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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| D. Sergeant | Sarah McLatchy (G3)
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| Tartan | Ancient Fraser
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| Notable Honours | Winner, World Pipe Band Championships: 2006(G2); Winner, World Pipe Band Championship: 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 (G3 Juvenile)
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| Website | www.rmmpipeband.com |
The Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band, while not a single pipe band, is a massive organization of five 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 and 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. To date, the band has competed in the World Championships in Scotland 3 times.
The Grade III 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. The band members are under the instruction of Terry Lee and Jack Lee. After placing second in the World Championships in 1997, they returned every odd year and won the Juvinile category.
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 has been added recently for especially young players to give 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 as well (Except the medley contest at the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games, which they placed second), prompting the asscociation to promote them to grade one. After being promoted to grade one, the band was advised by the SFUPB leadership to appeal for a down grade. At the same time that the appeal was made the Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant, and Drum Sergeant of RMM2 concurrently resigned. SFUPB and Maple Ridge Pipe Band proposed a merger band of RMM2 and Maple Ridge.
[edit] 2007
On January 4, 2007, the former Pipe Major, Pipe Sergeant and Drum Sergeant of RMM2, along with many former members of RMM2, left the SFUPB organization and joined the Triumph Street Pipe Band www.triumphstreetpipeband.com.
