Missing Maxville AND Montreal

Been watching all the Maxville preparations online this week. As the largest and best Highland Games in North America, the Glengarry Highland Gathering attracts top bands from across North America, and sometimes event the UK. The CRPB has been a semi-regular band at Maxville since our first trip, in 1996.

That year, we had a new lead drummer, a young guy from Moose Jaw who had experience with Alberta Caledonia since he was 13. Ryan is a wee bit older now, and with years of experience in Grade 1 and 2, and now he's leading his Rocky Mountain Pipe Band drum corps in its first attempt at the Maxville Games. In the drum corps are ex-CRPB members Dave Roth and Andy Kopciuch, and the pipe-major is another guy who made that first CRPB Maxville trip in 1996—Sean Somers. We had some good years in Maxville and Montreal, placing well in the Grade, to not a few people's surprise.

At the other end of the country, Gord Perry is leading an excellent Fredericton Pipe Band toward Maxville. Gord also gained his first Grade 2 experience at Maxville with the CRPB. For a couple of seasons, we had Gord Perry and Brad Clyde join us from Winnipeg for the big summer contests. Gord has been working hard to build the Fredericton band, and Brad Clyde is still with us.

Maxville is a fantastic contest, and quite spectacular in many ways. The gathering of bands from so far, the judging panel, the Maxville solos, the large entry, the great grounds, the PPBSO's fantastic organization of it all, and the more than 30,000 people who come to take it all in. We'll miss being there to compete, and we'll miss hearing the Grade 1 bands do their thing.

Best of luck to former CRPB members taking the field in various bands, and especially to Rocky Mountain Pipe Band, going for the first time.

While bands are hard at it in Maxville, the CRPB will be having a last weekend practice before we leave for Scotland. We have a pretty full playing schedule, which takes in North Berwick Games, Bridge of Allan, The Piping Festival, Pipes of Peace Festival and Concert, the Worlds, and Perth Games. Watch here for updates.

The Countdown

Mid-July, and the countdown to the big contests has begun. Ex-member Gord Perry, now P-M of the Fredericton Society of St. Andrews Pipe Band has begun his Maxville countdown. Two weeks to work on the contest beard. In 2008, the CRPB did that with moustaches. Tons of fun, although the band photos are still a bit gruesome. I've seen the countdowns to the Worlds, and countdowns to the flights, and bands are all aflutter about the big days ahead. The predictions have been flowing on the chat sites for some time, and everything is building for the annual massive blowout that is the month of August in the pipe band world.

The CRPB has been working diligently to raise its game, despite having a few weeks off a major band weekend, we have accomplished a fair bit in terms of player and instrument readiness. This weekend we got together and practiced over two days. As always: a great time, many laughs, and a lot accomplished musically. Took delivery of the final jackets/vests, marking the completion of a 100% "re-uniform" project that started in 2009.

Band members are looking forward to the experience of playing in Scotland once again, and also to hearing a lot of great music. Not sure how many days till we go, but I do know I'm looking forward to playing. Tis the season.

Oh Canada

Seems fitting on this Canada Day, July 1st, to talk about the tremendous impact that Canadians, and Canadian piping has had on the world stage. Recent posts on one of the Scottish piping blogs, and we understand followed up with a print editorial, are quick to find fault with Canadian pipers and drummers, bands, teachers, and the approach to music of certain Grade 1 bands.

The truth is, the piping and pipe band worlds are extremely fortunate to have had non-Scots pursue this hobby so passionately, and to have them so willingly attack the traditions, standards, and commonly accepted "truths" of what has been seen as traditional piping.

It would be tedious to list all the non-Scots whose devotion to playing the instrument have made such a difference in both solo and band worlds, however, on this Canada Day, here are a few: Jim McMillan [teacher of Terry & Jack Lee, and many others], Archie Cairns, P-M James Watt, William Barrie [a Scot, but lived here longest], John Wilson [also a Scot, and a proud Canadian], Bill Livingstone, Terry Lee, Jack Lee, Jamie Troy, Hal Senyk, Jim McGillivray, Ed Neigh, John Fisher, John Kerr, Luke Allan, Drew Duthart, Alan Bevan, Bruce Gandy, Michael Grey, Gord Tuck, Bob Worrall, Ken Eller, Scott MacAulay, SFU Pipe Band, 78th Fraser Highlanders, City of Victoria, Triumph Street [old and new], Clan MacFarlane, Guelph Pipe Band, McNish Distillery, Port Moody Pipe Band, City of Toronto/General Motors,T&D, Metro Toronto Police, Toronto Police, Peel Police.....

It's an overwhelming task, and any list is going to leave out a lot of people whose contributions have been enormous, and who have made an impact on the world scene. On this Canada Day, I am proud to be part of a piping and pipe band culture that has produced among the very best players, bands and music the world has seen.

So, Happy Canada Day to all you Canadian pipers, drummers, and bands.