Vision
We aim to provide quality and interesting music that attract and pleases our audience.
Background
The Boys’ Brigade, 12th Singapore Company (Barker Road) Pipe Band, also know as 12BR Pipe Band, is mainly formed by the Boys, Primers and Officers of the 12th Singapore Company (Barker Road). In addition, we also have members from other BB companies attached to our band.
With the sponsorship of Barker Road Methodist Church and Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), the Band is one of the activities in the Company programme that is offered to enrich its members with skill, fun and fellowship.
History
1995 – 2000
The band has its beginning in mid 1995 where Dr Michael Ong gathered about 10 Boys from the company to learn the art of Piping and Drumming. Being a competent and passionate piper, he taught and manage the band to be able to make its maiden performance in 1996 at Potong Pasir Community Centre. Since then, we have made countless public performances such as the opening of Tanglin Community Centre, Istana Open House and many more. We have also performed for many distinguished guests such as President SR Nathan, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at many occasions.
In 1997, the Band was commissioned during the Enrolment Service & Parade of the 12th Singapore Company at the parade square of Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), with SGT Liu Shunyi as the first Band Sergeant Major of the Band.
2000 – 2005
After a few years, we saw a need to raise the standards of our pipe band. Hence, we wrote in to the Police Commissioner and seek the assistance of the Singapore Women Police Pipe Band to train our band. With their professional training, our band had improved in our standards and repertoire to have a more Scottish feel, compared to the military style that we were used to.
In 2003, we saw the start of Bugle Section in our Band by a few zealous Old Boys, who saw the need to impart their skills and reinstall the tradition of bugle calls sounding during Company parades.
2005 – Present
In the recent years, we saw a bloom in piping culture in Singapore. In order to maintain our competitive status, we have engaged two professional tutors to instruct our Pipe and Drum Section. Through the exposure to the music that many Pipe Bands around the world plays, we have further improved our repertoire to be more contemporary and interesting as we aim to entertain our audiences.
In 2008, we recruited a few players within the Band to form a Bass Section, comprising of Bass and Tenor Drums. The Bass Section is formed with the objective of improving the musicality of our tune arrangement.
Currently, 12BR Pipe Band has a total of 4 sections – Pipe Section, Drum Section, Bugle Section and Bass-Section. It commands strength of around 30 enthusiastic members who are keen to explore into piping culture.
History in the making
In the near future, we aim to compete in international competition such as the World Pipe Band Championships and many other competitions around the world. Also, we look forward to recruit more players, be it new members or Old Boys, to play in the band as a big family.
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