Hawke’s Bay bagpiper excited about summer school in Canada

Hawke's Bay teen Ralph Hunter's passion for the bagpipes is more than just a hobby.

Ralph Hunter, 15, has been playing the bagpipes for less than five years and is already making waves in the community.

What started with his grandfather giving him a practice chanter is now more than just a hobby, Hunter said.

At first, “I didn’t really know much about it, but I’ve always really loved the pipes, and my granddad gave it to me so I just started practising”.

By 14 the Hawke’s Bay student was good enough to submit audition videos and was selected for the National Youth Pipe Band of New Zealand.

To be selected, you “have to be good enough to get into the band”, he said.

The National Youth Pipe Band of New Zealand needs to raise $30,000 to make it to a pipe band summer school in Canada.

As a national band, it gets together only a few times a year to practise, with the biggest gathering held in Wellington just before Anzac Day.

Hunter is the only current National Youth Pipe Band member from Hawke’s Bay; others who were originally from the region have all moved on from the band.

Because Hunter doesn’t live close to other band members, he looks forward to the group practices and adds: “It’s great but really tiring.”

In July, he and other youth band members hope to take part in a musical development and leadership opportunity of a lifetime, taking in North America and the world’s best piping and drumming education course.

There will be performances and competitions but Hunter is most looking forward to summer school in Canada.

“We’re going to be learning a lot because we’re going to a summer school in a mountain resort, and there’s going to be some of the best pipers in the world teaching there.

“It is going to be really amazing.”

He has never travelled outside New Zealand before and, while he is a little nervous, he will have his father travelling with him.

The most exciting part would be “probably the summer school because you get to meet some of the best pipers and learn from them”, he said.

“Piping can take you all over the world” and was something he would be interested in following professionally if possible.

“Piping is definitely more than a hobby; competing, solos and pipe bands are the work, and it’s like a big commitment.

“You work really hard and, you know, I’ve just done piping as a side hobby so far, but it is more than a hobby.”

The youth band needs to raise $30,000 for the trip to Canada. It has been running fundraisers on the National Youth Pipe Band of New Zealand Facebook page and has a donation page set up on Boosted, a fundraising website.

So far, its Boosted page has raised $10,275.

If you would like to support the National Youth Pipe Band and help them get to Canada, make sure to check out its Facebook and Boosted pages.

Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing at the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with NZME for almost three years and has a strong focus on what’s going on in communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffares@nzme.co.nz.