The Pipes & Drums of the Signals Association

Home

About the band
Upcoming Parades
Some History
Practice Nights
Learning
Music
Book the band
Contact Us

The Band Plays On
TV documentary about the band

Birthday Celebrations


Ceud Mille Failte!!! (One Hundred Thousand Welcomes)

Welcome to our website. Here you will find some information about the band, what we do, and where you can hear us play. If you're a piper or drummer and are looking for a band, or if you would like to learn or are just interested, then please contact us - We would love to hear from you.

Currently we are looking for a new Pipe Major (more here), as well as pipers and drummers, and are having a great TV documentary being made about us for Prime TV in 2010 (more here).

About the band
We are a non-competing band, with an emphasis on street marches, parades, and concerts. We often play at RSA's around Auckland (Point Chevalier, New Lynn, Takapuna) including for Burns nights and of course ANZAC Day. The band is more traditional than some, always playing in dress uniform.

Upcoming parades
Christmas is nearly upon us! Events we have scheduled for the coming months in 2009 / 2010 include:

Saturday 7 November, 10:00am - St Francis School Fair, Pt Chevalier
Saturday 21 November, 10:00 am - New Lynn Christmas Parade
Saturday 5 December, 10:45am - Blockhouse Bay Christmas Parade
Saturday 5 December, 7:30pm - Pt Chevalier RSA Scottish St Andrew's Night
Sunday 13 December, 12:00pm - Birkenhead Christmas Parade
Saturday 23 January, 6:30pm - Burns Night, Bays Club Browns Bay
7 March - Auckland Cup Parade, Newmarket
25 April, 10:00am - Pt Chevalier ANZAC Day parade

Some history
The band was formed in 1957, originally as the Pipes & Drums, 1st Divisional Signals Regiment of the New Zealand Army. As a territorial army band, its members were soldiers first, but the band became civilian in 1964 after an army reorganisation. We have retained our links with the Army through the Signals Association, and are permitted to use the Corps of Signals cap badge. Several band members, including Pipe Major Ian Hill, have been members since 1957. Other "new boys" (and girls) are much more recent members!

Practice nights
We practice at 7:30pm each Wednesday evening (except for the Christmas period) at the Old Folks Coronation Hall, corner of Gundry and Abbey Streets, Newton, Auckland. Visitors are always welcome - Poke your head in.

Learning
Learning a musical instrument takes time, but several of our members started on pipes or drums as adults. You don't need to buy an instrument (or uniform). Drums and sticks are provided by the band, and learner pipers begin on the practice chanter (about $120, although we have spares). If you're prepared to put in regular practice for a couple of years, then give us a call.

School students are more than welcome too, but if you're aged about 8 - 12 you should also check out the Auckland Pipe Band College - This is a fantastic opportunity for young learners, and we can't recommend it highly enough.

Music
We play a lot of the old favourites, and some of the new tunes too. Most of our repertoire is suitable for intermediate level players, and much of the repertoire can be tackled by learners. Along with the "army" tunes, we like tunes you can sing or tap your feet to! (See our Repertoire page)

Book the band
If you want to add some colour to a special event, then give us a call. We have a range of musical programmes suitable for most occasions ("leave them wanting more" is the rule), and we like to put on a good show with a wee bit of Highland swagger. The Ode to the Haggis (with swordbearers, pipers & a dram or two) is a specialty, and we always enjoy public and civic events too.

While any assistance with our fundraising is appreciated, we are a not-for-profit group so payment is not always required (especially for good causes).

If you are looking for piper for special event, see our Wedding Piper page.

Contact Us
You can email us at andrew@signals.org.nz or call Andrew on 021 973 336.

If you want to join our mailing list, send an email to mail@signals.org.nz and include the word "subscribe" in the subject line (or "unsubscribe" if you no longer want to receive mail).

Show's Over!