tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210769252012-02-17T00:11:57.517-06:00Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-81810938139913354772012-02-08T00:11:00.003-06:002012-02-08T00:26:22.444-06:00

It Seems Like Just 20 Years AgoThis past weekend the CRPB kicked off it's 20th year of activity by hosting the 20th Annual Mid-Winter Ceilidh, which is now part of the Mid-Winter Celtic Festival. It was a great night once again, featuring fairly raw sets by the band, and a lot of great entertainment from Celtic bands and dancers.Coming as it does on the first weekend of February, the Ceilidh

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-49808930990145268332011-12-07T00:16:00.005-06:002011-12-07T01:21:34.892-06:00

Touching the PastI recently had the opportunity to purchase an interesting old bagpipe. It is a set of "reelpipes" made by Thomas McBean Glen at #2 North Bank Street, Edinburgh. Based on the maker's stamp—which appears twice on the chanter—the pipes were made about 1843. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in older sets of pipes, and most bagpipe stores now offer "vintage"

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-19862069948425139092011-10-21T22:50:00.007-06:002011-10-22T22:05:49.825-06:00

And So, It Begins AgainTruth be told, band never really ends for many of us. Since our last competitive performance at Montreal Highland Games [2nd place, thanks] some of us have been turning things over in our minds, discussing, playing lots of tunes, and sending emails about the season that begins now.As soon as the instruments go away for a few weeks, all bets are off, and we are all back to

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-67898944181381681032011-08-14T05:07:00.002-06:002011-08-14T05:57:24.107-06:00

Piping Live! and the World's: Some Observations Piping Live! has grown in eight years to be an absolutely outstanding week, and full credit must be given to Roddy MacLeod, M.B.E. and the hard-working staff and volunteers at the National Piping Centre. There is no question in my mind that the Piping Centre has been THE driving force behind the development of the week we now have, and even the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-46194684702767551922011-08-01T20:49:00.003-06:002011-08-01T21:21:34.208-06:00

Maxville/Montreal - The End of a Great Season This weekend the band competed at the North American Pipe Band Championships in Maxville, and then at the Montreal Highland Games the next day. There were quite a few highlights, and it was a great week with the band in Ontario and Quebec.The good news is that the band finished into the prizes at Maxville, being 5th overall and including two 3rds in

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-72375824383825622512011-05-13T23:45:00.005-06:002011-05-14T00:43:24.553-06:00

Making Your Mark in the Piping WorldThis week I had the phone call that, at some level, I had expected. A good friend called to tell me that Darleen [Miharija] Milloy had died, after many years of living with MS. In the 1980s, when I first met Darleen ["Dar-Mi-Har"] she was about 20, a piper with the SFU Pipe Band, and an up-and-coming pro piper on the solo scene in BC and in Scotland. Darleen

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-52236216565654801172011-05-01T23:55:00.002-06:002011-05-02T00:22:43.903-06:00

Brandon Highland FestivalThis weekend the CRPB launched it's 2011 contest season with a trip to Brandon, MB and the Brandon Highland Festival. The Brandon contest is always on the edge of spring—sometimes fully indoors, and sometimes solos indoors in the morning, and bands outside in the afternoon. This year, the heavy rain started Friday, the temperatures dropped, and 15cm of snow blew in

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-13605992654871069262011-03-12T02:01:00.003-06:002011-03-12T02:15:25.752-06:00

Get a Front Row SeatCanadian piping master Bruce Gandy has recently released a great new CD of live performances taken from some prize-winning outings around the piping world. Bruce is a native of Victoria, BC, and grew up there surrounded by pipers and piping of the highest calibre. His father, Ray Gandy, started him off, and then he spent many years going to Jamie Troy, then Bill Livingstone

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-43082131336053134672011-02-06T17:38:00.004-06:002011-02-06T18:03:40.373-06:00

The Light at the End of the Tunnel [Not a train] This weekend was the annual Mid-Winter Celtic Festival organized by the band, and it was also the first time out for the entire band. We have been working "in committee" for a number of months, choosing tunes, learning them, writing scores for snare and mid-section, learning those, and not writing harmonies and working out consistent approaches to

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-31004902314772037952010-12-19T00:04:00.002-06:002010-12-19T00:28:16.605-06:00

Musicianship Shines ThroughTonight I spent the evening in Moose Jaw with the Scott Benson Band. Scott got asked tom play a couple of sets at a special Christmas Show with Jeffrey Straker and his band, "The Handsome Strangers".So, we did a sound check at 5:30, had something to eat at Scott's place, and then back for the show. We were first on after the intermission, so we took the opportunity to

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-86066205789457658162010-12-02T23:54:00.002-06:002010-12-03T00:28:31.086-06:00

Waiting for a Band to Show UpThe past eight weeks or so have been an interesting time in the band, and as the title of this post would indicate, it's been a "down time" in terms of band activity of the public kind. It has been anything but a down time in other respects.Band members will readily recognize the image of this post. It was made by member Ruaridh many years ago, and it forms the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-91637155148326097842010-10-31T23:51:00.007-06:002010-11-01T12:34:26.067-06:00

It's About the MusicThese days, I've mostly given up on TV. I have a few shows that I sometimes watch, and often that's online. One of my prime media entertainments is YouTube, and I admit to spending some time listening to performers I like a lot.The YouTube above is of the group Planxty, and it is the opening set of their 2004 reunion concerts in Ireland. During a trip to Scotland in about 2005

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-48599875057604667712010-09-24T23:11:00.004-06:002010-09-24T23:44:54.508-06:00

"Thanks" Hardly Covers ItReaders of pipe band news may have seen the pipes|drums story about the band making a change in lead drummers from Ian Aastrom to Blair "Buz" Brown. Ian Aastrom has been the L-D since Fall 2007, when the band had just finished a year off competing [no drum corps] and he had decided to leave the Grade 3 Winnipeg corps he was then leading. Ian had played with the CRPB for

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-15805468359549716132010-08-30T21:51:00.004-06:002010-09-30T09:23:18.670-06:00

A Month Later...The month has come and gone, and so too another trip to Scotland with the CRPB. We had a fantastic trip with the band, and members learned a lot, experienced a lot, and had a great time together. The highlights included the band performance at the Worlds, which although clearly flawed, was our best performance of the current medley, and a building experience, despite the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-30572871809322155222010-07-27T16:53:00.007-06:002010-07-27T18:04:39.349-06:00

Missing Maxville AND MontrealBeen 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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-70511854302360503062010-07-18T19:42:00.003-06:002010-07-18T19:56:47.856-06:00

The CountdownMid-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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-65525754930923758122010-07-01T22:18:00.004-06:002010-07-01T22:46:24.133-06:00

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,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-77187754122824132322010-05-31T01:05:00.003-06:002010-06-04T09:45:54.980-06:00

Internet Dating, Highland Games and the Weeks AheadWay back in the cold days of January 2010, I was browsing through the various piping forums when I chanced upon a note that caught my eye. It was something along the lines of "Grade 1 piper, Northern Ireland, looking for interesting band situation. Willing to travel." For a laugh, I sent an email: "How far are you willing to travel?" And that

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-20566698887454374502010-05-09T21:22:00.003-06:002010-05-09T21:41:00.988-06:00

Happy Mother's Day Band WeekendWe spent a lot of Saturday and half of today preparing for upcoming contests. Had a crew in from Winnipeg, and had quite a few runs in the chilly spring air on the grass. Refined the sets and medley a little more, worked on some sound issues and unison playing, and made some summer plans. Last night, a few band members were recalling a bus-missing incident following

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-22272004941832056172010-04-11T02:29:00.003-06:002010-04-11T03:18:49.481-06:00

Farewells, Concerts and Missing PersonsIn 2007, I spent a season with ScottishPower Pipe Band and did more than my share of travelling to make the contests. On one of the weekends, I flew to Scotland on a Wednesday, arriving in time for Thursday night practice, then off to Ireland on Friday for a contest. I remember thinking that it would take some time getting back to Scotland, so I booked a

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-81969727127908016772010-02-28T22:58:00.003-06:002010-03-02T00:02:20.963-06:00

What I Thought About on a Day OffThis week we cancelled band practice so that members could find a screen and watch the Canada-USA gold medal hockey game, which we now know to be Canada's 14th gold medal at the Winter Olympics, and a record for any nation. A few band members gathered at O'Hanlon's, and others watched from home. One member claimed he was going to watch in his underwear, like a "

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-49591053703325466242010-02-09T23:41:00.004-06:002010-02-10T00:04:02.423-06:00

Another Great Weekend for the BooksThe 18th annual Alexander Keith's Mid-Winter Celtic Festival came and went over the weekend, and it was a great time. It started Friday night with music in O'Hanlon's, and then the afternoon session there 12-4 on Saturday, followed by the sold out and packed-to-the-rafters Ceilidh. A highlight for me was the band's performance of the medley.With a packed hall

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-89156065224571394772010-01-18T23:20:00.003-06:002010-01-18T23:53:19.470-06:00

Teamwork, Laughs, Unusual Practice Halls and Sore ArmsThe band just completed a weekend of practice, and it gave me pause to reflect about the tremendous teamwork that made it all possible. Several members drove significant distances [6 hours, 4 hours] for the weekend, which is not an easy task given that they leave Friday night at the end of a work week, and head home after a long weekend of

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-11792524923492305402009-12-30T23:14:00.004-06:002009-12-31T00:28:39.403-06:00

2009: A Great Year to Be in the CRPBThe end of the calendar year is upon us, and 'tis the time for reflection on the year just past. I usually venture down this blogging path alone, and this time I asked the current band "What about 2009?" I have my own thoughts, of course, and I was happy hear that band members agreed: it was a great year to be in the band.I have been pipe major of the band

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-65502188927379968022009-12-15T23:38:00.004-06:002009-12-16T12:46:08.794-06:00

Blackwood Cracks in the ColdThe weather has been frightful here on the Canadian prairie in the last couple of weeks, and it seems like "not" bagpipe weather. In fact, it's the perfect time to play. If you don't, you can almost hear blackwood cracking in the boxes. Despite the cold, we've been having good practices, and have had a couple of excellent band weekends. A couple of weekends back, we

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-58817278604436722962009-11-30T21:55:00.005-06:002009-12-01T08:48:42.113-06:00

What Can You Learn from Football? If you live in Canada, you are likely aware that this past weekend was the annual Grey Cup game in Calgary, the championship game of football for the Canadian Football League. And if you live in Saskatchewan, or are one of the many fans of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, you will be painfully aware of their near-victory, and the stunning loss with no time on the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-12705230559004071152009-11-11T23:42:00.007-06:002009-11-12T00:26:23.113-06:00

Farewell to the Old GuardToday was the annual Remembrance Day performance for the bands here and everywhere, and more than ever it underlined for me the fact that the old veterans of the wars are disappearing. One of the tunes I published in Along the Road was "Farewell to the Old Guard," a tribute of sorts to the parade of veterans that takes place each Remembrance Day. The parade is getting

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1523922493101204772009-10-16T00:22:00.009-06:002009-10-16T21:40:05.301-06:00

Be Sure to Thank Your MotherWhen my Mom was young, she desperately wanted to play the bagpipes. As a girl in Regina in the 1930s and 40s, there weren't a lot of options. Some of the guys in the local militia band did some teaching, and later on, the Regina Boys' Pipe Band taught students, but no one would teach girls. You could only be a piper if you were male. So, she put it off, and in later

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-38422436585611896842009-09-25T10:22:00.005-06:002009-09-25T10:37:45.687-06:00

A Post-Season Bonus! This week the band received a nice post-season bonus from the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario when we found out that they have adjusted the final prize list from the Montreal Highland Games. On the day, the PPBSO disqualified the Glengarry Pipe Band after they performed because an official thought that bands had to have two tenor drummers [that rule had already been

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-61497822611878818472009-09-08T00:14:00.003-06:002009-09-08T00:45:27.175-06:00

Thanks for a Great SeasonJust back from Calgary and Canmore Highland Games, and the end of a very good season for the band. The full results for the weekend are available in the usual place and what you'll see is that we split the two contests with our friends in The Rocky Mountain Pipe Band, with them winning the MSR on Saturday on "ensemble preference" and us winning the medley event Sunday. We

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-29448826989364963472009-08-04T22:24:00.003-06:002009-08-04T23:02:43.582-06:00

A Week to RememberThis past week the City of Regina Pipe Band travelled to ON and QC for the Glengarry Highland Games at Maxville, ON and the Montreal Highland Games. We have been there many times in the past, and most recently last year. Despite bringing up the rear of both contests last year--soundly whooped by every other band there--it was a success of sorts. We avoided the bullet of

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-857754328724658352009-07-20T22:41:00.002-06:002009-07-20T22:51:06.967-06:00

Coming Up for AirThe last couple of weeks have been tremendously busy with preparation for Maxville, and also the annual SOUND ADVICE summer school, which took place last week. We had a great group of instructors and students working and playing hard at the University of Regina, which was a fantastic location and environment for the school. Excellent accommodations, good food, great teaching

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-76973276723080458792009-07-06T23:37:00.005-06:002009-07-07T00:13:14.176-06:00

Paying for the Bus, and Learning Along the RoadPart of the job of getting the band to competitions is raising the cash to get there, and paying for accommodations and ground transportation while there. Without a full-on sponsor, the band relies a lot on event fundraising, member inputs, and performances. Our Maxville/Montreal trek involves five nights of hotels, a bus from the airport to Cornwall

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-8595416562071657652009-06-27T11:22:00.003-06:002009-06-29T11:04:18.835-06:00

The Breakthrough WeekendSaturday morning, and I'm working on the upcoming summer school, updating web pages, and waiting for the results from the British Pipe Band Championships in Belfast. I made that trip with ScottishPower in 2007, and it was a really fun trip: staying in downtown Belfast [much different than when I was last there in the early 80s!], a miserable wet, cold day, and then a very

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-75497565245115687992009-06-07T23:29:00.007-06:002009-06-12T23:36:21.696-06:00

Seriously Fun PipingThe past couple of weeks have been a flurry of piping performances of various kinds, starting with the contests on the May long weekend [solo/band] and then moving on to the Conservatory of Performing Arts BRAVO! Gala Event, at which the Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band performed. The event raised serious cash for the programs at the Conservatory, celebrated the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-8672708604969895092009-05-24T22:49:00.004-06:002009-05-24T23:18:52.431-06:00

Benchmarks of Progress ~ Success is in the DetailsA week has passed since the Moose Jaw and Regina Highland games, and after recovering fully from the effort, have had time to think about the progress since Brandon, and especially last year. In 2008, we elected to "perform" at Regina and Moose Jaw Games because we only had one MSR fully operational, and people were still memorizing the medley!

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-75674148655163155172009-04-28T23:59:00.006-06:002009-04-29T00:52:37.189-06:00

Keeping It All in PerspectiveWhen you're part of a competition band, and you seek to win competitions, it can be a bit disheartening when you don't. As Andrew Berthoff pointed out in a recent blog, one thing that you need to learn to do is lose contests, because you lose a lot more than you win, on average. In the past two years, the CRPB has learned a lot about losing competitions, because we

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-89088798667131037142009-04-06T00:22:00.004-06:002009-04-06T00:45:43.079-06:00

Lessons Learned in Time Back when this photo was taken [April 1993] this was an excellent turnout at a band practice. This was actually the band's first competition performance. We took five pipers and played four [as the rules stated we should for a mini band event], and we played all the drummers we had. In those days, we were elated to be able to field a band, and over the years, we gradually

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-41982082562486722952009-03-17T09:54:00.003-06:002009-03-17T10:49:53.117-06:00

The Sign of Spring This past weekend the CRPB once again went south to usher in the new season. We performed to an appreciative audience at the Moose Lodge in Minot, and then that night played a few times at Ebeneezer's Pub, where the band received a very positive reaction, and quite a few pints. The pub has a great house band, so there was good music all night.The next day, we drove the almost

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-26998911531157154602009-02-28T11:59:00.003-06:002009-02-28T12:22:15.180-06:00

NM Custom DrumsRecently, the City of Regina Pipe Band took delivery of a new set of mid-section drums, some of which we played at the recent Winnipeg Scottish Festival. Over the years, we have had a few sets of drums, and we have pretty much always purchased our drum equipment from our favourite source, in part because Hugh was so good to us when the band started out in 1992, and because his

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-27515271757459828662009-02-18T23:33:00.007-06:002009-02-20T10:13:55.074-06:00

Errors of JudgementThe bagpipe world has been buzzing for a couple of weeks now: first there was the pipes|drums story about the RSPBA barring overseas adjudicators. If you read everything there is to read, you come away with the clear sense that an injustice has been done. This was a very bad decision by the RSPBA, an error in judgement. It is clear that the RSPBA is trying to uphold a policy

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-73337753145332104892009-02-10T16:44:00.003-06:002009-02-10T17:01:07.426-06:00

"One of the Best Ceilidhs, Ever"Have heard from quite a few people directly and indirectly who had a great time at the SOLD OUT Ceilidh this Saturday past. It was a fun night, and the band played pretty well. We particularly liked the two Gord Taylor tunes we played, accompanied by Gord on guitar, Stacy on keyboard, and Brett on drum kit. Very fun. Now we're refocussing to get ready for competing

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-20801866634044667212009-02-01T19:33:00.003-06:002009-02-01T20:02:32.818-06:00

It's Ceilidh Time, and MoreHad a long blow at the Legion today [heat was on, and moderate] in preparation for The Alexander Keith's Mid-Winter Celtic Festival which happens next Saturday. Make sure you get your tickets, because we have some great stuff lined up, including an exciting new addition to the Regina Irish scene in the form of Irish dancer and dance teacher Laura Buckley who danced

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-75458881654760768112009-01-13T00:57:00.003-06:002009-01-13T01:41:02.582-06:00

Advice You Can Take to the BankToday I listened to the Toronto Police medley from last summer. I thought it was pretty cool when I first heard it on YouTube, and then it was great to hear it live in the rain and I especially love the crowd reaction. Anyway, there I was earlier, listening again to that, and thinking what great enjoyment I got from the Grade 1 medleys at Maxville, and I happened on

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-44568167517789851712008-12-30T22:37:00.003-06:002008-12-30T23:04:31.029-06:00

Happy New YearThat's it really, nothing big. Have a great last day of 2008, and look forward to lots of band in 2009.

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-55024189322232995372008-12-17T00:31:00.004-06:002008-12-17T01:16:46.699-06:00

The Christmas ListDear Santa Callum:We have been a good band this year, and we have a fairly long list. I hope you're sitting down. Last Christmas, we weren't sure we be around this year to write a letter, but I guess fortune smiles on those who just won't give up. First off, thanks for the new chanters that you brought last year. They have been great, and are easily the best chanters [for us]

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-59116678218902935952008-12-02T16:38:00.005-06:002008-12-02T16:54:12.730-06:00

Lift a Glass to Alexander! The band recently got some very good news in that famous brewer Alexander Keith's will be a major sponsor for the Mid-Winter Celtic Festival, one of the band's long-standing fundraisers. Our thanks to the guys who make this happen. We've worked with Keith's previously on projects, and they always turn out well, so we're looking forward to this one. Wherever you are,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-52229449058655365232008-11-28T00:47:00.006-06:002008-11-28T15:40:54.680-06:00

The Epic Battle In the last days of the Queendom, messengers came from West the with tales of dark forces assembling in the foothills, while to the East the blue hordes continued to extend their reign. Quietly, the hobbits made drone reeds, and seasoned bags, and tightened heads, in the knowledge that they would soon meet the forces of darkness.Easy to portray the pipe band scene like a Lord of

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-48625009690229089202008-11-10T20:45:00.005-06:002008-11-10T21:48:24.081-06:00

Tomorrow the CRPB will assemble for the 17th time to play at the Royal Canadian Legion's Remembrance Ceremony. Seems hard to believe that when we first started, a number of the current band members had not yet been born, but there it is. I find the day meaningful, sad, and enjoyable. It is meaningful for many whose parents and grandparents served in the wars. My grandfather, John A. Fraser, left

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-8852789431689152142008-11-05T01:24:00.003-06:002008-11-05T01:59:06.893-06:00

Remembering Brian All the recent blog chatter has had me thinking about bass drummers and "mid-sections" or "bass sections" as they like to call them in Scotland. I voted in the pipes|drums poll because it seems like a good bit of fun. Apparently, some are working hard to stuff the ballot boxes, and some seem outraged that an award will be made from online poll results. Incidentally, I voted for

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-11111280831110167142008-10-21T23:26:00.003-06:002008-10-21T23:49:11.641-06:00

What a Difference a Year Can MakeJust completed the first "band weekend" of the new season, with players arriving from near and far for a Friday night to Sunday afternoon extravaganza of catching up, playing, O'Hanlon's, new reeds, tunes, etc. I was SO tired on Sunday night I was ready for bed at 9 pm, and instead watch the Field Marshal Montgomery DVD. More on that later.A year ago, this band

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-38495884625989576592008-09-26T21:15:00.008-06:002008-09-26T22:20:07.560-06:00

Passion for the Music Thursday evening I had two different and related experiences that spoke to the reasons we do what we do. I met with Gord Taylor at the Conservatory. He got himself a new B-flat chanter that needed a reed, and I wanted to go through his recent book "One Tone Over the Line" with a view to getting my head around his material. Gord has been writing and publishing tunes for some

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-52386287903209296912008-09-23T00:24:00.005-06:002008-09-23T01:08:37.201-06:00

Change of Seasons, Change of Bands If you are a reader of online news for piping, drumming and pipe bands, you will be aware of the many changes that are happening in some of Canada's best-known pipe bands. This trend is also prevalent in Scotland, and last year as a member of ScottishPower, I was amazed at how much chatter there was about who was going where on the weekend of the Cowal Games. It

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-54105714313561975362008-09-05T16:29:00.002-06:002008-09-05T16:31:20.122-06:00

Things I've Learned About Pipe BandsI was looking back over the previous year's blogs, and I thought this was pretty good, and worth repeating. It's a cheap way to update, I know, but I think the points stand up very well, especially in light of last year's on- and off-field developments.1. You can't make a band sound good unless all the players sound good.2. The band can't play well unless all

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-39360900984951278352008-08-05T18:22:00.004-06:002008-09-02T19:44:53.733-06:00

Maxville: A New Beginning The dust has more or less settled on an amazing Maxville & Montreal weekend, and the next steps are looking forward to building on that for next year. When you consider that we weren't too sure what we had going in January, and were still trying to find clarity in April, having a good-sized band compete in Grade 2—and at the Grade 2 level—was an astonishing turn around,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-68676036893061419112008-07-28T23:02:00.002-06:002008-07-28T23:36:04.911-06:00

Maxville 2008: Couldn't be BetterWhat a crazy couple of years for the band. From the high of a Scottish trip in 2006, to the low of not competing last year, to the even lower plateau of losing so many veteran members, and contemplating a future with no competitive CRPB. So here we are of the verge of a big band trip, and the players are all lined up. 14 pipers, 5 sides, 3 tenors and a bass. It's

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-66816960752985966842008-07-09T22:59:00.003-06:002008-07-09T23:15:03.228-06:00

I Hear the HonkingThe other day I was talking to Barbara about a recent job interview she had. She described how she used the V-formation of geese as an analogy to describe her leadership style. She likes to feel she is out front, but still likes to hear the honking of other geese behind. I guess we're all a bit like that. Sometimes, running a pipe band [is that what I do, or does it run me?] is

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-46140105120151041982008-07-05T13:54:00.005-06:002008-07-06T09:18:20.716-06:00

Of Richard, Bags and TeamworkLast night I was tying on a new sheepskin bag, and I got to thinking about Richard Parkes and the situation that he faced at the British Championships recently. Usually, we rely on Richard to teach us what great pipe sound is, how how to be gracious in victory, or a million other things about performance and preparation. This time, he teaches us that you're never too

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-28183395115557728102008-06-17T22:01:00.005-06:002008-06-23T21:28:31.695-06:00

So What Else is New?This week the bagpipe and piping sites have lit up with comment over the Toronto Police Pipe Band's new "medley." Michael Grey wrote the piping, and Doug Stronach the percussion, and it's a new departure, for sure. Michael Grey explains the composition on his site.What isn't new in all this is the negative reaction that some people feel obliged to provide, mostly anonymously.

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-86356763548178902052008-05-19T23:23:00.003-06:002008-05-19T23:55:14.421-06:00

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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-56014432116498095122008-04-21T10:43:00.002-06:002008-04-21T10:59:07.322-06:00

The Long Road BackIt 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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-28932565969819319572008-04-13T18:12:00.002-06:002008-04-13T18:18:35.622-06:00

An Open WindowToday 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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-52466494606374475682008-03-31T00:28:00.003-06:002008-03-31T01:20:46.116-06:00

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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-66770911200904268692008-03-03T11:20:00.006-06:002008-03-03T12:20:45.923-06:00

The Piping LifeThis 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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-30930877490679673152008-02-09T17:13:00.000-06:002008-02-09T17:30:25.419-06:00

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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-43406366888971170072008-01-21T23:31:00.000-06:002008-01-21T23:58:01.088-06:00

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

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-9159254604345305512007-12-24T11:35:00.000-06:002007-12-24T11:47:05.044-06:00

Merry ChristmasModern life offers few real breaks and holidays. Christmas is that one-day feast sandwiched between the fabulous last-minutes sales and parties of Christmas Eve, and the Boxing Day Blowout sales and bar parties that prevail. [Are you going to O'Hanlon's for the "Boxing Day Ugly Sweater Party"?] In the rush of things to do and people to see over the holidays, I hope you all find

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-38228932282789794052007-12-04T12:54:00.000-06:002007-12-04T13:09:50.888-06:00

Things I've Learned About Pipe Bands1. You can't make a band sound good unless all the players sound good.2. The band can't play well unless all the players are playing well.3. Band players can't play well without investing significant time and energy to do so.4. Experience and time served count for nothing if you're not working at your music.5. Enthusiasm for the task and attitude are huge

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-87524284420958221822007-11-19T01:28:00.000-06:002007-11-19T10:41:56.880-06:00

Learn From the CoachIf you've been in the band for more than a month, you likely know that I am not really, in many ways, a sports fan. Unlike some of us, it is unlikely you'll ever see my face painted green, unless maybe the Speers Funeral people think it would be funny when the time comes. What I do love about watching sports, and the thing I loved about participating when I did on occasion,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-38453611814116377222007-11-04T23:53:00.000-06:002007-11-05T00:13:36.935-06:00

How Can I Make a Difference? Today was, for me, the most enjoyable band practice in a long time. Started with me not having half the gear I needed, but thankfully....not a long haul to get home. Although it made my arm hurt, I loved playing pipes that long at this time of year. And, I loved the fact that there were drummers up on drums, too. Nice work.I spoke [at length, some might say] today to

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-24463059533841133962007-10-29T23:47:00.000-06:002007-10-30T00:34:08.808-06:00

Jim Teaches More Than DrummingIf you live on the pipe band planet, you are likely aware that this past weekend was the World Solo Drumming Championships. This annual event attracts top snare drummers from around the world to compete. Since he started competing, Jim Kilpatrick, M.B.E. has won the solo title 16 times, and has placed 2nd another 16. That's an astounding feat, never likely to be

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-50113480315587487922007-10-14T23:29:00.000-06:002007-10-14T23:53:26.777-06:00

Week One: A Great StartIt's always a little bit daunting to go to the first band practice, and after a year off competing, and the knowledge that we don't have a complete team in place, even more so. So, off we go to the Royal Canadian Legion and there we found that people had travelled from Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Moosomin for practice. With about a dozen pipers, 4 sides, 2 tenors and a bass,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-82385693956121183892007-09-07T15:20:00.000-06:002007-09-16T16:18:15.025-06:00

The Start of Something Good Here we are back in September. This past season the band was essentially inactive after May, although as pointed out in a previous post, the band has nevertheless been able to make an impact on local events.Coming back into September, CRPB band members [and those who watch from near and far] are no doubt wondering what is "up" for the coming year. Essentially, it's up

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-19342388011530952062007-06-29T09:45:00.000-06:002007-06-29T10:36:35.111-06:00

Donald MacLeod This time of year always brings a wash of both sad and happy memories related to time I spent with Donald MacLeod. Donald died suddenly June 29, 1982. It seems hardly possible that so much time has passed since then, and it's still hard to believe at times that he is gone. Donald MacLeod is one of the most accomplished musicians of any generation: a supremely musical player,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-19540455437604371512007-06-03T20:06:00.000-06:002007-06-03T20:57:25.524-06:00

Tom Foote, Mosaic Festival, and Making a Difference Off the FieldRecently, the band had the pleasure of hosting a workshop with Tom Foote, who was here from Rochester, NY for a few days. We had 18 or so enthusiastic drummers from several local bands, and Tom put on a great session. The next day, he worked with drummers at the CRPB practice. Great to have someone of his calibre here for the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-4367357162540384052007-05-22T00:21:00.000-06:002007-05-22T00:50:32.500-06:00

Another Great Weekend at the GamesThe Moose Jaw and Regina Highland Games are now past, and it was a great weekend. The weather was fine for band events, and unfortunately was miserable in the mornings both days. Players suffered through cold and biting wind on Saturday in Moose Jaw [still not sure why] and Regina was indoors in the morning.The Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band emerged

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-78239629306286899312007-05-03T22:33:00.000-06:002007-05-03T23:02:30.956-06:00

On Your Mark, Get Set...The next two to three weeks are going to be busy. There is the start of the Scottish pipe band season, and me making a Grade 1 attempt with ScottishPower, and while the prairie season has already started, the May Long Weekend Games usually is a "start" for many bands. This year, the CRPB will be playing at the Regina Highland Games Ceilidh with whatever members we can

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-66779426649338796892007-04-26T01:00:00.000-06:002007-04-26T13:34:20.486-06:00

Brandon Games This WeekendI always have liked going to the Brandon Indoor Games. For years, it was organized single-handedly by PM Alex Cupples, and he looked after the judges, sold tickets, harassed soloists and pipe majors, organized the stewards, did the anouncements...well, you get the picture. It was a one-man show. His supporting team was his late wife, Jenny, and his family members and

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-14471651132937623192007-04-08T00:07:00.000-06:002007-04-08T02:22:00.084-06:00

A Year Off the Competition Field The band recently took the decision to not compete in 2007. This was not reached easily. The band has competed each year since it was formed in the Fall of 1992, and for those 14 years the band has been Saskatchewan's premier pipe band, and has also won contests near and far. This year, it was not to be. The loss of a valued lead drummer in January to

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-59752286093820115722007-03-27T00:27:00.000-06:002007-03-27T01:03:04.709-06:00

St. Paddy's PostscriptSure another year has come and gone, and things have been hectic, since we got back, so not a lot of time to be blogging about all that fun and music south of the border. Suffice to say we had a great time [and have photos to prove it] and we played a lot of tunes. Thanks to the Celtic Committee headed by Pat Mischel in Glendive, and to the staff at the Missouri-Yellowstone

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-69127087538993927522007-03-16T00:10:00.000-06:002007-03-16T00:29:51.089-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!For a few years now, the band has been making good fun on St. Patrick's Day. We started a few years back doing the American thing: going bar to bar on St. Paddy's, raising free drinks and spare change, and having good fun and banter along the way. Of course, every so often a puzzled and likely sober bar patron asks what's with all the Scottish pipe bands playing on St.

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-61540058204779519952007-03-03T11:10:00.000-06:002007-03-03T11:32:44.790-06:00

Bring on the KidsLast weekend a number of us were in Winnipeg at their Scottish Festival. They have a good turn out of bands, a great location for a contest, and a very good team of people working on the event. It is usually the "first brush" with the season for prairie bands. Nobody is in top form in February playing indoors, but it's always fun to see who has what kilt on, etc.I did come away

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-70679452755359497222007-02-16T15:07:00.000-06:002007-02-16T15:21:05.073-06:00

Lead Drummer WantedCurrently, the band is doing what it can to get ready for the season, and a very limited competition season at that. Looking ahead, it's clear that we are in the place where we need some fresh leadership in the drum corps. Grade 2 is more competitive than ever before, and to remain in the grade we need to develop the drumming program from the bottom up.Not to say that we

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-62033469777198846092007-02-06T00:04:00.000-06:002007-02-06T01:07:47.356-06:00

Fifteen Years, And Still a Great Event Whether you were there during the day, and saw the many great community groups performing to a busy hall, or braved the -30°C to attend the Ceilidh at night, you'd have to think it was a pretty good day of entertainment. It's always a big event for the pipe band, because it breaks in new members and new music, and it has been one of our staple

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-77586644559050848022007-01-29T21:13:00.000-06:002007-01-29T21:46:16.864-06:00

You Know What to Do For 15 years now, the band has been organizing the Mid-Winter Ceilidh. It grew from an event to a festival of many events, back to a ceilidh, and then to a one-day event capped by the ceilidh at night. It is the band's first [real] public performance in most years, and it is also a great night, because we always have other notable performers. This year is no exception. Check

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-74308230206972368352007-01-18T11:54:00.000-06:002007-01-18T14:56:59.957-06:00

Our Loss, Their GainAmong the members who aren't wearing the MacTavish with City of Regina this year are pipers Graham Schmidt and Nils Michael. Graham is a Regina product, and has played in the band for about 5 years, and Nils came to us from Germany via England & Scotland. When selecting a university to do his M.A. in Economics, Nils wanted to choose a good university near a Grade 2 pipe band,

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-89939525634420710482007-01-12T16:46:00.000-06:002007-01-12T17:09:17.103-06:00

Happy New Year, FinallyThe last post painted a dreary [accurate] picture of where the band sits, and the holiday did not bring better news. Our Lead Drummer Dave Roth has stepped away to complete his university studies, and we have several people in the "not available until May" category. It would appear that, at best, this will be a slow-starting competitive year. We will be lucky to have enough

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-42819263842062754852006-12-17T23:46:00.000-06:002006-12-18T00:03:51.324-06:00

The Last Band of 2006Today was the last band practice for 2006, and if today was an indication, we don't have a band for 2007. Having said that, there have been a few lean winters in the 15 years we have been on the road, and many of them have ended in great summers of fun and performance. This one should be no different.A very enthusiastic and dedicated group of people has been coming regularly

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-22962418620989994182006-12-03T21:56:00.000-06:002006-12-03T22:28:41.844-06:00

A Word on Lead DrummersIn the course of the band's 14 or so years, we have had a few lead drummers. Part of the equation of change is that we have had the same miserable a-hole as PM all these years. Not always right, but usually thinks he is, and stubborn to boot. It drives a lot of things forward, some people out, and makes some hesitate to join. Mea culpa.We've had some crackers as lead

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1164134418509502052006-11-21T12:19:00.000-06:002006-11-21T12:47:59.486-06:00

Whatever You Do—Don't Win Grade 2!Since winning the Worlds with two outstanding performances back in August, the Robert Malcolm Memorial Grade 2 band has been in the piping news, as people speculated what would happpen with their grading—would they stay in Grade 2? Go to Grade 1? Compete against their own SFU? The story more or less finished with the resignation of the band's leadership this week

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1163354395665861412006-11-12T11:42:00.000-06:002006-11-12T11:59:55.686-06:00

On RememberingThe role of pipe bands and pipers in Remembrance Day calls out a cast of characters that we don't always see together. The annual services in Regina see the City of Regina, Conservatory and Wa Wa Shrine pipe bands perform together at the Agridome, and the RCMP Pipe Band plays a separate role there as well. At the Cenotaph in Victoria Park, the Regina Police Service plays. While we

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1162185491327912782006-10-29T23:06:00.000-06:002006-10-29T23:25:13.640-06:00

Week #1: You Have to Start SomewhereWell, we had the first band practice today, and it's clear that we have a lot of work to do to just make it onto the field in 2007. It's a long way to the top, when you want to...play in a competitive pipe band. Thanks AC/DC, for that steal. Ah well, as our former premier used to say, "Never say 'Whoa' in a mudhole." So backs to the wheel, dig in, here we

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1161496625371403702006-10-21T23:36:00.000-06:002006-10-23T22:05:53.620-06:00

In a Week, It All Starts AgainI had a look, and the first post here was last January, in the lead up to the Mid-Winter Celtic Festival. A scan back through the months, and you see the tremendous effort by all band members to put together music for the Festival and the Glendive concert, the various fundraising, and ultimately, the unfolding drama of performance, travel and competition.I have had

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1160501848852940592006-10-10T11:32:00.000-06:002006-10-11T10:43:54.966-06:00

Moss Doesn't Grow on a Rolling StoneA short postscript to the previous note...the concert was a huge success according to anyone who was there, and there were about 80,000 over the weekend. The Stones were in great form, and near the end of the show Mick Jagger did a run all the way down the football field walkway. The guy is clearly in brilliant shape, and good on them for delivering so well.

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1160189016115312162006-10-06T20:33:00.000-06:002006-10-06T20:54:53.766-06:00

Can't Get No SatisfactionTonight and Sunday, The Rolling Stones are playing in Regina. Say what? Rolling Stones? Regina? They are expecting about 30-40,000 per show, which [if true...sales may be exaggerated] makes it the biggest show of its kind ever staged here. Almost everyone I know is going, has tickets, has people coming in to see it, and the city bars and restaurants will be wild. The beer

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1159336647457365972006-09-26T23:20:00.000-06:002006-10-02T14:06:36.096-06:00

This Post is All About YOUIn Fall 1992, I was on the brink of something really big in my life. As September rolled on, Barb and I were going to Drs appointments to figure out what was happening with that lump inside her that seemed to be pretty active, and upside down. That lump was named Eilidh, and she was born October 2, 1992 on a day that was 30° C. The very first organizational meeting of

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1158444742207914652006-09-16T15:55:00.000-06:002006-09-19T23:51:18.176-06:00

New Season Begins October 1stThe new season for the pipe band begins October 1st, 1:00 pm at the Legion. We will be having the AGM that day so that we can get some early plans made for the new season, set some goals, and see what we need to do to achieve them. In conversations with Dave, Barb, and Kenna, we have identified some challenges and opportunities for the band and its members in the

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1157132481983805672006-09-01T11:23:00.000-06:002006-09-11T14:35:26.860-06:00

The Future is NowAs it turned out, we didn't have enough players to make the trip to Calgary/Canmore. Too bad, because they always put on a great weekend, and this year we would have had good competition from Edmonton and Chilliwack. Hope those bands have a great weekend, and may the best band get the fastest beers in the Rose & Crown at 3 am.We need to get ourselves organized for the coming year

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1156028576874576762006-08-19T16:58:00.000-06:002006-08-23T23:32:15.966-06:00

Moving on to the Next ThingThe band is entered to complete at Calgary and Canmore Highland Games, but it is looking doubtful if we have enough people to field a band that weekend. We have university start-ups, new jobs, lack of money and holidays as the main reasons, and good reasons they are.The next thing is to decide who wants to have another go at the band in the upcoming season, and we have

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21076925.post-1155542762362828182006-08-14T01:56:00.000-06:002006-08-16T11:43:52.356-06:00

Perth Highland Games: A Journey's EndThe band got up and went to Perth on the bus this morning, and as you might expect, most people slept all the way there. Apparently, a few had a rather late night on Saturday.Nevertheless, we had a decent performance at Perth, not quite as good in some respects as the Worlds, but pretty good. We were 3rd in a six-band contest. The winners were The Royal Scots

Iain MacDonaldnoreply@blogger.com2