Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band
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| Established | 1994
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| Location | Burnaby, British Columbia
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| Grade | 1 (2007), 3(Alum), 3(Juv), 4(Juv), 5(Juv)
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| Pipe Major | Tim Byron (G3)
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| Drum Sergeant | Sarah McLatchy (G3)
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| Tartan | Ancient Fraser
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| Notable Honours | Winner, World Pipe Band Championships: 2006(G2) P/M David Hilder D/S Andre Tessier; Winner, World Pipe Band Championship: 1999 (P/M Jamie Cuthill D/S Cam Bullis, 2001 P/M Alison Dunsire D/S Carly Coulson, 2003 P/M Evan Stewart D/S Holly Tawse , 2005 P/M Andrew Lee D/S Alex Munro (G3 Juvenile)
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| Website | www.rmmpipeband.com |
The Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band is an organization of four bands affiliated with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Though one primary purpose of the bands is to act as a feeder for the Grade I SFU pipe band, the bands have proven themselves in their own right as highly competitive forces. Three of the bands in the organization are categorized as Juvenile bands; they limit their membership to players under 18 years old so that they can compete in that category at the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland.
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[edit] History
As the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band entered the 1990s, the membership of the band began to teach younger players the art of piping and drumming. Two such teachers were Robert Barbulak and Malcolm Bokenfohr. Robert and Malcolm were killed in a car accident in 1993 and in 1994 the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band was created to continue the development of younger players. The organization first fielded a Grade II pipe band in 1995, which saw local success immediately.
The Grade III (Juvenile) band was first competitive in 1996, after they had won at all but two of the ten British Columbia Pipers Association sanctioned games the previous year in grade IV and were upgraded. Pipers are under the instruction of Terry Lee and Jack Lee. Drumming instruction was provided by (in various years) Karen Perry, Steven MacWhirter, and Andre Tessier. After placing second in the World Championships in 1997, they returned every odd year to win the Juvenile category four consecutive times (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005). In August of 2007 they placed second (behind George Watson's College of Edinburgh).
Since 1996 there have been enough musicians in the organization to field bands in Grade II, III, and IV. A Grade V (or under grade) band was added for especially young players to give them opportunities to experience competition at a young age. In addition, the Robert Malcolm Memorial Alumni band was formed in 2002 for players who had aged out of the Juvenile bands but were not currently playing in the Grade II or I band.
[edit] 2006
The RMM Grade 2 band won the World Pipe Band Championships as well as the BCPA grand aggregate in 2006. RMM II won the aggregate of every highland games they entered within the BCPA (except the medley contest at the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games, which they placed second), prompting the association to promote them to grade one.
After being promoted to Grade One, RMM II was advised by the SFUPB leadership to appeal for a down grade, which they did. At the same time that the appeal was made, the Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant, and Drum Sergeant of RMM2 concurrently resigned. Terry Lee later stated to the band members that "the system in place" was "never mandated to form an RMM I", and dissolved RMM II. The SFU Pipe Band Organization and Maple Ridge Pipe Band then entered into a strategic relationship, with Maple Ridge becoming the bridge between RMM III and SFUPB. RMM II members were given the option of joining the MRPB, RMM Alumni, or starting their own autonomous band.
[edit] 2007
On January 4, 2007, the former Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant and Drum Sergeant of RMM2, along with the majority of the former members of RMM2, joined the Triumph Street Pipe Band www.triumphstreetpipeband.com.
