UQ pipes and drums keep Scottish tradition alive
As the bagpipers and drummers of the Emmanuel College Highlanders at The University of Queensland prepare to celebrate 20 years of entertaining UQ and the community, Contact spoke to members of the band to explore what has helped them to flourish over the last two decades.
Silence falls. Anticipation builds. Rolling taps crack out as a thunderous bass marks time. A groaning hum adds to the cacophony, building to a crescendo as that iconic sound pierces the air and sets hearts pumping – the melodic wail of rows upon rows of bagpipes ringing out in unison.
It’s a deeply emotional sound, and one you might associate more with the moody, craggy lochs of Scotland than UQ’s sandstone and sunny skies. But this year marks an impressive 20 years since the Emmanuel College Highlanders at The University of Queensland began entertaining and inspiring crowds of students and staff at their first performance for the 1998 Market Day at St Lucia.
The University of Queensland Pipe Band at Emmanuel College (as it was known then) began with a chance encounter in 1998 when the College’s then-Principal and passionate Scot, Angus Edmonds, approached a young student with an idea.
“Angus and I actually met while I was tutoring a different band, but he sounded out whether I’d be keen to join the college and start a band for them,” the band’s original pipe major, UQ alumnus Andrew McCabe (Bachelor of Laws ’02, Graduate Diploma in Professional Legal Education and Training ’03), recalled.
“Emmanuel has always had a Scottish flavour to it. Their ‘founding fathers’ were Scots and they would always get a resident piper to play for key events like graduation dinners and ceremonies,” McCabe said.
“So the idea was to draw in the pipers and drummers who were already residents, offer tuition to other residents, recruit students through market days and other campus events, and keep that Scottish piping tradition alive at UQ.”
Main image: © Ray Cash, courtesy of St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital.
Since then, the band has met to practise weekly at Emmanuel College at the St Lucia campus. From just a handful of student players in 1998, its ranks have swelled to now comprise around 30 playing members, who come from a surprising range of career paths and backgrounds, ranging from current UQ students and staff to engineers, lawyers, teachers and finance brokers.
And although every player has a different reason for why they want to play, all seem to agree that the sense of camaraderie and shared music-making is what keeps them coming back.
“I think the pipe band community in general is very supportive,” side drummer and current UQ PhD student Chris Lilburne (Bachelor of Engineering / Science ’09) said.
“Someone once told me that if you move anywhere in the world, you should join a pipe band – most cities in the world have at least one, and you’ll gain an instant group of friends who all enjoy the same hobby, and an instant network of people to help you find a job.”
Drum Sergeant and UQ alumnus Kat Lavercombe (Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Business Management ’09, Master of Environmental Management ’16) agreed that this sense of belonging was a major drawcard, and something that tethered her connection to UQ.
“The people make it great. Even if you have no Celtic heritage, pipe band culture gives you a strong community, identity and a group of friends – everyone encourages each other, and making music together is such a great feeling that makes you want to play better and keep improving,” she said.
“Being in the band during uni gave me a core group of friends. Even after 12 years, it’s really cool that I can still be in touch with them every week.”
In addition to campus-based performances for UQ Rugby, market days, graduations, and special events such as the Courting the Greats ceremony for the UQ Alumni Awards, the band has played at many local and international festivals, ranging from the heat of the Woodford Folk Festival and the cool of the Australian Celtic Festival to competing at the 2013 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, with assistance from UQ and Emmanuel College.
“Taking the band to Scotland for the Worlds in 2013 was a highlight,” McCabe said.
“We won first places at the Perth and Dundonald Highland Games during the 2013 Scottish season against really great Scottish and Irish bands, and we were chosen as one of only four bands out of dozens from all over the world to do the Glasgow 'Beat the Retreat' street parade for the Lord Mayor as part of the Piping Live festival.
“It was an honour, and I was so proud of how hard the band worked and what we achieved.”
Members of the band playing at one of their first performances at UQ's St Lucia campus for Market Day 1999.
Members of the band playing at one of their first performances at UQ's St Lucia campus for Market Day 1999.
The band poses at the Glen Innes Standing Stones after playing at the 2010 Australian Celtic Festival.
The band poses at the Glen Innes Standing Stones after playing at the 2010 Australian Celtic Festival.
The band wows the crowd at the Hogmanay celebrations for the 2015 Woodford Folk Festival.
The band wows the crowd at the Hogmanay celebrations for the 2015 Woodford Folk Festival.
After their first place win in the Dundonald Highland Games, the band poses at Dundonald Castle during their trip to the World Pipe Band Championships in 2013.
After their first place win in the Dundonald Highland Games, the band poses at Dundonald Castle during their trip to the World Pipe Band Championships in 2013.
After 18 years as pipe major, McCabe remained in the band but stepped back from the band’s leadership in 2016, passing the reins to Jason Palfrey, the pipe major of Queensland’s top competition band, the Queensland Highlanders.
The two bands merged that year, a move that helped bolster both bands’ numbers and balance the Highlanders’ focus on competition with UQ’s commitment to social performances.
The merge also led to a makeover of the band’s look, with the band’s kilts transitioning from its distinctive blue and white Napier tartan to the bright reds and greens of the Queensland Highlander’s Stewart of Appin kilts.
Since bringing the bands together, Palfrey has led them to consistent competition success, with the band winning two Queensland Pipe Band Championships in a row and coming second in the 2018 Australian Pipe Band Championships.
“We aim to continue to build the band’s technical skill and quality of playing through building up to major local competitions, while also continuing to contribute and give back to the community where we can,” Palfrey said.
One example of the band’s community support is its long-time connection with St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, which sits on the site that was formerly Emmanuel College at Spring Hill. St Andrew’s Chaplain Helen Hill appreciates how valuable the band’s presence and performance is for their organisation.
"The Emmanuel College Highlanders at UQ have supported us in a very meaningful way each year on Anzac Day, contributing an excellent display of a professional and accomplished pipe band, but also in adding decorum and a moving tribute with the lilt of the pipes and drums,” she said.
"The band was also vital to our recent 60th anniversary celebrations as part of the rich tapestry that has made us the world-class hospital of choice that we are today.”
Palfrey’s vision for the next phase of the band’s future is to strengthen the band’s ties within the College and with UQ itself, while continuing to entertain the Brisbane and Queensland community through regular performances for events like St Patrick’s Day, Anzac Day, and playouts for sponsors like St Andrews.
“We are always interested in hearing from new players who are experienced, eager to learn and committed to improving, and we’ll continue to look for students and community members who want to play with UQ,” he said.
The band prepares to mark its 20th anniversary with a celebratory event in September, where it will also launch new branding and plans for the future. The band's new patron, Michael Bryce AM AE, has been working closely with them on these new designs.
On the cusp of this significant milestone, McCabe reflected on the band’s humble beginnings, and how it has made its mark on UQ’s history over the last two decades.
“After looking back at where we started just ‘giving it a go’ 20 years ago, I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved and how far we’ve come,” he said.
“It’s like a seed that’s grown and grown to flourish into what it is now.
“UQ has so many amazing offerings, and a pipe band is just another part of that – but quite a unique one among Australian universities.”
Visit the band’s website or Facebook page for more details about their upcoming anniversary event or to get in touch with the band about bookings, upcoming performances, joining the band, or tuition.
The Emmanuel College Highlanders play for the Brisbane City St Patrick's Day Parade in 2017, one of their first performances after the merger with the Queensland Highlanders in 2016 – as shown by players wearing a mix of Napier and Stewart of Appin kilts.
The Emmanuel College Highlanders play for the Brisbane City St Patrick's Day Parade in 2017, one of their first performances after the merger with the Queensland Highlanders in 2016 – as shown by several players in Napier and Stewart of Appin kilts.
The Emmanuel College Highlanders after their second-place performance at the 2018 Australian Pipe Band Championships held in Brisbane. The band also won first place in the Queensland Pipe Band Championships in June 2018.
The Emmanuel College Highlanders after their second-place performance at the 2018 Australian Pipe Band Championships held in Brisbane. The band also won first place in the Queensland Pipe Band Championships in June 2018.
Join the conversation
Your comments here are governed by Facebook Terms of Service and UQ Social Media Terms of Use.
