The Last Band of 2006

Today 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 all autumn, and many recently learned some new music and assisted with the successful Chrismas concert. Thanks to you all for your drive and commitment. We know that we have members at a distance who are commited to being there when the roads are clear again, and we'll be waiting.

When Christmas and Hogmany are over, I will be in touch with each of you—looking for your commitment, or your uniform and instruments. Think it over and decide what you'll be doing, because if you live fairly close at hand, "I'll see you in May" isn't going to cut it. You can't be in a Grade 2 band without commiting to the program, and we can't survive at this level without a stronger commitment, especially from those players in Regina and area.

I'm looking forward to playing the new music in 2007, and I want to do it with the best band as we can assemble. In the meantime, best wishes to all for a safe and happy holiday season.

A Word on Lead Drummers


In 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 drummer. Paul Hamilton arrived from Ontario at precisely the right time in the band's history, and took on the task with enthusiasm and supprted all the band did. Ryan Sullivan took charge of the corps at a young age, and drove forward our musical ability as a band in many ways. Doug Pritchard's calm and organized approach built the numbers in the corps, and he was great to work with on all fronts. Tim Borton developed quickly in the corps, and his precise playing style and mega-enthusiasm for the genre made the band an exciting place. Brett Stinson took over the corps from Tim, and made some risky and large changes to refresh the corps, and succeeded. Then, there was Dave Roth.

Through most of these years—with a year or so break at one point—Dave Roth has played under all these LDs, and at one point played LD himself [1999]. Dave has never been a "jump to front" kind of guy. He was always about playing with a good corps, in a good band, and he has come back last-minute to rescue us on more than one occasion whe we were in tough and needed that strong flank player to make us competitive. Dave has always had strong ideas about bands and drumming, and what seems to drive him is his love for drumming, and his loyalty to this band.

So here we are, post-Scotland, and struggling to keep our heads above water, and it's very tough to constantly re-build, re-build, re-build, and stay enthused. And so I wanted to say this: wherever the road leads, and whatever the future brings, it has been such a privilege to play with Dave Roth, and now to be PM of the band that he helps to lead. Ditto to the rest of you: Paul, Ryan, Doug, Tim and Brett. It hasn't always been an easy or a smooth road, but if I never said it in so many words before: thanks for everything.

And if you're sitting on your hands when you could be playing in the band, get off your backside and get to it. The PM might be bad, but the LD more than makes up for it.

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. Dave & Shaunna Hilder, and Andre Tessier have all packed it in, and rumours are that many others have too.

Last year at this time, we had the 2005 World Champion Drambuie-Kirkliston Pipe Band folding after several successful seasons building to the top of Grade 2.

On the one hand, it's sad to see a great band go, and you can't but admire the skill and dedication that brings a band like RMM to the top of its grade. RMM2 has always had a scrappy competitive relationship with Maple Ridge that drove both bands far forward of where they might otherwise have ended up. Dave, Shaunna and Andre deserve a lot of credit for the band's ultimate success, as do former builders, including Dave Hicks, Pat Napper and Kathy MacPherson.

On the other hand, the RMM band will be just fine, and the spaces will likely fill with other people willing to stand in the Ancient Fraser kilt and be part of an overall winning and successful organization. By this time next year, it'll likely be off the radar screen, and a "new" RMM2 wil have successfully finished a season in the field.

What's lost in that big picture is the individual effort and committment that it took to get the current band to where it was. So, congratulations to all those RMM2 members on their success, and best wishes for your future plans, be they in RMM, or elsewhere.

On Remembering

The 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 are remembering the veterans who gave their lives, and honouring those who remain, as well as the current military, I also tend to think about the more immediate losses reflected in the ranks of the pipe bands.

I can't play that parade without remembering Brian Fraser. Our former bass drummer was a big part of the band in so many ways, and he had a special place and role on Remembrance Day. It was on that parade that he adopted the name "Only the Bass Drummer," which became his own joke on himself. This year, we missed Bruce Cooke, who was PM of the Wa Wa Shrine for a long time, and who did these ceremonies for many years. I thought about him yesterday, and reflected on his many years of service to the community. And these are just two.

In the life of a piping community, we see a lot of people come and go, and doing an annual parade where we see most is one way to note that passage of time, and the change of guard.

Week #1: You Have to Start Somewhere
Well, 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 go.

The good news is that the digital age made the new music almost painless. Posted sound files and scores for new tunes and snare beatings make it a quick start at band, and we played through most of the [still developing] new medley today, as well as some other stuff. Nice scores, Dave.

If you didn't make this one, get the tunes out and expect a call...

Mid-Winter Celtic Festival Launches



Go to Festival Page

In a Week, It All Starts Again
I 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 my head buried deep in piles on music recently, and we have some great tunes to look forward to next week. Ex-member Sean Somers has penned a cracking opener for the new medley, and Dave Roth has been trolling the depths at Tradtunes.com for some great music. The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band was kind enough to help out with a couple of requests, and so was SFU. When all is said and done, it is about the music, and I'm looking forward to getting to it.

The Mid-Winter Celtic Festival will be back on February 3rd, 2007, and we have a great surprise lined up, to be announced shortly. Gonna be an awesome show!


This November 2nd is the 80th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #1 in Regina. This grand building has been the band's home since early in our first year of operation, and we have had many a good tune [and quite a few "developing" ones] in the hall. It'd be great to have a full turn out on November 11, or as full as it can be. In times when Canadian soldiers are losing their lives abroad, it's not a bad thing to show that we are cognizant of the sacrifices made.

Moss Doesn't Grow on a Rolling Stone

A 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. Not sorry to have missed it, and happy that it was clearly such a great experience for those who wanted to be there.

Can't Get No Satisfaction

Tonight 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 will flow, the old boys will shake what they have left, and all will be fine.


I won't be there, and while the event casts a shadow you can't ignore, I'm happy to say that I don't really care to be there. Once you've been to a Planxty show live in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh, the Stones in Taylor Field [in 8°C weather] just won't do. I might just put on "Planxty—Live 2004," turn it up loud, and imagine the sea of Irish rugby colours that invaded the Usher Hall back in 1981 when Planxty played to over 3,000 wildly enthusiastic fans. Now, that was a concert.

This Post is All About YOU

In 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 the CRPB was held at a community centre in East Regina that September. We had 15 pipers, some mid-section players, and 5 snares. By Christmas, we had 5 pipers, a rookie bass drummer, and one snare drummer. The band was saved by the arrival from ON of an experienced and enthusiastic drummer with Grade 1 experience. [Thanks Paul.]

A lot happens in 14 years. Eilidh is now the same height as her Mom. She has been a provincial Highland dancing champion and had many prizes across North America and Scotland. She has won piping prizes with her band and in solos, has very high [ie: much higher than her Dad ever had] marks at school, and is absolutely dying to get into the CRPB. Part of her motivation is that her younger brother, no slouch either, has been playing in the band for two years. One of the true joys of competing with the band in the last two years has been to play in the same band with Ruaridh. He has been a great band member, especially for someone aged 11/12: works hard, rarely complains or moans at [or about] long practices, and took his lumps with dignity when he got cut last year. Age 11. Did I mention that?

So, heading into the next year, I'm thinking that 14 years is a great start. Can you remember when you were 14? Lots of possibilities yet to be explored, and opportunities at every corner. What is going to make this year special for me, is the inclusion of a new crop of players, the beginning of something fresh. The band is all about providing an opportunity that wouldn't otherwise exist here. That seems worth it, even after 14 years. And for those of you who have been in the band already, and are staying for the next bit: you won't be disappointed.

New Season Begins October 1st

The 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 months ahead, The big Scotland trip over [and paid for!] we have to turn out attention to developing the band in some other areas, and look to a North American travel schedule for 2007.

A band is not a static environment: members come and go as their schedules and interests dictate, and this fall is no different. There will be some changes as members decide to do other things, and this provides opportunities for new members to get into the band and get involved. The banner here appears on our web site, and we invite all interested pipers and drummers to come out to the band, and see where we can go from here.

If you're leaving the band, thanks for your efforts on all fronts—musical, organizing, fundraising.

The Future is Now

As 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, and a few questions come to mind. Who's in? Who's out? What should next year's goals be? Are we actually in the right grade? How can we develop the players and the organization more successfully?

One of the annual rites of Fall for me is evaluation of things band related: goals, directions, members, and my continued participation. If you're in the band, time to feed into the process. If you're not in, dryclean the gear and return. If you are one of many "Anon" blog readers, what do you think?

From the outside, maybe it seems a little crazy to think so much about changing or re-designing what has been one of the most consistently successful bands in the region. Well, it has been so consistently successful because we have always done just that.

Moving on to the Next Thing

The 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 heard from at least one who is bowing out, and there may be more, as is common at this time of year. The real question is: who'sd out there that wants to take up the challenge?

Perth Highland Games: A Journey's End


The 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 Dragoon Guards (who won at North Berwick, Perth and were in the final at the Worlds) and second was the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. We were third, the 1st Battalion Scots Guards were fourth.

Following the games, we had a drink at the bus, and many songs on the bus back to Glasgow. The band bought a lot of Chinese food, and we had a buffet at the residence, after which many people went out. The photo here is of the Todd Bar at Strathclyde University. There were as many people again on the patio outside, and they were all there for the pipe band events.

So, that's it for Scotland 2006. It was a good band trip, and the members developed musically and in other ways. Next up is Calgary/Canmore, and we're looking into whether or not we can do that. Not sure we'll have enough people with holidays and money to make it work. Stay tuned.

The Worlds: That's Us on the Right


The bus came at 7:30 am this morning, and we went down to Glasgow Green. As it turned out, we had a great parking spot for the bus, and it was a sunny and warm morning. We had a tune off the bus to settle in, then a walk 'round to make sure we knew where to go, etc., and then tuned for about 45 minutes before playing.

This was the best performance of the trip so far, and we were happy. It could have been better, but it was about the best we could expect today. It turned out to be 16/17 in the heat. In our defence, we played very early (2nd on) and of the six pipe bands who finished in the final six on the day, five were from our heat.

We recorded the Worlds performance on video, and you can listen to it HERE When you get to YouTube, search fior "CRPB" and you'll find it.


The 12 bands that made the final [see http://www.piperanddrummer.com] were all excellent, and were very happy to see that Robert Malcolm Memorial from BC won Grade 2 in the end. What a great achievement for the band, and so good to see friend Shaunna and Dave Hilder succeed after a couple of close misses. Well done also to Andre Tessier and the drum corps, and of course to ex-CRPB member Dave Thorpe.

So, all I can say is that the band gave a great effort, and we had our best play, and it was judged to be not what was needed for the day. The band members performed well, and we learned more about what our limitations are, and it draws some clear goals for areas in which we need to improve. A positive was that the drum corps was 10th in the heat.

Heard a few Grade 1 bands, and so many had a great sound. Excellent to see Alberta Caledonia in the final at the Worlds, and also to see SFU have such a strong finish. Band members spent lots of time listening to the bands, and meeting old friends and acquaintances. Apart from the disappointment of a low placing, it was a great day, and we're all looking forward to Perth tomorrow.

Of Airports, Practice, Hard Decisions, and Festival Fun


The news of the airport madness came as we were waiting for band members Dave Hicks and Ian Aastrom to arrive. Dave flew from Calgary, and eneded up snarled in London, as did Ian who was travelling with the Transcona Pipe Band from Winnipeg. Both got here, but report of the widespread confusion, delays and difficulty. It seems as though something very bad has been averted, but it will not be easy travelling to and from the UK in the near future. Band members are anticipating having to check their pipes in the cargo on Monday, as well as all their personal belongings.

Band practice has been going well. Dave Roth has re-built the drums at least once, and refined the sound, and we have been working hard on tenors and bass, and of course the pipes too.

Trying to be competitive in the 2nd Grade at the World Championship is a big job for a band, and we are trying to push the band as hard as we can to get the most out of all the players, and represent our level as best we can. Sometimes, this means that not everyone gets to play, and these are extremely hard decisions to make, especially when they involve veteran players, valued band members, and of course—friends.

The Piping Festival is a fantastic experience for all involved, and this is Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes in performance at the Piping Centre on Wednesday. What a beautiful voice she has. Get to this Festival. It's brilliant.

Off to the band dinner right now in Glasgow, and then we have an early day tomorrow. The lunches are made, the shoes are shined, and the water is in the cooler. Temperature looks to be mixed sunny and overcast, about 25°C.

Playing for the World, And a Day Off


Monday morning the band climbed back on the bus for the short trip to Glasgow's George Square. Once again, we had the honour of kicking off the Glasgow International Piping Festival with a 30-minute performance at the Square. A large crowd was gathered, and they were very appreciative. We were followed by The City of Blacktown and the Australian Highlanders, both Grade 1 bands.

Following our performance, and a few photos, the band scattered for the next 48 hours. Many went to piping concerts and shows, some to meet friends and socialize, and many ended up at the Lord Todd Bar and the Piping Centre Club for some late night music. You can get a sense of the Festival by checking out PiperandDrummer.com.

Tuesday [today], band members have scattered to various parts of Scotland. Some took a driving route through central Scotland, some took the train back to North Berwick to explore the seacoast and the historic sites, and many are taking advantage of Glasgow's incredible museums, shows, and the Piping Festival. Two members have enrolled in the "Back to BASSics" tenor and bass workshop for the day.

Band members are getting a much needed break from daily practice and pressure to perform, before it all winds back up tomorrow, with two practices a day.

Thanks for all your messages in posts and emails.

Bridge of Allan: And Work to do Before We Sleep


What started as a chilly and overcast day, turned out to be hot and sunny in the afternoon, and a beautiful day at the Bridge of Allan Games. The band had a very good warm up and preparation for Bridge of Allan, but in the end, we had some issues that would put us well down in the list. The drummers had a very rough play, and up front there were a number of blowing issues. Very disappointing for all.

The early draw combined with the bad play meant a very low placing. So, we spent the afternoon listening to bands tuning, and enjoyed the social atmosphere at the Games. There were many people there to watch and listen, and lots of pipe band folks from around the World showing up in preparation for the Worlds.

Alberta Caledonia had a great day, placing 2nd in the Grade 1 event. This is a superb finish for them, and bodes well for next week at the Worlds. The 78th Fraser Highlanders were there too, and finished third behind Alberta. I spent an hour listening to the pipe section warm up, and they were very good. I loved the tune selections they used to warm up: classic 6/8 and 4/4 marches. Great stuff.

Tomorrow the band performs at George Square in Glasgow as the first official show of the 2006 Piping Live! Festival. Then, we have a "day off" to recover, and start preparations for next weekend on Wednesday. The goal for the next week will to build on the positive elements of this past weekend, and to work hard to improve the delivery of sound, and the relaxed kind of musical performance that we need to contend for prizes in Grade 2.

On a personal note, I have to say that it is deeply disappointing to be so far back in the list today, but even more so to have played poorly. The band members have worked extremely hard, contributed a lot of personal time and money to be here, and it would be great to be able to put on a better show next weekend, regardless of what placings we get.

So, at the end of the day, looking for solace, I turn to other things that make me happy, or inspire me to try again. When you're working hard at something you love, and not always succeeding, you have to find the spark to keep yourself going, so that you can motivate others to keep going too. So I went to YouTube again and listened to this video by Scottish singer Karine Polwart. Hope you like it too. LISTEN

North Berwick: A Beautiful Day on the East Coast


The bus arrived promptly at 8:45 this morning, and we made the 1.5 hour trip to North Berwick in good time. This year, the driver brought us into the town and ther games park from the other side, and we got a stunning view of the East coast, Tantallon Castle [see below] and other natural features.

We spent an hour in the morning working on the bagpipe sound and drums, had the lunch that we packed at the residence, and then got down to playing. The Grade 2 event went well. We played everyone, had a good sound, and played well. There is room to improve for sure. We did improve on some aspects when we competed again in the Grade 1 event, but by then the players were tired, and the performance was physically much harder, and past our best. Still, the drummers had a better second run, and some aspects of the piping were better, in part because it was more relaxed.

We recorded the Grade 2 event on video, and you can listen to it HERE

Result: we were 4th of 9 grade 2 bands. Although initially this is a step back from the 2nd prize we got here last year, this was a stronger field than last year, with three excellent Grade 2 bands ahead of us. Full results at www.rspba.org


Aside from a great view of the castle, it was great to see so many pipe band friends there. Alberta Caledonia had two very strong performances to win the Grade 1 events, and the Gaelic College PB from Cape Breton did well in Grade 3. Also in the prizes was Ogden Legion from Calgary. We saw P/M Alex Cupples and his son Ian. They were visiting and came out to the Games. Also bumped into a wide variety of folk, from former Edinburgh Police and Babcock-Renfrew P/M Iain McLeod, to Major Gavin Stoddart, who was just at the piping school in Regina.

Thanks to everyone for their posts and emails. We are off to Bridge of Allan in the morning, and we play around 12:30 pm. Looking forward to a better performance, although a prize will a be a tough order, b/c there are more bands, and many more good bands likely to be there, and most of them playing after us.

More to come.

Day One: Finding the Scotland Sound


Looking forward to North Berwick tomorrow, and band members are focussed on playing well. Above photo is was taken a few minutes ago in one of the common kitchen areas at the dorm where we are styaing. In the background is the trophy from North Berwick last year.

Practice today was a shock to everyone's jet-lagged system. Pipes are harder when you first get here. The mositure opens up the reeds, and the system expands with moisture. The good news is that the sound is ultimately better, too. Bagpipes and humidity are a good match, to a point. New drum heads contribute to an overall Day One struggle as we try to turn around the band sound in a new climate, and with some new reeds and heads.


In the dorm, 10:20 p.m., there is the sound of practice chanters and pads here and there, some smallpipes in the 2nd floor kitchen, and an iPod boom box in the first floor kitchen playing tunes of a more mainstream variety. Some have gone to bed, and some are ironing shirts and cleaning shoes. Living in the dorms, we get to experience each other's culinary flirtations. Here's one I thought I'd share.

Bus comes at 9:00 a.m.tomorrow, and we'll try to post when we return.

In Scotland Again


I have been here for pretty much a week now, and ytoday met up with the rest of the pipe band in Glasgow. Most of the band members arrived this afternoon in Glasgow. Since arriving, I have watched the Grade 1 and a few Grade 2 bands at the European Championships in Greenock, and have travelled around a lot, and played at two Highland Games.

Met some pipers from The Blacktown bands from Australia, and some friends from the UK and Canadian piping scene. Most impressive so far was Field Marshal Montgomery. They were stellar in the pouring rain, and would have been very deserving winners of that competition. Had the best pipe tone by a wide margin, plus a great overall package. 5th in ensemble? Not in my books.

Tayside Police were also very good indeed, and had a better sound than a few Grade 1 bands I heard. 12th in piping? Either something very bad happened that only one piping judge heard, or one of the judges had a bad day.

And a mystery solved: it turns out that the North Berwick people have "78th Fraser Highlanders" in the draw, when what they mean is "78th Highlanders, Halifax Citadel." Arrived at the dorms in Glasgow to find gate passes and the draw from the committee in North Berwick, and it seems that someone made an understandable error when entering the bands for the draw.

So, we will prepare the field for the 78th Highlanders [Halifax] at North Berwick, and not the 78th Frasers. "There can be only one.." [off-stage left, deep voice that sounds like Bill Livingstone.]

The title of this post: next time you're in a used book store, have a cruise through the Scottish and travel books to see if you can find this title by "H.V. Morton." He also penned "In Scotland," anbd they are charming travelogues from an era past. As we meander through the countryside, I often think of Morton, and what he would make of modern Scotland.

All About Hard Work, Trolls, Friends and Draws

Hard Work Thanks to the band members for their hard work over the weekend. We had a great time at O'Hanlon's and thanks also to the many band friends and supporters who came out to wish us well. Our thanks also and a tip of the glengarry to Niall O'Hanlon himself, always the supporter and an extraordinary pint of Guinness to be had there as well. The band's accomplishments this year have been nothing less than extraordinary: solid plays and wins at home against good competition, concerts and new music, a complete new set of drums, new chanters, and a trip to Scotland. Not bad all things considered, especially when bands in the heartland of Scotland are giving up the ghost because they are struggling with numbers and money.

Trolls Even in Regina, peaceable little prairie city, web trolls attempt nasty anonymous posts about the band. So unsure of your views or ashamed of your behaviour that you can't sign your name? If this blog really gets under your skin, perhaps you should get some counselling sessions or grammar lessons? There seems to be some need for both.

Friends Past and Present So many people have called or emailed to wish the band well, and our thanks for your support and interest. In preparing for another large trip, I have been thinking about how much Brian Fraser and Tim Dixon would have been into this trip. Last year, the week of the O'Hanlon's send off, Brian called to tell me how painful it was for him to have us go without him being in the band. I promised him the bass drum head when we returned from the trip, and sadly, I had to deliver it at his funeral. Thanks to all you past members for your contributions, all of which helped to make this season possible. You long-time, now retired or moved on players, we'll lift a glass for you.

Draws Another day, another crappy draw. Bridge of Allan has us on 2nd. Good news: after an incredible performance, we'll have all afternoon to scoop pints and listen to bands. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon, all things considered.

You, Me and The 78th Frasers


The draw for North Berwick was posted yesterday, and it seems as though the contest organizers have changed their minds since the entry form went out. The combined Grade 2 and 1 event will be a medley this year. This means we won't really need an MSR in Scotland, unless somewhere else has a change of heart, too.

Regardless, the best part is that we play the combined event just before the 78th Frasers. Years from now, you can tell your grandchildren, "Yes, at North Berwick in '06, we were just ahead of the Frasers." No one need know by then that it was the draw, and not the result. North Berwick offers a unique opportunity to Grade 2 bands: to play against some of the best bands in the World. For the Grade 1 bands, these can be hair pullers, as bands last year would tell you who lost to the Grade 2 Drambuie-Notplaying Pipe Band.

All things considered, it should be an exciting time, and I'm looking forward to some great tunes on Scottish soil.

Not An Ideal Draw, But Where Would You Rather Be?
So if you are thinking that maybe 2nd out of 20 bands in the heat [see Worlds draw at www.rspba.org] is a bad draw, you are right. Having said that, nothing has really changed except that, as Dave Roth pointed out, maybe we'll get a better parking spot this year? Don't count on that, either.

The good news is that the play time is a minute off 11:00 am, and shouldn't make it hard to get things together for then. Also, morning dew/rain will be dry, if it's going to be dry.

Here's the thing: at 11:00 am on the 12th, there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be than standing in the circle with the CRPB. Don't care about the time, the order, or the judges. Can't wait.

The Back Stretch
Ever watched a horse race, such as the Kentucky Derby? I am not a racing fan per se, but I think horse racing is pretty exciting. I once gave £2 to my buddy John Lappin to place a bet on a longshot at the Scottish Cup in Ayr. The horse was called "King Conn," named after the legendary founder of the Clan Donald. He was also a 33:1 longshot. So John says, "I'll place the bets" and heads off with my £2, and comes back. We watch the race, and to my great excitement, King Conn makes a break out of the back stretch, and through what seems sheer will and very hard riding, wins the race. That was when I found out John placed my £2 on his horse—a 2:1 favourite—which placed well back.

We're in the back stretch now. We have a few weeks to go until we arrive in Scotland for our next contests of the season, and this is the time to turn on the steely determination to play well. We can't decide the prizes, but we can decide how we will play. It's all about preparation and details, and the rest should look after itself. There are lots of distractions at the moment, and we haven't had the best attended or most regular practice schedule for about a month, and it's not going to get better until the summer school here is done.

What can you do? You can do the work where you are. Make the instruments great, make your playing great, and the band will follow. Too many people are taking a break from individual practice at the moment, and it's the wrong time. We're in the back stretch, and the corner is coming. Dig deep. Go hard. Sometimes, the 33:1 horses win.

Seeing the Future

If the last year proves anything, it's that we can't see or really predict the future, but sometimes, you just get a feeling. Last night was the Spring Recital for our Grade 4 pipe band The Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band and what a great night it was. It gave me the feeling that the future for piping and drumming is very strong, especially if we are able to get more kids into the program. If you are interested in a strong Grade 2 band well into the future, this should be a focus of your recruiting activity. We need a strong focus in our band on teaching and supporting kids who want to play these instruments. If we do that, it'll be easier to predic the future success of our own group.

Moose Jaw & Regina: A Good Start
That was fun. The debut for new instruments and band members was pretty good, and got better as the weekend went on. It was a good start. The thing is this: I think it has the potential to be much better. How good could it be, musically speaking? That might be in your hands—if you are a band member. There are some areas to improve, and many of them have to do with individual levels of readiness and performance.

Go back to one of the very early posts on this blog [http://crpb.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_crpb_archive.html] for January 20 and you'll note that I have been thinking about this for awhile. To make the next steps, the individual levels of readiness and confidence in preparation have to be higher. On your mark, get set...

Great work over the weekend. That was our most impressive season start to-date, except maybe in 1993, when it was absolutely stunning to show up with a new band and win. Very nice to win drumming both days, and great job by all on making that possible.

One of the best moments of the weekend for me was this: after playing one of the Grade 4 band events, two long-time friends of pipe bands in Regina who refer to themselves as "CRPB Roadies" [but in fact have been supporters of the Fraser, Victoria Park, City of Regina and Conservatory bands] came up with a donation for the band's trip to Scotland. "Let's cut out the perogy middleman," they said,"and get this straight into the band fund."

Playing some good music, and having the support of friends to do it, is what it's all about.

Schedule Changes: Good News/Bad News
We've had an up and down week on the scheduling front. First, we added several fundraisers to the schedule, then we heard that Red Deer Highland Games had cancelled the piping and drumming portion of their games, and so it makes little sense to travel to Ellerslie, either. So, take those games off the list, and our first competition after this weekend is....North Berwick!

The good news is that members won't have to spend the money to travel and eat in AB over that weekend. We WILL be planning to do something that weekend, though, so keep it open and send your ideas. Band weekend practice? Concert? Recording? All three?

Also, we received an invitation to play at George Square again this year as part of the Glasgow International Piping Festival. Brush off your "Black Donald's Suite." Tune list to come.

Looking forward to the weekend. Hoping that the weather gods are smiling on us, for a change.

Sad, But True
Having recently passed the half-century mark [and many thanks to all who made it such a great occasion] I have to admit that at my age, after way too many years of doing it, I still get...uh, what is the current word... pumped? stoked? psyched? excited? anticipatory? about a big weekend band practice.

This weekend is not different. We have people coming in to get ready to compete, all-day drumming sessions, NEW BAND CHANTERS [didja hear that?] to put in, and possibly some fun, too. The thing that I really like is that people are coming from a long way to play with the band. They are making a big investment of time, cash and enthusiasm in what we have going here. My goal is always to make that investment pay for people, from near and far.

And, Dave says he's going to make cookies. C'mon, beat that.

The Price of Fun
Band members are likely in a bit of shock over the cost of air tickets to Glasgow. There's no question that it is a more expensive proposition than it was last year. We are bound by the fact that we spent lots of band money on badly needed new drums, and have less to play with than last year, and can't afford to pay down a portion of everybody's fare in advance.

"How can I afford this?" you might be asking. "How can you not?" I would reply. For those of you early in your school/work cycle, money is hard to come by, and $600 more is a lot. The good news is this: it won't ever be easier. Add home and family commitments, spouses with less interest in pipe bands than you, kids to pay for, mortgages, loans...and even if you have a totally committed spouse [like me] and kids deadly keen to go, try scraping together airfare times 5!

This is going to be a good trip, and it's also going to be the best CRPB so far. Last year's trip improved the band a lot, and the band has continued to develop and improve since then. It isn't cheap, but it's going to be a lot of fun, and a lot of good playing.

We'll find ways to make it possible for everyone, but here's what has to happen first: open the door to allow in all the possibilities. To paraphrase Henry Ford: If you say you can't, or if you say you can, either way, you'll be correct.

Back Soon
This weekend I missed band because I was in Winnipeg. I did a workshop with the Winnipeg Police Pipe Band, and one with the Cameron Highlanders. Both of these bands are great Winnipeg traditions, and both have a unique culture and history. The Winnipeg Police have had many excellent pipers in the ranks over the years. Perhaps the best-known was Neil Sutherland, who was equal to many of the great players of the day, and who also founded the Regina Piobaireachd Society when he was in the police here in the late 1920s. Don Morrison was P/M of the Winnipeg Police for years, and they have had many fine players from the top bands in the area. They still have a good band, and we had a great day of working on their sets and music, and getting into the pipes.

There have been Cameron pipers active in Winnipeg at Minto Armoury since 1913, before there were any houses around the Armoury! There is a great photo on the wall in the band room taken in aboout 1917, with a fully kitted pipe band--12 or so pipers, tenors, bass and several snare drums. The guys in the band joke that they can recognize pieces of their uniform in the photo, and there's not a little pride in the history. The band is making strides in Grade 4, and will be challenging up soon. They have a strong program, good leadership, and intensity.

Both of these bands made me think a little about our band, and where it will be in 5, 10, 20, 50 years. In the 14 years the band has been around, we have done some amazing things. We have built, developed, and maintained an organization that turns out good bands year after year [yeah, some years better than others], finds the money to do things, and makes an impression on the larger pipe band world. This is all good, but maybe it's time to do some long-range planning and development? There will be a "post-Iain" band. What will it look like? Might be time to start thinking about that.

Thanks!

Thanks to all the band members for their long hours and relentless vigour over the past week or so of Brier performances, St. Paddy's Pub Crawl, and Glendive. The band looked and sounded well at all times, and it was fun (albeit tiring) to do so much with the band in such a short time. If you brought someone along on the Friday night, please thank them from the band.

Thanks also to the Friends of the Library Committee in Glendive, and especially Pat and Brenda Mischel and Meneely Townsend who do so much to make it a great weekend for the band, and for the people of Glendive. And, thanks to all you folks in Glendive for coming out to the concert, following us on the pub crawl, and for going out of your way to say "welcome" and "thanks for coming."

There were some nice moments over the past week. It was great to see the size of band we can put out for things like the Brier, and to hear how well the Conservatory of Performing Arts Pipe Band blends with our own. It was good to hear some of the very good tone we were getting in the Glendive concert, and good to see the development of the snare line since Christmas. I'm sure we all have our own favourite moments...

On a completely unrelated note, I ended up at Buzz Brown's Image Event Site and there's our Kate Rennie, practising and playing with the 78ths. Good on you Kate, we all wish you the best of luck with the band, and we know you'll contribute. May all the pint glasses you fill be beer! : )

Tim Horton's Brier Meets St. Paddy's
Get some sleep while you're able...it looks like a big week ahead. OK, first there was the Saturday morning Opening Ceremonies for the Brier, followed by pipers at the draws three times a day, all week. Add to that the annual St. Paddy's Tour on Friday night, and then the bus trip to Glendive and back...full concert, bit of parade, and pub crawl...and THEN the bus home on Sunday to close out the Brier Sunday night at about 9:00 p.m. I'm thinking you'll all need any extra sleep you can get. And in case it's not obvious: save a clean shirt for the closing of the Brier...that one is going to be on TV. I'll be honest: I love St. Paddy's Day and the Glendive thing. I really like the pure fun of playing where people think it's great [even when it isn't always] and of course it meets some needs that keep us in reeds and drum heads and other good stuff. Did I mention that it's fun? I think the thing I really like is that while we are trolling through pubs and halls like every other band on the face of the planet, we are actually doing some good playing, and every now and again, there is a patron sober enough to appreciate that through all the green glitter. So, get the tunes ironed out, the bags seasoned, and the green glitter ready to go.

Time Again?


Today a retail store in Dunoon purchased six CDs from our CD Baby sales site. Got me to thinking, for the 2n time in as many weeks, that maybe it's time to do it again. Imagine a late spring weekend, where we spend a couple of days doing it in a "live" environment, but with the chance for re-takes when needed. I could see it. Might mean a bit more music work, but the preparation in terms of blowing tone and playing the right notes might be just what we need.

Competitive Challenges
Went to the Winnipeg Scottish Festival for some judging, and also playing with the Conservatory Pipe Band. Very cool to see the kids in the band do so well across the boards in their various solo events, and also the band itself played very well, given that it was the first time for a number of them. Pretty good progress. While there, got to hear the Winnipeg St. Andrew's, which was big and impressive. They will provide good competition for us in Grade 2, and I wouldn't want to compete with them in the tug-of-war...

We have to start making firm travel and accommodation plans for Scotland, which means booking air flights, and we have a whack of stuff to look after in March with the Brier, St Paddys, Glendive...but let's not forget that it's still pretty satisfying to kick ass at home, and no fun at all when you don't.

Another Sad Loss

Learned today about Bruce Cooke's sudden and unexpected death this past Saturday. It's been a bit of a year for things like this. I first met Bruce when I was a teenager. He came to Regina to teach at the university (I think) and he was very proud of his Queen's University pipe band experience. Over the years, Bruce proved himself to be a real student of bagpipes and pipe bands. Although he was no Gold Medallist, he was very keen to discover what makes things work, and his engineering background and piping interest often overlapped with experiments in sound, theories about reeds and tuning, and other items. The photo here was taken last summer when we did the Legion parade. Bruce sent me a very nice colour copy of the photo, showing the massed bands and Legion colour party on parade. As well as being a long-time member of the Wa Wa Shrine Pipe Band, Bruce served a couple of stints as pipe major, and was the P/M at the time of his death. As well, he played in the Regina Police Service P&D, and was a member of the 10th Field Regiment RCA Pipe Band when it was active. He was always supportive of the City of Regina Pipe Band, and just a week back was at the Ceilidh, and in the fall was at the Pub Krawl. I really appreciated Bruce's support of the Summer School here, and his enthusiasm as a student. It was not always easy for a man so accomplished in academic and professional life [Phd in Engineering; Professor; Dean of Engineering; professional credentials] to be a student of piping, and he took it on with passion and energy that I admired. I'll miss Bruce at the school this summer, and whenever the local bands get together to play. Our condolences to his family, and to the members of the bands of which he was such a great member.

Gale Turns 40

Here's a milestone that you don't reach everyday. Forty years old. It doesn't seem like long since you were a teenager Gale, walking around with glazed eyes after summer school with Colin MacLellan, and we had 3 years of "Colin says..." Well, who knows, likely Colin was right. Got him a Gold Medal.

And there you are: still the avid student of bagpipes, learning new tunes, competing, and being the runner-up for the big World Championship CLASP event last summer. If only there were classes for staying cool! Ha. On top of that, you have this whole career thing happening. Math up the ying-yang, the incredible story of "0" and the years of teaching and generally enthusing about math. And then there's the MA thesis, the multiple auto mishaps, and the muffins that would sink a fishing trawler. Tai Chi this Gale, and there you are chopping concrete blocks in half and cutting the ears off opponents with your mighty sword. All that, and we still can't get a friggin' band jacket that makes you happy!

Well here are 40 great wishes for your birthday Gale. You are one special person, and we are all happy to know you, and happy to have journeyed in your odd company these many years. You have brought so much to the band, and that only covers a small corner of the people you reach in your life.

So have a great day, and we look forward to your contented middle age!

Another Ceilidh for the Books
Well, that was one good weekend. Can't say enough about how people pitched in to assist in various ways, whether buying and picking up food, supplies, helping in the kitchen, at the door, setting up, tearing down, working in all those ways. Very cool to have dedicated volunteers doing the bar and silent auction, and on top of it all the music was great. Note for another time: we need a pre-appointed band photographer for these events! Anybody get any pics? That would be good. Good tunes for the most part. We need to get some reed stability, and I'd like to get people's mechanical level (tuning slides that work, etc.) back to the top of the tree. We'll keep picking away at the concert stuff, and put some real energy into getting everyone's sound better. So, thanks for all your energy, cooperation and great companionship over the weekend. And, if you hadn't heard, sounds as though all bets are off for us continuing to use the Legion. In truth, it might be time for us to finally put that behind us, although, it has been a good building for us. Not sure we can count on that in the future, though, and if anyone has hot ideas, now would be the time to explore them.

One week to go to the Big Event and band today was a marked improvement on last week, except maybe for my knowledge of a couple of tunes. TIP: refresh yourselves on "The Big Ship"...thanks for screwing that one up for me Alex. There are so many details to be sorted, and as any event organizer can tell you, things seems to snowball in the last week. Apart from the time spent watching Morgan and Bryde cut foam for the drums today, it was a good practice. And, well that wasn't so bad either. This week a CD arrived in the post all the way from South Africa with video and mid-section materials from Kenna. Kinda warms your heart to know that on the other side of the world, someone is working away in their grass hut, fighting off lions, spiders and water-born parasites for the good of the pipe band! Thanks Kenna. We'll miss you at the Ceilidh. It will be good to have Dave Hicks and Ryan Sullivan coming from Calgary. Ryan is a Ceilidh veteran, of course, and Dave will be making his first appearance since leaving "the front row of Nirvana." Welcome to the front row of hell, buddy! And the rest of you, keep working on the music, and get baking. Next summer, when you're standing at the Park Bar ordering a pint, it will all seem worth it.

Band today was kind of amusing. We are cramming to get concert material ready for the The Mid-Winter Celtic Festival and combining learning tunes & scores with figuring out breaks & intros, and making decisions on accompaniment, harmony....

In truth, I really like this time of year. You can feel the band machinery start to work. New music happens, new people step up, and this year of course, we have shiny new drums, and the prospect of another Scotland trip in the works. Band fees are being collected, and people are already surfing the net looking for fares. It's all good.

I think this is going to be fun.

Prairie Bagpipes

I often read a traditional Scottish music forum at "Foot Stompin Celtic Music." There are a lot of performers who log in to banter back and forth. It is sometimes rude, but usually pretty funny and informative. Many of the regulars posters are also regular performers or enthusiasts on the Scottish music scene, so the banter and chat can be good.

Today, I read a post about "Stage Fright," which has been a subject at band for years, and which was a major factor in our crappy play at the Worlds last year. I wanted to refer you to the post, because it covers lots of ground, and there is one particularly good post from Margaret Stewart [a well-known Gaelic singer]. http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=47721

Of course, I am an expert on stage fright. Or in other terms, maybe you could say, "I'm in recovery." There was a time [pre-1978...you know, before most of you were born] when I couldn't compete without throwing up somewhere. I would routinely dry heave while tuning up. What happened? I simply decided to stop. When I went to Scotland, and got the chance to play with a really good band, I knew that I either had to do it, or not, and that there could be no middle ground.

Since then, I still get nerves, but I can channel that into play, and it has become an enjoyable experience. At the recent Kansas City contest, I was nervous as hell all day, but knew I was well prepared, and I really enjoyed playing.

So why am I telling you this? I think a few band members need to make a decision about how they want things to go on the field, and then make it real. But maybe start with the forum postings above, and see that you are not alone, and that there are lots of ways people try to handle it. In the end, of course, we can't be successful as a band until you sort it out.

Was at the Winter Storm weekend in Kansas City, and while there was pondering what a great thing we have going here in Regina (and area, I know....sometimes a wide area, eh Dave?). So many of people at that event would absolutely love to play in a band like CRPB, or even hear one regularly. Yeah, we're not likely to "take out the Worlds" [as Seumas Coyne used to say in his SFU days] but we sure as hell have some advantages. The one thing that struck me was how much money seems to be available for some very basic bands in the USA. While we have a band rich in people with skills and dedication, we could surely use that USA ability to conjure cash. All those sparkly new pipes, drums, band chanters, uniforms, and TRAVEL. Sponsors needed. Apply within.

[Here's post #1 on the CRPB blog. Thought this might be a fun way to trial this, create some interaction, and develop ideas for the band.]

Sunday band was cancelled because the roads were too icy for people to get to band from outside regina, and we even had people in regina not wanting to make the trip because of the weather. Does band in Scotland ever get cancelled because of weather? It gets cancelled due to lack of sponsorship, but weather?