 |
|
HATS OFF: Members of the RAN band practice in Brunei.
|
Volume
49, No. 15, August 24, 2006
The Navy band rolled out the Ceremonial Silver Drums as part of its contribution to the Sultan of Brunei’s 60th birthday celebrations.
The band took part in the Brunei International Tattoo (BIT) from July 29 to August 2.
The Ceremonial Silver Drums comprise eight side drums, two tenor drums and one bass drum all made from solid Stirling silver and emblazoned with the Royal Cipher, the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, and the Royal Australian Navy Badge. They were on loan from the RAN Heritage Centre.
The contribution from Australia included 66 members from the Navy band, LTCOL Patrick Pickett (Director of Music-Army) as a technical advisor, SQNLDR Steve Wright (Director of Music-Air Force) as an observer and technical assistant, and SGT Andrew Iverson as a pipe major. The Director of Music-Navy, LCDR Phillip Anderson, led the Australian contingent.
In a spectacle of military musical magic, members of the Navy band stood proudly among other contingents from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Oman, Jordan, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom. The tattoo was held at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Brunei Darussalam, and all five performances were to a capacity audience of 30,000 on each night.
The Navy band’s segment during the main tattoo performances featured bugle and bosun calls, the traditional Beat to Quarters, a Cheer Ship to His Majesty’s the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam and renditions of Waltzing Matilda and I Am Australian. It was inspiring for the performers to hear 30,000 people join in with the band when they cheered His Majesty and it seemed that everyone knew the words to Waltzing Matilda. The Navy band, in company with the full cast from the tattoo, marched through the streets of Pekan Bangar for the pre-tattoo road show. An additional roadshow was held in Temburong District.
Some communities were unable to get tickets to the tattoo, so the Navy band visited two of the local schools - Sekolah Menegah Menglait and Sekolah Menegah Awang Semaun in Kampung Ayer.
