98ÌÃapp Pipe Band perform at the AFL Grand Final
If you tuned into the AFL grand final, you would’ve seen the 98ÌÃapp Pipe Band perform alongside Robbie Williams.
Students Oscar Arnold, Katie Ayling, Alexandra Cavanagh, William Cavanough, Grace Pettaras, Cameron Wood and Pipe Master, Barry Gray performed the John Farnham classic ‘You’re the Voice’. The band drove down with their Pipe Master Barry Gray on Thursday for the experience of a lifetime and returned directly after their performance on Saturday.
Oxley’s head of community relations and enrolments Emma Calver said the students had a tremendous time and enjoyed playing to 100,000 people live and an estimated 35 million TV audience worldwide. “For all of the Oxley players this was their first major event and it does not get much bigger than the AFL Grand Final. The opportunity to perform at the AFL Grand Final was an experience of a lifetime. A huge thank you to their Pipe Master since 2020, Mr Barry Gray, for making this happen.
The Oxley Pipe Band started in 2015 and was the inspiration of Deputy Head of Oxley Junior School, Mr Peter Ayling. Peter felt it was fitting for a school in the Highlands to have a Pipe Band and under the stewardship of Pipe Master, Mr Rob Parker, the Pipe Band began and quickly expanded. The Oxley Pipe Band currently has 12 pipers, two bass drummers, two tenor drummers and four snare drummers. Emma said Oxley was very proud of its Pipe and Drum Band. “In 2022 they led the Bowral Anzac March and they add a huge sense of occasion to many Oxley events, she said. They are passionate, talented and professional and such a credit to the College.â€
Barry Gray runs a business called Pipers of Distinction and he has worked in the music industry for over three decades having performed for 28 years with John Farnham as well as on nine occasions with Sir Paul McCartney and toured with Bryan Adams in his Bare Bones Tour.
Southern Highland News