The Time of Your Life = Today
The last few weeks have been busy ones for the pipe band, and there have been opportunities for multiple posts, but alas, not the time to follow through. This past weekend here was the one annual Highland Games weekend in Saskatchewan. It was a very important weekend for the City of Regina Pipe Band, because it signalled the return of the band to the outdoor competition field, and with a roster that is significantly different than the last time the band competed outdoors [Perth Highland Games, August 2006].

There have been a lot of really great moments in the City of Regina Pipe Band, and I have been fortunate to have been part of them all. We've had some great plays, and some good prizes in many different places. We have also had times when simply competing was in itself a huge victory of will over circumstance and geography.

The past year has been a tumultuous one in many respects. Through all the changes, the thing that has sustained my interest has been the keen desire of people to play. The band that took the field this weekend is a hodge-podge of types: young, old, experienced, inexperienced, and the majority of them have not played before in the band, and over half have not played in higher than a Grade 4 band. And yet...it seemed to work.

We had two great days of some good tone and music, and lots of laughs to go with it. Sure: there's room to improve, and we're a long way from where we want to be, but we're here, and we're getting better every week.

I can't say enough good about the band members who [all] played this weekend. Your loyalty, dedication and desire to make the band work have all paid off. My hat's off to you. See you at practice.

The Long Road Back
It occurred to me the other day that it has been a long time since this pipe band competed. Our last contest was August 2006: Perth Highland Games. A lot has happened since then, not the least of which has been a very major change in the band personnel.A quick poll at band yesterday revealed that of the 11 pipers and 5-6 drummers who were at practice, only 4 people had been with the band at Perth that day. That's huge.

We have a large number of band members who have not competed in Grade 2 before, some who haven't competed in years, and many who are competing with this band for the first time. That makes the upcoming weekend and the Brandon Highland Festival a kind of noteworthy day. We aren't expecting great things: only playing medley this weekend, and that is still "in development," but it was really great to be playing without scores/tunes on the floor for the first time yesterday.

Most encouraging to me was that we had and maintained a solid sound for the entire band practice. It could still be blown better and more consistently, but it is a major improvement over the sound of the band even a month ago.

It's been a long road from Perth to here. Thanks to all you band members who have made the commitment to get the band on the field again. Pipers have mad a strong commitment to two practices a week, and drummers who have worked hard to develop the corps with the LD at a distance. I'm looking forward to the weekend, and will be happy to see us on the field once again.

An Open Window
Today at band, it seemed as though the window opened slightly onto the spring and summer. It was a great day today, warm and sunny—one of those days where you almost [or actually] begrudge going into the dark Legion. But go we did, and it was an excellent practice. Worked on harmonies and medley bits, and played the medley a total of 6-7 times start to finish with the drummers.

Not only did the window open weather-wise, but what I'm getting at is that the medley had real promise today. You can hear the pieces coming together, and the sound getting stronger. Oh....there's still lots to do, no doubt, but there's real promise of some great music about to happen. Nice work.

To Talk of many Things
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
[Lewis Carroll: The Walrus and the Carpenter]

Quite a bit of water has flowed under the bridge since the last post. Hard to know where to begin, or how to draw it together. The weekend after being in Greenwood, NS as reported below, I was off to Calgary to judge a wee contest and play a few tunes. I had the pleasure of hanging out with James W and James P Troy, father and son from Victoria. Ever passionate about everything piping, Jamie senior is a fascinating guy, and no less so is James P, who only a couple of weeks later became one of a very few people in history to sweep all three pro piping events at the BC Pipers Annual Gathering. [See JWT Blog & Photos] What a great result for all concerned.

Also in Calgary, I had the pleasure of spending time with Dave Hicks, and it was great to catch up on the news, and hear how well things are going there. Sorry to hear that Dave won't be playing with the band this year, but it has been great having him in the band for the past couple of seasons! That would be a huge loss to any band.

Then there was St. Patrick's Weekend [remember when it used to be just a day?] and the concerts in Minot and at the Confluence Centre near Williston. Can't say enough about how well we were treated and received, and MANY thanks to the Celtic Committee in Minot for their hard work getting us down, and to the Moose Lodge for sponsoring us, and for Ebenezer's Bar for their fantastic hospitality and pints, and for the many people we met who were genuinely appreciative of the band and the music. Thanks to Paul and Diane Behm especially for their hospitality and organization. Thanks also to the staff at the Confluence Centre for once again having the band down, and for promoting the concert so well. We had a full house once again, and this time a gorgeous day for piping above the rivers. Then on the actual Holy Day of Obligation—March 17— we were at O'Hanlon's for pints and tunes, and quite a few laughs. Thanks to Niall and the staff at O'Hanlon's.

Easter Weekend we had a few sessions with the band. People in from Winnipeg, and drummers working hard to get the medley up, and lots of progress made. The medley is coming together, and starting to feel like fun.

The huge news in the past week os was the tragic death of one-time CRPB member Dan Matheson. Dan played with the band for a season way back in the early days, and then was for many years part of the Victoria Park Pipe Band, up until the last VP trip to Maxville, in about 2003. Since then, Dan had been P-M and piper with the Wa Wa Shrine in Regina. Hard to fathom this kind of news: terrible for all concerned, and certainly the local community will miss Dan's passion for piping and pipe bands. Our condolences to his many friends and family members.

And as to whether pigs have wings...just watch the band fly later in the season. ; )

The Piping Life
This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Greenwood, Nova Scotia to work with the 14 Wing CFB Greenwood Pipe Band. The band is run by Pipe Major Scott Pollen, who started his career in piping with the Kamsack, SK Air Cadet Unit. He learned pipes from Prince Albert resident Dave Monette, and later from the Yorkton & District Pipe Band. I first ran into Scott when he was about 16, and I heard him play solos at the Brandon Games, and asked Brian Fraser [our bass drummer, who lived in Yorkton, just south of Kamsack] who was the kid from Kamsack who could play so well. Scott ended up joining the CRPB, and got leave from cadet camp to attend Maxville with the pipe band. Scott played off and on with the band for a couple of years, and came back for a summer season in 2002 to play with the band. All the while, he continued with cadet piping, reserve pipe bands, and eventually was given the opportunity to join the regular forces, where he received training and passed his pipe major's training course. Now, Scott is a full-time Canadian Forces pipe major. He organizes and trains the 14 Wing Pipe Band, and fulfills other training and performance duties in the local community and with the Canadian Forces. The 14 Wing band performs at various tattoos and at events across Atlantic Canada and beyond.

It was great to get out there to work with Scott's band, and to see the work he is doing for piping in that part of the world. As you would expect of someone dedicated enough to be the only cadet piper in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Scott has thrown himself into the role, and has a professional looking and great sounding band going there, with a strong group of mostly civilian volunteers.

One of the disappointments of running a band like the CRPB is when people move on, and one of the great satisfactions is when you see them succeeding with new piping challenges. Most of us don't get the chance to turn our passion for piping and pipe bands into a full-time occupation, so it's very cool to see Scott's full-time piping life in the military.

Keeping Tracks
This past week my computer started to slow down and complain while I was working, and I had to take a serious look at what I have piled up on the hard drive. The result, as some may have noticed, was a flurry of video dumped to YouTube. It occurred to me while I was doing this, that these are valuable [and fun] bits of information about th band, who played, and where we were. Some of these short clips came from various cameras. I think Alex Rasmussen did the short ones, from Scotland and Canmore. Do you remember the beer tent being that wild? Do you remember being there? : )
Anyway, I know that I have some more gems on tape, and I plan to get them up here at some point, and I want to encourage the rest of you to do the same.

You can all dump photos onto the band's Facebook site, and YouTube for video, etc. Pretty fun to look back, and helps keep us all interested in driving ahead. Works for me, anyway.

Catch the moments as they fly
This week is the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns, and across the world, people will be celebrating his art and life in one way or another. Burns has a lot to say to us, even in this day of blogs, Facebook, Blackberry, et al. This year, the Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band is going to be having a small Burns Supper on Friday, January 25th. CRPB members will also be there. Looking forward to it. Meantime, plans are brewing for the Mid-Winter Celtic Festival and a day of music and fun. Be sure to get your tickets to hear the City of Regina Pipe Band, and also the re-united Iron Brew. It's going to be a party!

Haven't been keeping up with this blog. Been working on a lot of band music, projects and people. Keep watching this space. Happy New Year, and also Happy Burns Day!

Here's A Bottle

There's nane that's blest of human kind
But the cheerful and the gay, man.
1.
Here's a bottle and an honest friend!
What wad ye wish for mair, man?
Wha kens, before his life may end,
What his share may be o' care, man?
2.
Then catch the moments as they fly,
And use them as ye ought, man!
Believe me, Happiness is shy,
And comes not ay when sought, man!