Donald Bain was an inspirational and profoundly musical piper and teacher - more about him below. To acknowledge his achievements and contribution, CNP established the Donald Bain Memorial Fund, after Donald died.
The aim of the fund is to contribute to the development and understanding of piobaireachd by providing both the finances and the focus for taking advantage of special opportunities in piobaireachd when these arise. The Fund has been constituted as a charitable trust. It enjoys tax free status accordingly. The trustee of the Fund is the Society and decisions on the application of monies held by the Fund are taken by the Society’s General Committee. Audited accounts for the Fund are circulated annually with the Society’s own accounts.
By acting as a 'backstop', the fund has enabled CNP to run a number of residential seminars held after the annual Hastings Easter Games. Tutors have included Murray Henderson, Greg Wilson, Malcolm McRae and others.
The DB Fund has made, and will continue to make, a significant contribution to piobaireachd in New Zealand. Any donations welcome - click here.
About Donald Bain
“Speed and aggression win rugby matches not piping competitions” Donald Bain Report Sheet (1985)
With the death of Donald Bain late in 1998 New Zealand piping lost one of its foremost exponents, teachers and judges of pipe music, and in particular, piobaireachd. His love and understanding of piobaireachd and his ability to express it, both in its playing and teaching, was unrivalled in New Zealand.
Donald’s early tuition in the art was provided by Pipe Major Donald MacLeod in Scotland in 1967-68. Later, through Pipe Major Bob Brown, Donald further developed his understanding of piobaireachd and his deep affection for it.
Donald was an enormously successful competitor in piobaireachd. In 1965 he won the Comunn na Piobaireachd Gold Medal. He won the Clasp on eight subsequent occasions. He was the winner of the New Zealand Championship Piobaireachd five times between 1970 and 1985. In 1979 he won the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at Inverness. He won the Gold Medal at Braemar on three occasions.
Donald was a modest and unassuming man. He was honest and to the point. He was intelligent and critical. Importantly, he was interested in life and he was interested in its people.