The national management committee overseas the day-to-day affairs of Pipe Bands Australia. Its members are elected and appointed by the National Council.
National Management
Ainsley Hart’s involvement with Pipe Bands dates back to 1978 when he started practice chanter instruction at school. An active pipe band career spanning more than forty years has seen him play with a number of New Zealand, Scottish and Australian bands and culminated in appointments as Pipe Major of two Grade 1 bands.
Ainsley was involved for many years with the New South Wales Pipe Band Association. In this role he championed grass roots piping and drumming initiatives at the national level across a variety of issues and activities.
Following a number of years as a small business operator Ainsley took up an appointment to the Knox Grammar School Pipes and Drums in 2010. It’s a position that he still holds and one in which he has met with remarkable success, taking the band to a 2016 Grade 4 Australian Pipe Band Championship win. Still an active competitor at the top levels of solo piping, Ainsley remains a regular competitor at most Australian benchmark competitions.
Ainsley’s thirty five years of business experience and tertiary qualifications in business have allowed him to bring invaluable leadership and management experience to the role of PBA President. Ainsley’s relaxed and affable manner belies his keen intellect and a burning desire to see the Pipe Band movement grow and flourish.
Joel Solak is the Pipe Major of the Derwent Scottish Pipe Band and one of Tasmania’s youngest Pipe Majors. As the state’s first openly gay Pipe Major, he has championed inclusive and progressive leadership within the movement. Since beginning his piping journey at age 10 under Hall of Fame inductee Gary Webb, Joel has developed into a respected performer, educator, and leader within the Australian pipe band community.
Alongside his piping development, Joel undertook formal classical music training, receiving Honours through the Australian Music Examinations Board. This broader musical foundation has informed his disciplined and progressive approach to performance and leadership.
Joel has performed nationally and internationally, including at the prestigious Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. His diverse performance experience also includes the opening of Tasmania’s inaugural MONA FOMA festival and appearing on various national televised programs. He regularly collaborates with musicians and has served as a piping tutor for the Tasmania Police Pipe Band, while supporting the delivery workshops and educational programs across Australia.
As Pipe Major, Joel has led the Derwent Scottish Pipe Band to state championship success while fostering a progressive, inclusive, and high-performing culture. Beyond band leadership, he serves on the National Management Committee of Pipe Bands Australia, contributing to the organisation’s governance, strategic direction, and national development initiatives.
At a national level, Joel has supported the development and implementation of child safety governance frameworks, contributed to the establishment of the Australian Juvenile Championships, and played a key role in the reintroduction of the Summer School Series in its modern form as the Winter Piping & Drumming Retreat.
Joel also took a leading role in wind-up of the McGee Foundation, ensuring its funds were transferred to the Tasmanian Branch of Pipe Bands Australia for the enduring benefit of its members. A strong advocate for safe, inclusive, and well-governed organisations, he brings professional expertise in child protection and public sector leadership to his work within the pipe band community.
Further
- Peter Cook Scholarship Recipient
- Two Presidential Commendations (Pipe Bands Australia)
- State Secretary, Tasmania (Past)
- National Management Committee (Pipe Bands Australia)
- State Vice Chair (Tasmania Branch)
Nick is pipe major of Castle Hill RSL Pipe Band and has held the position for 12 years. A holder of the Australian Pipe Band College elementary piping certificate, he will shortly undertake the college course for rules and administration.
He has previously organised the Combined Scottish Society’s solo piping and drumming competitions and has been involved in the pipe band movement since 1988.
Nick brings to the role considerable experience in use of computer software and platforms and in administration, currently being deputy principal at a Sydney high school.
Phil Weber began his association with Pipe Bands in 2011 when one of his sons decided to become a snare drummer.
For several years he was supporting parent and roadie but in 2016 he was convinced to take up the bass drum mallets and join the band as a musician. Since then, he has played with the Burns Club Pipe Band as one of their bass drummers and has competed in numerous band and a number of solo competitions.
In 2019 he was invited to join the Australia Federal Police Pipe Band as part of the cast of the Basel Military Tattoo in Switzerland.
As a result of his experience with databases, he has been “back-room support” for the management of the PBA membership database for a number of years and is currently part of the group looking at alternatives to the current system. This involvement in membership activities led to a growing interest in the management side of PBA. As a result, he was appointed as Principle of Rules and Administration in 2019, a role he will soon relinquish because earlier this year he was appointed as national secretary of the association.
He holds a Preliminary Certificate in Bass Drumming and an Advanced Certificate in Rules and Administration and is on the Contest Supervisors List for the NSW Branch.
Originally from New Zealand Scott learnt under Pipe Major John Downie of the City of Auckland Pipe Band. In 1998 Scott perfromed at with the Western Australia Police Band who secured victory in Grade 2. Scott is the current Pipe Band Coordinator at Scots School Albury. In 2023 under Scott’s leadership the School band was victorious at the World Pipe Band Championships.
Michelle started drumming in 2017 and is Drum Sergeant and Treasurer of St Andrews Caledonian Pipe Band (SACPB), Secretary of Pipe Bands Tasmania and Assistant Secretary of Pipe Bands Australia. Michelle competed with SACPB at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow in 2019 following a 3-week concert tour of Scotland.
