By Senior Musician Simon Deppeler
This month, our interview subject is Leading Senior Constable David McNamara of the Victoria Police Pipe Band. His early pioneering work in assisting the Pipe band become established professionally in the early 1970's helped to lay the groundwork for the great successes the band has enjoyed ever since.
These days, David's duties in the Victoria Police Pipe Band consist playing the bagpipes, administration, and supervising and mentoring junior members.
EARLY DAYS
Growing up in country Victoria, David started piano lessons at age 7 but within a year and a half, like many children, had lost interest. Another instrument was soon to capture his imagination.
Family life often influences later life choices. David's father, who started his own Police career when David was just three, was one such influence. His fathers’ career began in 1956 and he retired in 1985 as Officer-in-Charge of Portland Police Station, Victoria.
David's family life also included exposure to pipe music at home parties for fellow Police workmates families, put on by his parents. Exposure to Policing with its service to the community aspect as well as pipe music resulted in a natural attraction.
POLICE DUTIES
David joined Victoria Police on February 3, 1970 with 130 other brand new cadets. One week after joining up, he began bagpipe lessons with the Police Pipe Band under the tuition of Pipe Major Rodger Reid. Ten months later David performed in his first parade with 30 other Police musicians! During this era the band was a part-time job, playing together only one day a week as all the members were operational police.
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A young David (Rodger Reid in the background, top left) |
In December 1980, David became the Pipe Major of the Victoria Police Pipe Band for seven years. His goal being to build the band up to Grade 1 rating. During this time he too, was a full-time operational policeman with Victoria Police at St Kilda TOG. (Traffic Operations Group)
The Pipe Band eventually went full-time in 1988 and that year as a taste of things to come, went to Scotland for the first time and placed 3rd in their Grade 2 division of the World Championships. The Police Pipe Band had always been involved in competitions from 1938, but this was the first notable win in their modern era.
David has been in the Police Bands now for 42 years and has seen his duties change dramatically over the years. What started as a typical Police career flowed onto initially, a part time and then full-time bagpiper role. David's duties now include using his world-class piping skills as a fully acknowledged form of Public Relations for Victoria Police. Apart from performing at all Police formal functions, such as Graduation parades, street marches, corporate events and Police related funerals, the band also perform at up to 100 concerts annually in schools delivering ‘police safety’ and 'good life choices' messages to school children. While doing this they often join forces with either the Police rock band Code One or Showband.
I caught up with David on a recent rehearsal day at the Victoria Police Band Centre in Melbourne.
David, why did you start playing bagpipes?
Well, growing up in rural Victoria, I was always around pipe music and the Police force because of close family connections from when I was three. Transitioning into both worlds felt natural, as both were familiar to me.
Could you tell us about some unforgettable moments in your career?
I have been very fortunate in my career with many memorable highlights…
When I was 22, I was honoured to perform at my first Edinburgh Tattoo in 1975. (David has since done it six times.)
During 1984, in Hobart, the Victoria Police Pipe Band became the Australian Champions Grade three. On that occasion I was Pipe Major. That one is a personal highlight for me.
Fourteen years later, on August 15, 1998 the band would eventually win the World Championship Grade 1.
More recently in 2009 we were part of a massed pipe band of 100 pipers and drummers at a Melbourne stadium performance with the world famous Dutch violin sensation Andre Rieu. We played to a hometown audience exceeding 50,000 people! For us, however, the after party turned out to be even better than the actual concert, when we gave all the cast members, orchestral musicians and Andre Rieu himself a 25 minute private floorshow performance that brought the house down.
Do you still practice? What do you practice?
I diligently practice at least 45 minutes a day. Included in that would be many new tunes which I constantly source. I have also done some composing and the band has featured some of my tunes from time to time.
The best thing about being in the Police Pipe band?
As corny as this will sound, for me it's all about the pleasure you can bring to people. Of course no one seems to be able to resist a kilt, it must be our secret weapon!
The worst thing about my job?
Without a doubt, playing funerals. Over the years I have done literally 100's of them. Being the State Band of Victoria means the Pipe Band performs at all the formal and vice-regal events. I have done funerals for State Premiers (Rupert Hamer), Police public servants, retired ex-Police members, and of course serving Police members killed on duty (Angela Taylor, Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre)
Which famous musicians have had a strong influence on you?
The Scottish Pipe Major, Donald MacLeod from the British Army. He was a superb musician in all respects. His heyday would have been the 1930's to 50's. Also Pipe Major Gavin Stoddart, the senior Pipe Major of the British Army and of Edinburgh Castle fame. Also Stuart Samson. These were all outstanding musicians and they all had a profound effect on my musical education.
Why do you play?
Two reasons, the sheer enjoyment plus the physical and mental challenge. Bagpipes are a particularly difficult instrument and all our music has to be memorized. So those two things are always keeping me sharp.
What music are you listening to lately?
I have a broad taste in music but I'm not usually listening to pipe music these days. However I am a big fan of traditional folk music by Breton singer Denez Prigent, Australian movie composer Lisa Gerrard, Irish singer Lorenna McKennett and Vangelis.
What would you be doing if you weren't a musician?
Well I've been around Pipe band music virtually my whole life and it's what I am, so I guess there's no answer to that one.
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| David at the Victoria Police Memorial, St Kilda Road. |
Desert island time! What would you take on your iPod?
Loreena McKennitt, the Irish band, Clannad, Moya Brennan, Lisa Gerrard, German film composer Hans Zimmer, and the band Afro Celt Sound System.
The last album you bought?
Lisa Gerrard
The best concert you ever saw?
Celtic Thunder just recently here in Australia
Your favourite sound?
I love the sound of Uilleann pipes and at the other extreme, the Australian didgeridoo, a sound I find haunting.
What's your best advice to any one wanting to successfully pursue a musical career?
Nothing beats regular, diligent hard work. There are no shortcuts. In a word - practice!
I'm always being asked...
You know the answer to that one! The eternal "what's worn under your kilt" question. People never tire of asking...and I never tire of replying..."it must always remain an enigma!"
I wish I could play...
...better than I do.
Try as he may to be self effacing, David McNamara is no slouch on the pipes as can also be evidenced by his 'other' band, The Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes & Drums.
Joining in 2003 as a pipe tutor, David now leads this much in demand group and together, have travelled the world.
The ‘Rats’ are an Australian run band formed in 1961 in Melbourne, Victoria. The original idea was originally mooted by The Rats of Tobruk Association, to rather than having a commemorative stone monument, to form a living, breathing memorial, embodied as a Pipe Band.
Their website is www.rotmpd.org.au.
At Tripoli between the French Foreign Legion and German Bundeswehr bands
David with Pakistani bandsman at Tripoli September 2009
The band currently consists 37 members with ages ranging from 12 to 92! The 92 year old, is a piper and Drum Major and is an actual original Rat of Tobruk who took part in the historic siege of Tobruk in
The ‘Rats’ have their own distinct uniform and have garnered an international reputation having performed on four different continents around the world including the Edinburgh Military Tattoos in 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2008 - 2010 Sydney, 2012
The group are off again to play at the Edinburgh Tattoo again this year (2012) where they have a standing invitation to play whenever they can make it. This upcoming trip will be their 8th visit!
In 2007, they were invited to play at the Inaugural Kremlin Zoria (Russian for Tattoo) in Red Square in Moscow.
The Basel Tattoo in Switzerland in 2010 has been another highlight for David and his Pipe Band (due to do a return performance in 2014)
David McNamara has had an international career in Piping for over 40 years. He has reached world-class status and is acknowledged as an expert tutor and Pipe Major. Victoria Police is proud to have someone of this calibre in their ranks.
CDs
The Victoria Police Pipe Band has recorded many albums and they are available to purchase online at the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation website. www.remember.org.au/ under the ‘Merchandise’ tab.
Also featured on this site are CDs by the other two Victoria Police bands, the Showband and Code One rock band.
Gorgeous uniforms!
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