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The Band & the Pipes & Drums during COVID-19
The summer of 2020 was expected to be an exciting period for the band, including events to celebrate VE Day 75, the band’s first overseas Annual Camp in some years, and the main Royal Artillery annual events, to highlight but a few. All these plans were very abruptly cancelled upon the arrival of Covid-19. Our work as musicians is usually very public and designed to bring people together, so clearly this was impossible during a pandemic. However, while our families and communities are apart, we sought to use our music to bring people together, finding new ways to contribute as individuals and as a band.
Our regular activity for much of the duration of lockdown took place on Thursday nights. After a full band Zoom meeting, a significant number of band members stepped outside to play music on their doorsteps as part of the weekly Clap for Carers. After playing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ each week – the piece used by musicians up and down the country to show support to the NHS, keyworkers and carers – attention turned to enhancing community spirit. Band Sergeant Major WO2 Mark Holt entertained his neighbourhood with new pieces each week, meeting with such success that he featured in his local paper, while Musician Caroline Spencer distributed song sheets around her Close so her neighbours could join in. Images and footage from some of these Thursday night recordings were collected into a video for the Band’s Facebook page.
For significant military events during this period, we recorded large-scale massed band performances using remote technology – a format which has achieved instant popularity during lockdown with orchestras, bands and choirs around the world. The first of these was a recording of a medley of wartime songs for VE Day 75, which we put together in collaboration with our colleagues in The Band of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, civilian guests from Liverpool University Music Society and The Merseyside Police Band. We further commemorated VE Day 75 with videos of a pipe lament, performed by Pipe Major Gary Burgess, which was shared through our social media channels at dawn, and a moving video of Musician Steve Curtis performing ‘Sunset,’ which was shared at dusk. Our second massed band video
was ‘Summon the Heroes’ for Armed Forces Day, and
further videos are in preparation for future events
including VJ Day. As well as being highly valuable
for publicity and visibility, these have also required
members of the band to maintain and develop indi-
vidual musical skills – when recording an individual
part to a ‘click track,’ which will then be sent to the
Director of Music for approval before it is included in
the full mix, there is genuinely nowhere to hide!
Remote drumming practice during lockdown
Drum Major Neil Bailey practicing at home
Pipe Major Gary Burgess covid-ready in his civilian employment
Regimental Journal 2018-20
There has been a need for all members of the band
to maintain skills, fitness, and cohesion as a unit while
we have not been able to rehearse together. At the
very beginning of the pandemic, packs of music were
issued for individual rehearsal. Attempts were made to rehearse as small ensembles via virtual means. Lance Bombardier Porter, a trained fitness instructor in civilian life, shared workout tips and links to home exercise programmes, while many band members discovered a new enthusiasm for exercise, running and cycling far further than they usually would under normal circumstances.
In addition to the full band Zoom drill night, the various small ensembles have also held meetings. Sadly, the conferencing apps currently available are not yet capable of allowing rehearsal due to time lags, although attempts were made to play together and to put together smaller scale recording projects using various technical means, but such gatherings were always valuable for morale. The teams managing recruitment, musical development and trade tests have also been busy, and this has proven to be a particularly valuable area to develop during lockdown. Bombar- dier Karen Swales coordinated remote musical development and
Sadly, the conferencing apps currently available are not yet capable of allowing rehearsal due to time lags
training for all members of the band preparing for exams. Candi- dates for the first level of trade qualification, CEQ3, have been practicing recital programmes, writing programme notes and revising music theory in preparation for their exams. They are sending across recordings for feedback that would normally be given face to face. Opportunities have been created for master- classes and instrumental lessons delivered via Zoom. Candidates for the higher levels of qualification are also being supported to prepare their programmes. Lance Bombardier Porter has been supporting potential recruits to the band to develop their musical
skills in preparation for auditions, and their general fitness in preparation for selection. It has even been possible to run two auditions over Zoom, with a new trombonist and a new French horn player success- fully performing to the Bandmaster of the British Army Band Catterick and the Director of Music of the British Army Band Tidworth. Congratulations to both musicians – we look forward to welcoming them to Bolton when we are able to.
Away from music, a number of members of the Band and the Pipes & Drums volunteered to be part of the Covid-19 response, within the military and as part of civilian volunteering initiatives. Other band members worked throughout as keyworkers, including Musn
Nicola Pilkington (a nurse), Sgt Stuart Jennings (a postman) and LBdr Peter Mason (an NHS volunteer). The P&Ds were particularly active in this regard, including PMaj Gary Burgess (a site engineer in the food industry), Musn Wayne Burgess (a High Voltage Engineer for the National Grid), Musn Scott McClone (an HGV driver for the food industry), Musn Craig Wright (a shop assistant), Musn Ian Williams (NHS volunteer), and Association Member Kieran Barry (manager, oxygen & CO2 manufacture).
It is likely to be some time before we are able to work as a full band again in the way we are used to. Plans are being developed for how a return to rehearsing in person might work, once this is permitted. We look forward to getting back in the band room together again once it is safe, but in the meantime, we will continue to find new ways to share our music, to be part of the public face of the Army and the Royal Artillery, and to serve our communities via whatever means we can find.
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