Scotch Pipe Band farewell Norm de Grussa
On Thursday 5 July, some 92 students, members of the Scotch College Pipe Band gathered in the College Dining Room for a very special farewell. At the end of Autumn Term, Scotch College bids a fond farewell to Mr Norm de Grussa OAM, Middle School Pipe Band Instructor.
Norm started at Scotch in 1965, in the equivalent of what would now be Year 7. He was a boarder in Anderson House, and joined the Junior School Choir that year, winning a prize for Music. In 1966, Norm joined the Scotch College Pipe Band.
In 1967, Norm won the Sub-Intermediate Section on the Winter Piping Competition, representing Scotch College, and was awarded a Most Improved Piper prize at the end of the year. In 1968, Norm was promoted to Pipe Sergeant, and won the Sub Intermediate Piping Section at the Easter Games. In 1969, Norm was promoted to Pipe Major and continued to win prizes for his piping, coming second in Intermediate Piping at the Easter Highland Gathering, first in Intermediate Piping at the Winter Piping Competition.
In 1970, Norm was made a Prefect. He was again Pipe Major of the Scotch College Pipe Band, and completed his Gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Norm has taught at Scotch for the last 27 years and leaves us to enjoy a well deserved retirement.
Yesterday, the Pipe Band donned fake moustaches as a tribute to Mr de Grussa and assembled for a surprise performance for him. Introducing him to a room full of students, staff, parents and Old Scotch Collegians, Head of Middle School, Mr Richard Ledger remarked that "Mr de Grussa has not only taught boys at Scotch to become Pipers. He has helped them become respectful young men, young men who are proud of who they are and the school they come from."
Mr de Grussa led his final practice session, followed by an impressive original solo performance by David Stulpner (Year 11, Cameron), the music of which he gifted to Mr de Grussa.
Scotch College thanks Norm for his many years of service to the School and to the lives he has changed through the tradition of the College's Pipe Band. We wish him well and will remember him fondly. View all the photos from the afternoon on Vidigami.
