suitable lead-drummer, resulting in the band being on hiatus since 2018.

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