Pitch Perfect Day Out in Belfast

30 September 2024

Seaview Stadium in North Belfast was the venue on Saturday for a new event on the cultural scene.

Pitch Perfect saw marching bands from around Belfast performing alongside invited bands, musicians, dancers and drum majors from across Northern Ireland, in a showcase of Ulster-Scots music and traditions.

Ulster-Scots Agency Chief Executive Ian Crozier said, "The Ulster-Scots Agency and Belfast Orangefest both received funding from Belfast City Council to support cultural activity as part of the Belfast 24 year of culture. Given the importance of music and musicians within Ulster-Scots culture and Orange traditions, there was an obvious opportunity for us to come together and showcase the talent that exists within our communities. We also wanted to take the opportunity to bring back some of the broader Ulster-Scots culture, including pipe bands, drum majors and Lambeg drumming, that was strong in Belfast in the past, but hasn't been seen as much in recent years."

There was a strong contingent of North Belfast bands on parade including the City of Belfast Fifes and Drums, Fairhill Flute Band, Pride of the Shore Flute Band and the Whitewell Tartan Flute Band. They were joined by Sydenham Blues and Royals from the east of the city and Dunmurry Protestant Boys, Shankill Star and Shankill Old Boys from West Belfast. The Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band, founded in Belfast but long based in Ballyclare, brought the sound of the pipes to the Shore Road venue. 

A touch of tartan was provided by the Kathryn Stewart Highland Dance Display Team, who performed a selection of traditional dances, as well as a piece choreographed for performance at this year's Belfast International Tattoo, to the music of the Lambeg drum and fife, which was performed live by musicians from the Mounthill Drumming Club near Larne. 

The audience was also wowed by a display from the five-member Northern Ireland Drum Major Presentation Team under the leadership of Emma Barr, Drum Major of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, who can boast ten world championships and many other titles between them. 

Ian Crozier added, "All the partners involved in the delivery of Pitch Perfect are extremely pleased with how things went and the audience feedback we received on the day. We believe that there is a huge amount of potential for this event to grow and be a catalyst for the development of Ulster-Scots culture in Belfast. The city has recently been recognised as a UNESCO City of Music and the strength of our musical traditions was a big part of securing that. We have to take the opportunity to put our Ulster-Scots culture centre stage in the city that we built."

Pitch Perfect was delivered through a partnership between the Ulster-Scots Agency, Belfast Orangefest and Crusaders Football Club, supported by Small Steps and the Ulster-Scots Community Network. The event will feature in a forthcoming programme on NVTV (available on Freeview channel 7 and Virgin channel 159) and on the Made to Parade podcast.

Images:

1. The Northern Ireland Drum Major Presentation Team on display at Pitch Perfect. Picture credit: Ephy McConnell.

2. The Kathryn Stewart Highland Dance Display Team at Pitch Perfect. Picture credit: Ephy McConnell.