If you have ever fancied playing the marching snare drum, the Island’s only bagpipe band, Ellan Vannin Pipes & Drums, are looking to recruit new drummers, and to try and encourage some new players to give it a go, are planning an Open Night so you can give it a go.

Pipe Major of the band, Paul Davenport, explained: “This time last year we held a recruitment drive for learner pipers, which has been very successful and we have about a dozen learner pipers at various stages of piping who will soon swell the ranks of the Pipe Corps. So, the band are now looking for new drummers too.”

The pipe band drum corps is made up of two sections, snare and bass, responsible for supporting the piping with a solid rhythmic foundation and sense of pulse. The band are now looking for both snare drummers and flourishing tenor drummers.

Pipe band snare drummers play on drums with very tight heads designed for maximum tension to create a very crisp and strident sound, and the sticks are held differently to kit drumming to allow for marching.

The bass section consists of a section of tenor drummers and a bass drummer. Their role is to provide rhythmic support to the entire ensemble. Flourishing tenor drummers use beaters on the end of long sticks, which are tied to the fingers. The beaters are flourished in coordinated movements to add visual spectacle to the performance.

Paul continued: “The band are in a fortunate position now in that we have two very experienced pipe band drummers to lead the tuition. Gary Wray on snare, and Errol Savage on the tenor, both have top level experience, and are looking to share their knowledge to increase the level of pipe band drumming on the Island.”

Instruction and practice is done in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, ‘around the table’ on practice pads, moving onto the drum once the rudiments have been mastered.

To explain more about what is involved, the band are holding an ‘Open Evening’ where anyone with an interest can come along to a band rehearsal evening, hear an introductory overview presentation, have a chance to ask questions, and even ‘have a go’. The date for your diary is Tuesday 15 March from 7:30 pm at Braddan Primary School, (just up from the Braddan Bridge Oak Tree on the road towards the hospital).

For more info, or to register an interest, you can contact the band by e-mail at iompipeband@gmail.com or call/text to 341641 or find them on Facebook - Ellan Vannin Pipes & Drums.