The CRPB started in Fall 1992, and1993 was our first season of performance and competition. So, we've been marking the 20 years for the past two seasons, first with a trip to Scotland in 2012, and this past year with the usual performances and competitions. But generally, for those of us who have been around the band for a long time, there has been a lot to think about.
The 2013 year held some great times and good performances for the band, and while we struggled with consistency due to the dispersed nature of the membership, we had some good plays and made some overall improvements in the way we did things. Large credit is due to L-D Roland Reid, who retired at the end of the season. Rolly's calm and intelligent approach to band and music—and especially to people—made us a better band, and we're going to miss him.
The Saskatchewan Highland Gathering and Celtic Festival was a great event for the band, largely in that it allowed us to see exactly where the deficiencies lay, and give us a roadmap for the summer. The months fly past too quickly when you rely on "band weekends," and yet we got lots of good playing done with smaller groups. Some of the Sunday morning practices in Wascana Park were just highly enjoyable playing in a great location.
For the 20th year running, the band performed for the Royal Canadian Legion's Decoration Day (June) and Remembrance Day (November). These are key events for the band, and ones that we take very seriously. A recent addition to this is band support for the University of Regina convocations (June and October), which help the Conservatory Pipe Band.
And on that note, CRPB band members stepped up to assist with all manner of teaching and support for the Conservatory Pipe Band. Regular instructors in 2013 included Barb MacDonald, Alex Rasmussen, Brett Stinson, Morgan Brady, Willie Currams, Kenna Whelan and Brenna Smith. Along the way, we had lots of help from other band members playing for drummers, helping with gigs, tuning, etc. This is a critically important thing the band does, and one that we need to do better as the years go on.
The trip to Ottawa and Maxville Games in late July/early August was a summer highlight: days together practising, laughing, plotting and then competing. While the results (5th) were a little disappointing, there were some major improvements made, and the band came away feeling that we were travelling in the right direction. The Maxville beer tent was a bit of a highlight also. I believe one band member jumped for the first time in 10 years. Amazing.
The surprise gig of the year would be the band's performance of "Mull of Kintyre" with Sir Paul McCartney at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Nothing like playing in front of 44,000 people in your own city, and the media swirl lasted for days after. There were some nice side stories to this, an example being the Ottawa Police Pipe Band loaning us a set of chanters that would handle A=446, and perhaps the fact that we used an old R.G. Hardie pipe chanter from the 1960s as the main instrument. The Hardie chanter belonged to long-time Regina piper Don Felstrom, who died earlier in the year, shortly after leaving me with a box of chanters and parts that he wanted out of his house. I thought of him that night.
For the first time in a few years, the band ventured back to Calgary Highland Games and then Canmore Highland Games on Sept long weekend. The band had not played medley or MSR since Maxville, so it was a bit of a gamble, but fun was had, despite a horrendous hotel mixup in Canmore. We were 2nd to a very nice sounding Edmonton & District Pipe Band at Calgary, and snuck past them on ensemble preference for the win at Canmore.
After a month off, we started gathering in October, and found that we have a larger local band than we've had in years, and Willie Currams took over from Rolly as L-D to give us a strong local flavour. An early highlight has been the number of people at band most weeks, and that fact that we have pretty strong numbers heading into 2014.
So there it is: a wrap on 20+ years, and a pretty positive spot for the band. It's been an amazing time, all of it, and marked by many people in and around the band who have done their part to make it all work. A quick scan of the news stories on pipes | drums gives you the sense that Grade 2 bands are tough to keep on the road, hard on the members, and fragile overall. Keeping the CRPB active, healthy and playing for all these years has not been easy, and I think there are two things that the band in general needs to plan:
1. Ongoing recruiting, teaching and organizing of kids to play in the Conservatory Pipe Band, so that the local talent pool continues to grow.
2. The next generation of band leadership needs to get ready to take on the Grade 2 band challenge, and to plan it's strength for years into the future.
The more people who write themselves into the plans, and take an active role in developing piping and pipe bands, the more chance there is of the band seeing out the next 20 years with the same success as the first 20.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Some Photos Are Worth 1000 Words
Last Sunday we had the opportunity to host a wee concert with stellar Antigonish fiddler Troy MacGillivray and Louis-Charles Vigneau, a francophone singer/guitar virtuoso also from the Maritimes. So, we put up the posters, sent emails to our band and MWCF mailing list, and we got enough people out to make a nice Sunday afternoon concert of excellent music in our regular practice space.
Barbara took this photo, and while she was primarily getting a nice shot of Sylvia and Vincent Aitken in the front, it also captured quite a bit in the background. I likely first met Sylvia and Vince in the late 1970s, when I was the P-M of the Fraser Pipe Band in Regina. Their son Jamie was a snare drummer in the band, and daughter Ramona later learned the pipes. Vince and Sylvia were always cheerful, practical, hard-working band parents, and over the years took on many roles with the Fraser Pipe Band. Eventually, their kids moved on from pipe bands, but not Vince and Sylvia. They continued to go on trips to Scotland with the Fraser band, and when the City of Regina Pipe Band started in 1992, they also attended our events regularly. Over the years, they have supported our every ceilidh, concert and social, and are always in the background when the band plays at a pub, has a send-off, or a public performance. Last summer, they came to Scotland with the band, and in 2010, they were there cheering us on at every turn. These are really fine people, who love pipe bands, piping and everything Scottish, and whose long-term enthusiasm has really made a difference to the pipe band. We love to see them out, and it's always more fun when they are there.
Framed right between Sylvia and Vince is Melita Clemence, who raised a family of six, and who had all six in the pipe band! Melita is another long-term contributor to Scots/Irish culture in the city. She supports everything the pipe bands do, and she has donated many beautiful handmade items for silent auctions, and she is always there with a cheerful laugh about the latest happening. She kept all six kids busy in pipe bands, and to this day daughters Pat (half-hidden behind Sylvia) and Arlene are both members of the CRPB, and their kids have all been members of the Conservatory Pipe Band and the CRPB, and they have all volunteered, donated and been the backbone of many initiatives for pipe bands and also Irish dancing in Regina.
Way in the back of this photo is Brett Stinson, who came to the band aged 20 or so, and who has been an excellent band member, Lead Drummer and drum instructor for the band all these years. His dedication to working with kids in the Conservatory band has been amazing, and the results of his efforts have at times made up the bulk of both bands.
And last, at the right of the photo is drummer Will Currums. Willie moved to Saskatchewan from Ireland last summer, and is anxiously waiting for his family to join him this spring. Willie has been an absolute gift to the pipe band, and also to the country. It's always great when a new band member moves to the area, and it's been amazing to have someone locally with Willie's sheer passion for pipe bands and the music, and for living in general.
So there you have it. A little snapshot out of a band Sunday, with people who have been contributing to pipe bands for years, and without whom the pipe band world would be much poorer.
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| Sylvia & Vince |
Barbara took this photo, and while she was primarily getting a nice shot of Sylvia and Vincent Aitken in the front, it also captured quite a bit in the background. I likely first met Sylvia and Vince in the late 1970s, when I was the P-M of the Fraser Pipe Band in Regina. Their son Jamie was a snare drummer in the band, and daughter Ramona later learned the pipes. Vince and Sylvia were always cheerful, practical, hard-working band parents, and over the years took on many roles with the Fraser Pipe Band. Eventually, their kids moved on from pipe bands, but not Vince and Sylvia. They continued to go on trips to Scotland with the Fraser band, and when the City of Regina Pipe Band started in 1992, they also attended our events regularly. Over the years, they have supported our every ceilidh, concert and social, and are always in the background when the band plays at a pub, has a send-off, or a public performance. Last summer, they came to Scotland with the band, and in 2010, they were there cheering us on at every turn. These are really fine people, who love pipe bands, piping and everything Scottish, and whose long-term enthusiasm has really made a difference to the pipe band. We love to see them out, and it's always more fun when they are there.
Framed right between Sylvia and Vince is Melita Clemence, who raised a family of six, and who had all six in the pipe band! Melita is another long-term contributor to Scots/Irish culture in the city. She supports everything the pipe bands do, and she has donated many beautiful handmade items for silent auctions, and she is always there with a cheerful laugh about the latest happening. She kept all six kids busy in pipe bands, and to this day daughters Pat (half-hidden behind Sylvia) and Arlene are both members of the CRPB, and their kids have all been members of the Conservatory Pipe Band and the CRPB, and they have all volunteered, donated and been the backbone of many initiatives for pipe bands and also Irish dancing in Regina.
Way in the back of this photo is Brett Stinson, who came to the band aged 20 or so, and who has been an excellent band member, Lead Drummer and drum instructor for the band all these years. His dedication to working with kids in the Conservatory band has been amazing, and the results of his efforts have at times made up the bulk of both bands.
And last, at the right of the photo is drummer Will Currums. Willie moved to Saskatchewan from Ireland last summer, and is anxiously waiting for his family to join him this spring. Willie has been an absolute gift to the pipe band, and also to the country. It's always great when a new band member moves to the area, and it's been amazing to have someone locally with Willie's sheer passion for pipe bands and the music, and for living in general.
So there you have it. A little snapshot out of a band Sunday, with people who have been contributing to pipe bands for years, and without whom the pipe band world would be much poorer.
Friday, November 30, 2012
The End of (Another) Era
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| Royal Canadian Legion, Branch No. 1 |
For many years, the Legion was home for the band. We practiced there, socialized there, had fundraisers and ceilidhs, and also played a role in many Legion functions, being the primary band at their Remembrance Day Ceremonies, Decoration Day in June, Annual Dinners, fundraisers, Poppy Day, and so on.
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| The CRPB bar in the Legion. Master brewer Trewin partially covered. |
So, I was a bit sad this morning, going down to the Legion to collect that last of the band's stuff. The inside of the Legion is turned upside down, and everything is being marked and photographed as lots for auction. The Legion as we've know in closes it's doors at midnight tonight, and the Atlantic Auditorium had its last pipe tunes on November 11 this year.
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| CRPB performing on the Legion stage, 2001 MWCF. |
As the Legion fell on hard times and was unable to sustain its building, the pipe band gradually found itself practicing other places, while still supplying the bands and pipers for Legion events.
Anyway, this is a bit of a muddy ramble about the Legion, but I did think of a lot of great times and people while I was in there this morning. Hard to think that it was 20 years ago, and the number of beers that have spilled on the floor since then. Not sure what the Legion will look like when half of it is torn away and the big halls are gone, but hopefully it will retain some of the character that has made it such a great first home for the band these past 20 years.
Thursday, October 04, 2012
Thanks for the Memories: New Westminister Police Pipe Band
[UPDATE, October 9: Well, today I'm told that the band is not folding, but is taking a year off, and rumours of it's death were premature. So, please note that we can look forward to the NWPPB at some time in the future, and in the meantime, I think everything else I said holds true.]
This morning's news on email and Facebook was that The New Westminister Police Pipe Band had decided to cease operations. This was not a real surprise, because we had heard for a couple of years that P-M Angus MacPherson was in transition to retiring from work, moving away from the Lower Mainland, and there was some uncertainty about the band's future.
New Westminister—and "Maple Ridge" before them—have been a solid fixture on the scene for many years, and P-M Angus has persevered through some thin years at times, to consistently produce a musical and great-sounding band. The photo above, taken in 2011, captures the joy of New West members and friends following their two-day sweep of the North American Championships in Maxville and the Montreal Highland Games. Of course, the band had also experienced success in Scotland, having won prizes at various Games, including the World's.
It's sad to see such a consistently good band stop the music, but also easy to understand why these things happen. Without the dogged determination and skills of Angus and a few key members, it might have ended years back. So here's a health to Angus MacPherson, and sincere thanks from our band for your years of hard work to build and maintain an excellent pipe band in one of the most competitive scenes in the world. You have given so much to the piping scene in British Columbia, and your musical and organizational impact will be felt for some time to come.
The City of Regina Pipe Band had a few connections with the band. Former members of the CRPB, including Bryde Whelan, Morgan Brady, Aaron Malcolm, Ann Gray, Ian Aastrom and Cam Dodson all were stalwart members of the band, and many others were piping friends and former bandmates from Barb's and my days in British Columbia. To the members of NWPPB: thanks for your music and fellowship at venues across North America and Scotland. We look forward to meeting you all in new situations.
[UPDATE, October 9: Well, today I'm told that the band is not folding, but is taking a year off, and rumours of it's death were premature. So, please note that we can look forward to the NWPPB at some time in the future, and in the meantime, I think everything else I said holds true.]
This morning's news on email and Facebook was that The New Westminister Police Pipe Band had decided to cease operations. This was not a real surprise, because we had heard for a couple of years that P-M Angus MacPherson was in transition to retiring from work, moving away from the Lower Mainland, and there was some uncertainty about the band's future.
New Westminister—and "Maple Ridge" before them—have been a solid fixture on the scene for many years, and P-M Angus has persevered through some thin years at times, to consistently produce a musical and great-sounding band. The photo above, taken in 2011, captures the joy of New West members and friends following their two-day sweep of the North American Championships in Maxville and the Montreal Highland Games. Of course, the band had also experienced success in Scotland, having won prizes at various Games, including the World's.
It's sad to see such a consistently good band stop the music, but also easy to understand why these things happen. Without the dogged determination and skills of Angus and a few key members, it might have ended years back. So here's a health to Angus MacPherson, and sincere thanks from our band for your years of hard work to build and maintain an excellent pipe band in one of the most competitive scenes in the world. You have given so much to the piping scene in British Columbia, and your musical and organizational impact will be felt for some time to come.
The City of Regina Pipe Band had a few connections with the band. Former members of the CRPB, including Bryde Whelan, Morgan Brady, Aaron Malcolm, Ann Gray, Ian Aastrom and Cam Dodson all were stalwart members of the band, and many others were piping friends and former bandmates from Barb's and my days in British Columbia. To the members of NWPPB: thanks for your music and fellowship at venues across North America and Scotland. We look forward to meeting you all in new situations.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Scotland Once More
What seemed like an impossibility several months ago is about to happen, once again—a CRPB trip to Scotland. The band will be competing at North Berwick Highland Games, at the World Championships and we are also playing at George Square [12 noon, Monday, August 6] and the National Piping Centre [2pm, Tuesday, August 7] as part of the Glasgow International Festival of Piping, Piping Live!.
This is the band's fourth trip to Scotland since 2005, and each time we have gone, there have been specific challenges faced to get there. This year was no different. Back in March we didn't have enough members committed to going, and it seemed like it was not going to happen. It has been one of those years when circumstances work against the band: sudden loss of key members, cancellation of regional games that we depend on to build the band, illness, pregnancy(!) and all kinds of other things.
Through it all, the band has been supported by several key members whose ongoing interest in the welfare of the band and the band members works through issues to a happy solution. Key among those this season has been Lead Drummer Roland Reid, who took over fully [after acting in that capacity for months] in February, and who has patiently worked with the drum corps and the band to achieve common goals. Rolly's decision to stick with the band and develop the corps has resulted in the band going to Scotland, and his leadership and skills have attracted new players to the band.
Long-time member Stacy Durning won't be with us in Scotland this year, because she's staying home to have her first baby. We are all looking forward to the happy and safe arrival of the new addition to the band, and the whole band sends best wishes to Stacy and Ray. Despite knowing that she was "out" for Scotland, Stacy has continued to attend band, played right up to May, and has contributed hugely to the band through her management of the band's primary fundraising plan. A couple of weeks back, when we sent £14,000 to Scotland for the band's accommodations, it was largely as a result of Stacy's efforts.
The band has been very fortunate to attract and keep really good people over the years, and their steady work and interest have helped the group to maintain a viable band in an area where strong bands are not the norm. This year, we have added some players near and far who are bringing new energy and skills to the group, and we are all looking forward to that first big practice in Scotland, where all the tough challenges are behind, and all that's left is playing music and having fun for 10 days.
Thanks to all the band members, families and supporters who have made this summer possible.
What seemed like an impossibility several months ago is about to happen, once again—a CRPB trip to Scotland. The band will be competing at North Berwick Highland Games, at the World Championships and we are also playing at George Square [12 noon, Monday, August 6] and the National Piping Centre [2pm, Tuesday, August 7] as part of the Glasgow International Festival of Piping, Piping Live!.
This is the band's fourth trip to Scotland since 2005, and each time we have gone, there have been specific challenges faced to get there. This year was no different. Back in March we didn't have enough members committed to going, and it seemed like it was not going to happen. It has been one of those years when circumstances work against the band: sudden loss of key members, cancellation of regional games that we depend on to build the band, illness, pregnancy(!) and all kinds of other things.
Long-time member Stacy Durning won't be with us in Scotland this year, because she's staying home to have her first baby. We are all looking forward to the happy and safe arrival of the new addition to the band, and the whole band sends best wishes to Stacy and Ray. Despite knowing that she was "out" for Scotland, Stacy has continued to attend band, played right up to May, and has contributed hugely to the band through her management of the band's primary fundraising plan. A couple of weeks back, when we sent £14,000 to Scotland for the band's accommodations, it was largely as a result of Stacy's efforts.
The band has been very fortunate to attract and keep really good people over the years, and their steady work and interest have helped the group to maintain a viable band in an area where strong bands are not the norm. This year, we have added some players near and far who are bringing new energy and skills to the group, and we are all looking forward to that first big practice in Scotland, where all the tough challenges are behind, and all that's left is playing music and having fun for 10 days.
Thanks to all the band members, families and supporters who have made this summer possible.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Milestones
May Long Weekend has been a big piping and pipe bands weekend on the prairies ever since I was a wee boy in the Fraser Pipe Band. In those days, it was always the "Moose Jaw International Band Festival," at which I played my first ever solo on the pipes ("The Duke of Roxburgh's Farewell to the Blackmount Forest" - 2nd prize), and in later years contests at Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and since 1996, Regina.
This weekend we had games in Moose Jaw on Saturday and Regina on Sunday, and beautiful days for the contests both days, with a decent entry of soloists and bands.
It was a good weekend of practice and performance for the CRPB, in which we finally got to test new equipment and new players in game conditions. Too bad the other regional Grade 2 band doesn't come to play...it's always more fun to play against another band, and a shame they don't seem to see it that way also.
When you play in a pipe band in this part of the world, and devote as much time and energy [and money] to it as we do, you sometimes question the wisdom of your choices. Is trying to maintain a Grade 2 band in this place really a worthwhile venture, and what are the benefits? I've always considered that apart from it being fun for me [selfish motivation], it's also fun for others, and an opportunity for local players to gain experience that might pay off in other places.
That experience paid off for long-time band member (and son) Ruaridh MacDonald this past weekend, when he played in his first Grade 1 competition with the Inveraray & District Pipe Band, which placed 3rd in the Scottish Pipe Band Championships on Saturday. That amazing opportunity is a direct result of the many weekends spent trying to cobble together and maintain a band in Grade 2, and give people opportunities to develop their skills, and see the wider world out there.
Meanwhile, in Moose Jaw and Regina, we competed without his sister Eilidh, who is now a member of the 78th Highlanders, Halifax, and who has also made the transition to Grade 1 from the CRPB. And, on the same day, son Duncan (8) competed for the first time on chanter, and was 2nd both days to another boy from a well-known pipe band family! All milestones for me, and all good reasons to put in the time.
Coming home at the end of the Sunday night ceilidh, I checked my messages, and there was a note from former band member Nils Michael, now a member of the Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band who pointed out that the BBC Scotland radio programme "Pipeline" played a track from the CRPB's 2001 release "One Scottish Evening" on this week's show. Listen here.
And finally, at the massed bands in Regina, the SPBA honoured two long-time pipers for their contributions to piping in Saskatchewan. P-M Don Felstrom and P-M Don McDonald started their piping careers together in Saskatoon 66 years ago, and they have been playing, organizing, teaching and enjoying pipe bands ever since. In this photo, you can see them having a tune with the massed bands following the presentation.
This was another great milestone on the weekend, and maybe a sign that there is something to enjoying the time spent in the pursuit of a good tune. These gents are inspirational for us all.
It was a good weekend of practice and performance for the CRPB, in which we finally got to test new equipment and new players in game conditions. Too bad the other regional Grade 2 band doesn't come to play...it's always more fun to play against another band, and a shame they don't seem to see it that way also.
When you play in a pipe band in this part of the world, and devote as much time and energy [and money] to it as we do, you sometimes question the wisdom of your choices. Is trying to maintain a Grade 2 band in this place really a worthwhile venture, and what are the benefits? I've always considered that apart from it being fun for me [selfish motivation], it's also fun for others, and an opportunity for local players to gain experience that might pay off in other places.
That experience paid off for long-time band member (and son) Ruaridh MacDonald this past weekend, when he played in his first Grade 1 competition with the Inveraray & District Pipe Band, which placed 3rd in the Scottish Pipe Band Championships on Saturday. That amazing opportunity is a direct result of the many weekends spent trying to cobble together and maintain a band in Grade 2, and give people opportunities to develop their skills, and see the wider world out there.
Meanwhile, in Moose Jaw and Regina, we competed without his sister Eilidh, who is now a member of the 78th Highlanders, Halifax, and who has also made the transition to Grade 1 from the CRPB. And, on the same day, son Duncan (8) competed for the first time on chanter, and was 2nd both days to another boy from a well-known pipe band family! All milestones for me, and all good reasons to put in the time.
Coming home at the end of the Sunday night ceilidh, I checked my messages, and there was a note from former band member Nils Michael, now a member of the Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band who pointed out that the BBC Scotland radio programme "Pipeline" played a track from the CRPB's 2001 release "One Scottish Evening" on this week's show. Listen here.
This was another great milestone on the weekend, and maybe a sign that there is something to enjoying the time spent in the pursuit of a good tune. These gents are inspirational for us all.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
It Seems Like Just 20 Years Ago
This 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 always marks the first real performance for new band members, and the first outing for new music. We played the new-ish medley, and tried some new tunes that we've been working on this fall. The show provides a launching spot for things to come.
This being the 20th anniversary, we asked former band members in the crowd to come up and get a picture taken at the end of the band set. It's always good to see former members come out to support band events, and this brought to mind it might be an opportunity to say "thanks" to all those band members who have made the band successful and fun over so many years.
So, thanks!
This 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 always marks the first real performance for new band members, and the first outing for new music. We played the new-ish medley, and tried some new tunes that we've been working on this fall. The show provides a launching spot for things to come.
This being the 20th anniversary, we asked former band members in the crowd to come up and get a picture taken at the end of the band set. It's always good to see former members come out to support band events, and this brought to mind it might be an opportunity to say "thanks" to all those band members who have made the band successful and fun over so many years.
So, thanks!
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Touching the Past
I 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" bagpipes for sale as part of their service. Jim McGillivray may well be the leader in this field, and I have more than a few times browsed the sets on his site to learn more about the sets on offer.
Another excellent way to spend some time is browsing the National Museum of Scotland's online collection of bagpipes and related items. In there, you can see more work by Thomas Glen, including the name stamp that likely marked this particular set of pipes!
I've had the chance over the years to play and examine some really old bits of piping history, not the least being Angus MacKay's practice chanter. Once, years back, I played a set of Donald MacDonald pipes that belonged to piper Thomas Standevin, and he also had old sets of uilleann and other European pipes.
I'm not exactly sure what it does for me, except that maybe I feel more connected to ages past through these various sets of pipes. Handling a reelpipe made in the 1840s, feeling the imprint of the maker's stamp...it all holds a bit of mystery for me. What was on Thos. Glen's mind the day he made these pipes? What could he see out the shop windows? Who bought them, and what use did they get back in the 1800s?
Thomas Glen died in 1873, aged 69, and here are his pipes, still circulating all these years later, and still the object of admiration. I'm certain he would be surprised to know that his pipes and tools formed part of the collection of the National Museum of Scotland. How could he conceive that a piper in the middle of the Canadian prairie would be staying up later than he should, thinking about Edinburgh in the 1840s, and wondering about the man who made them?
I 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" bagpipes for sale as part of their service. Jim McGillivray may well be the leader in this field, and I have more than a few times browsed the sets on his site to learn more about the sets on offer.Another excellent way to spend some time is browsing the National Museum of Scotland's online collection of bagpipes and related items. In there, you can see more work by Thomas Glen, including the name stamp that likely marked this particular set of pipes!
I've had the chance over the years to play and examine some really old bits of piping history, not the least being Angus MacKay's practice chanter. Once, years back, I played a set of Donald MacDonald pipes that belonged to piper Thomas Standevin, and he also had old sets of uilleann and other European pipes.
I'm not exactly sure what it does for me, except that maybe I feel more connected to ages past through these various sets of pipes. Handling a reelpipe made in the 1840s, feeling the imprint of the maker's stamp...it all holds a bit of mystery for me. What was on Thos. Glen's mind the day he made these pipes? What could he see out the shop windows? Who bought them, and what use did they get back in the 1800s?
Thomas Glen died in 1873, aged 69, and here are his pipes, still circulating all these years later, and still the object of admiration. I'm certain he would be surprised to know that his pipes and tools formed part of the collection of the National Museum of Scotland. How could he conceive that a piper in the middle of the Canadian prairie would be staying up later than he should, thinking about Edinburgh in the 1840s, and wondering about the man who made them?
Friday, October 21, 2011
And So, It Begins Again
Truth 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 the starting line. Then it's about seeing who's in for the season, and who thinks they need a break, who wants to play, and who might be convinced to join.
We say farewells to those leaving, and make a warm welcome for those coming. Band is always a revolving door, and it's great to see both new and familiar faces come through the door.
We look at the music we played last year, and try to get rid of the weak links, and find some new/old gems to strengthen what we did. We have been re-assessing the snare and mid-section parts, and thinking about what could be done better [and by whom].
There is also a mountain of organizational stuff to get done, web site, financials, AGM,planning for 2012 finances and travel, potential instrument and uniform upgrades...
We had an excellent season in 2011, and we are looking forward to solidifying some of the gains we made musically, and also shoring up the areas where we needed more strength/consistency. Have been on the Facetime to Buz, and sending emails, leaving sheets of music where Barb will find them and start thinking harmonies. The hall is booked, fresh sheepskin is on the way, and reeds are ready to go.
Band starts this Sunday, and if you want to play, time to get the music, find the gear, and start making the time. The City of Regina Pipe Band had it's very first practice in October, 1992. The 20 years since have seen a lot of changes to the band, and the way we do things, but one of the pieces that never really changes is the uncertainty the start of a new season brings. The other thing that stays constant is the hope, that this will be the best year ever.
See you at band.
Truth 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 the starting line. Then it's about seeing who's in for the season, and who thinks they need a break, who wants to play, and who might be convinced to join.
We say farewells to those leaving, and make a warm welcome for those coming. Band is always a revolving door, and it's great to see both new and familiar faces come through the door.
We look at the music we played last year, and try to get rid of the weak links, and find some new/old gems to strengthen what we did. We have been re-assessing the snare and mid-section parts, and thinking about what could be done better [and by whom].
There is also a mountain of organizational stuff to get done, web site, financials, AGM,planning for 2012 finances and travel, potential instrument and uniform upgrades...
We had an excellent season in 2011, and we are looking forward to solidifying some of the gains we made musically, and also shoring up the areas where we needed more strength/consistency. Have been on the Facetime to Buz, and sending emails, leaving sheets of music where Barb will find them and start thinking harmonies. The hall is booked, fresh sheepskin is on the way, and reeds are ready to go.
Band starts this Sunday, and if you want to play, time to get the music, find the gear, and start making the time. The City of Regina Pipe Band had it's very first practice in October, 1992. The 20 years since have seen a lot of changes to the band, and the way we do things, but one of the pieces that never really changes is the uncertainty the start of a new season brings. The other thing that stays constant is the hope, that this will be the best year ever.
See you at band.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
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 RSPBA [which does an excellent job managing and promoting the World Pipe Band Championship] has picked up the cues left by the early Piping Live! to develop the World's "package."
It was impossible to see and hear everything at the Festival, and the range of experiences available has grown enormously. There were solo piping concerts, contests and recitals; band practices, concerts and sessions; and piping music from many cultures. There were talks on history and traditions, language, song and museum tours. In George Square there were many kinds of bands, whisky tasting, Scottish food market, crafts and lots of marching!
A highlight of the week for me was the ScottishPower Pipe Band concert on Wednesday. Not only did the band sound great as a pipe band, but the orchestral pieces they did were outstanding. Part of what made them outstanding was the significant risk involved in trying to pull such elaborate music together with limited [cost factors] rehearsals. The band's success in the concert was inspirational, and it also provided some really great moments, such as during the encore when P-M Chris Armstrong started solo into a slower arrangement of "Castle Dangerous," and the audience joined in and sang along to the tune. When the pipers joined him for the next-higher tempo, the audience carried on singing. You could tell from the reaction on stage that it was a great moment for them, too.
At the World's on Saturday, I took the opportunity to listen to bands warming up for the MSR final, and then see them in final tuning. You can learn a lot about the way bands operate by watching them in the final moments before they compete. There are lots of different approaches, and seeing the top Grade 1 and 2 bands preparing to go on was [as always] food for thought about how to modify what we do at the CRPB.
Some point-form highlights overall:
• hearing the Armagh Pipers Club group - outstanding
• uilleann piper Cillian Valley
• ScottishPower concert
• Anxo Lorenzo
• hearing Dowco Triumph Street PB in the George Square performance, and then in the medley final at the Worlds. This band has developed tremendously [as you would, having to compete regularly with SFU] and they have really made a mark in the Grade 1 class.
• watching SFU, Power and Inveraray tune up.
• FMM's medley performance: absolutely brilliant in every way
• Michael Grey's recital of his compositions at the Piping Centre.
• Seeing that the World's Grade 1 results were overall about right, despite some questionable individual judging decisions
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 RSPBA [which does an excellent job managing and promoting the World Pipe Band Championship] has picked up the cues left by the early Piping Live! to develop the World's "package."
It was impossible to see and hear everything at the Festival, and the range of experiences available has grown enormously. There were solo piping concerts, contests and recitals; band practices, concerts and sessions; and piping music from many cultures. There were talks on history and traditions, language, song and museum tours. In George Square there were many kinds of bands, whisky tasting, Scottish food market, crafts and lots of marching!
A highlight of the week for me was the ScottishPower Pipe Band concert on Wednesday. Not only did the band sound great as a pipe band, but the orchestral pieces they did were outstanding. Part of what made them outstanding was the significant risk involved in trying to pull such elaborate music together with limited [cost factors] rehearsals. The band's success in the concert was inspirational, and it also provided some really great moments, such as during the encore when P-M Chris Armstrong started solo into a slower arrangement of "Castle Dangerous," and the audience joined in and sang along to the tune. When the pipers joined him for the next-higher tempo, the audience carried on singing. You could tell from the reaction on stage that it was a great moment for them, too.
At the World's on Saturday, I took the opportunity to listen to bands warming up for the MSR final, and then see them in final tuning. You can learn a lot about the way bands operate by watching them in the final moments before they compete. There are lots of different approaches, and seeing the top Grade 1 and 2 bands preparing to go on was [as always] food for thought about how to modify what we do at the CRPB.
Some point-form highlights overall:
• hearing the Armagh Pipers Club group - outstanding
• uilleann piper Cillian Valley
• ScottishPower concert
• Anxo Lorenzo
• hearing Dowco Triumph Street PB in the George Square performance, and then in the medley final at the Worlds. This band has developed tremendously [as you would, having to compete regularly with SFU] and they have really made a mark in the Grade 1 class.
• watching SFU, Power and Inveraray tune up.
• FMM's medley performance: absolutely brilliant in every way
• Michael Grey's recital of his compositions at the Piping Centre.
• Seeing that the World's Grade 1 results were overall about right, despite some questionable individual judging decisions
Monday, August 01, 2011
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 piping in the medley. The good AND bad news was that our Maxville performances in no way represented our best performances. Good in that we still made the prizes on relatively weak performances, and bad in that we did not meet out own expectations for the weekend.
The positive news out of this is that the band is developing in the right direction. We had plenty of feedback about that from judges, spectators and fellow competitors, and we are eagerly looking forward to next season. Part of the equation is how many new players we incorporated in the season, and the inability to prepare as a complete team as much as we would like/need.
Among the positive aspects of the Maxville games were solo results logged by CRPB soloists in the Grade 1 solos. All four CRPB players took prizes in one of the three Grade 1 heats. Eilidh MacDonald won the piobaireachd and marches, and was 3rd in 6/8 marches, narrowly missing the overall prize. Raphael Mercier won the strathspey/reel in his section, and was 3rd in piobaireachd. Eva Rennie was third in her piobaireach heat, and Alex Rasmussen took 4th and 5th in marches and strathspey and reels in his heat. Sadly, both Alex and Raphael missed events due to erratic scheduling of events at the same time. The band is extremely proud of the efforts of the soloists, and the results they obtained.
At Montreal Games, the band was able to pull together an excellent medley performance, and on the strength of it's 2nd place in ensemble, finished ahead of former CRPB member Gord Perry's Fredericton Society of St. Andrews Pipe Band. This was a very good performance for the band, and a well-deserved result. We followed this with a prolonged and happy celebration in the Montreal beer tent, visiting friends from across the continent, hearing and playing tunes, and also celebrating the success of friends in the New Westminster Police Pipe Band from British Columbia, who were deserving winners at both Maxville and Montreal. The NWPPB includes former CRPB members: Bryde Whelan, Aaron Malcolm, Cam Dodson [our first L-D in fall 1992], and Ann Gray, and many other friends.
So ends another season, and a great one for the band. We pulled together a whole new competition repertoire, incorporated a number of new members, made some very smooth changes in leadership and roles, continued to develop our events and programs, supported a number of worthwhile local and national events, and managed to have a lot of memorable times playing the music we love with friends we cherish.
Can't wait for the start of band in September.
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 piping in the medley. The good AND bad news was that our Maxville performances in no way represented our best performances. Good in that we still made the prizes on relatively weak performances, and bad in that we did not meet out own expectations for the weekend.
The positive news out of this is that the band is developing in the right direction. We had plenty of feedback about that from judges, spectators and fellow competitors, and we are eagerly looking forward to next season. Part of the equation is how many new players we incorporated in the season, and the inability to prepare as a complete team as much as we would like/need.
Among the positive aspects of the Maxville games were solo results logged by CRPB soloists in the Grade 1 solos. All four CRPB players took prizes in one of the three Grade 1 heats. Eilidh MacDonald won the piobaireachd and marches, and was 3rd in 6/8 marches, narrowly missing the overall prize. Raphael Mercier won the strathspey/reel in his section, and was 3rd in piobaireachd. Eva Rennie was third in her piobaireach heat, and Alex Rasmussen took 4th and 5th in marches and strathspey and reels in his heat. Sadly, both Alex and Raphael missed events due to erratic scheduling of events at the same time. The band is extremely proud of the efforts of the soloists, and the results they obtained.
At Montreal Games, the band was able to pull together an excellent medley performance, and on the strength of it's 2nd place in ensemble, finished ahead of former CRPB member Gord Perry's Fredericton Society of St. Andrews Pipe Band. This was a very good performance for the band, and a well-deserved result. We followed this with a prolonged and happy celebration in the Montreal beer tent, visiting friends from across the continent, hearing and playing tunes, and also celebrating the success of friends in the New Westminster Police Pipe Band from British Columbia, who were deserving winners at both Maxville and Montreal. The NWPPB includes former CRPB members: Bryde Whelan, Aaron Malcolm, Cam Dodson [our first L-D in fall 1992], and Ann Gray, and many other friends.
So ends another season, and a great one for the band. We pulled together a whole new competition repertoire, incorporated a number of new members, made some very smooth changes in leadership and roles, continued to develop our events and programs, supported a number of worthwhile local and national events, and managed to have a lot of memorable times playing the music we love with friends we cherish.
Can't wait for the start of band in September.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Making Your Mark in the Piping World
This 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 would go on to win both the BC Pipers' MacCrimmon Cairn and the Silver Medal at the Northern Meeting. Great prizes for any piper, and Darleen was over the moon with them, as was her instructor, Jim McMillan. "She has a touch for the piobaireachd" he used to say, with obvious pride.
Darleen also played in the SFU Pipe Band, and although she never fully liked the change to brogues for the ladies (!), she was a proud member of the band, and did a lot locally to support the band's many projects.
I was lucky to know Darleen pretty well at a very happy time in her life. She was a member of one of the best pipe bands in the world, she was a successful solo competitor with major prizes on her shelf, and she had a wide range of friends in the piping world...well before the days of email, web sites, and Facebook. At that time, Darleen also made a special connection with a young piper who had come from Minnesota to play with SFU: Derek Milloy. Derek and Darleen would eventually marry, and together they have been part of the piping scene all these years, Derek as a stalwart, long-serving member of the band, and Darleen as a supporter of Derek and the band.
Darleen made a point of connecting with people: asking their names, what tunes did you play, who taught you, where are you going next week, did you hear so-and-so's tune......and so on. Without a doubt, Darleen was strategic and competitive, and she was also engaging, inclusive and fun. I have many happy memories from those years of Darleen at solo contests, with the band in Scotland, and generally enjoying the fun and social atmosphere of the band.
Darleen and Derek have done a lot of living since those days. Both have made their mark in the piping world, and while there are many great results, recordings and records to show—the mark they have made is reflected in the comments of the many friends world-wide who have been affected by the inspiring example of their lives together.
This 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 would go on to win both the BC Pipers' MacCrimmon Cairn and the Silver Medal at the Northern Meeting. Great prizes for any piper, and Darleen was over the moon with them, as was her instructor, Jim McMillan. "She has a touch for the piobaireachd" he used to say, with obvious pride.Darleen also played in the SFU Pipe Band, and although she never fully liked the change to brogues for the ladies (!), she was a proud member of the band, and did a lot locally to support the band's many projects.
I was lucky to know Darleen pretty well at a very happy time in her life. She was a member of one of the best pipe bands in the world, she was a successful solo competitor with major prizes on her shelf, and she had a wide range of friends in the piping world...well before the days of email, web sites, and Facebook. At that time, Darleen also made a special connection with a young piper who had come from Minnesota to play with SFU: Derek Milloy. Derek and Darleen would eventually marry, and together they have been part of the piping scene all these years, Derek as a stalwart, long-serving member of the band, and Darleen as a supporter of Derek and the band.
Darleen made a point of connecting with people: asking their names, what tunes did you play, who taught you, where are you going next week, did you hear so-and-so's tune......and so on. Without a doubt, Darleen was strategic and competitive, and she was also engaging, inclusive and fun. I have many happy memories from those years of Darleen at solo contests, with the band in Scotland, and generally enjoying the fun and social atmosphere of the band.
Darleen and Derek have done a lot of living since those days. Both have made their mark in the piping world, and while there are many great results, recordings and records to show—the mark they have made is reflected in the comments of the many friends world-wide who have been affected by the inspiring example of their lives together.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Brandon Highland Festival
This 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 through Saturday and into Sunday, preventing some people from getting to the games, and almost keeping us in Brandon an extra night.
Regardless, the games went on, and the CRPB put in two solid performances, with one drumming win and one piping win against a very well rehearsed competitor. Given that this was the first time out with the new drum corps [about half the snare line, as it turned out], and three new sets, there was a lot to be happy about. One of the really cool moments for me personally was getting to the line, turning to start the band, and seeing two very old friends standing ready in the drum line. The last time that I played in a band with these guys was in 1991, in another lifetime! In the months since Blair "Buz" Brown and Roland Reid have joined the band, they have both worked tirelessly and with humour to bring their significant skills and experience to bear on the band, and we're all better for it.
Sunday morning was a 9:30 start for a great band practice in Brandon [after fighting through several inches of snow in the school parking lot], and we worked on some bits and pieces, played through the material, and made note of things to work on individually.
In short, a great start to the new year, with a very refreshed band, and a successful first run with the new team.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Get a Front Row Seat
Canadian 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 and Jimmy McIntosh. Bruce has won both Gold Medals, the Bratach Gorm, and a host of other prizes.
Perhaps most importantly, Bruce has been an inspiration to many good pipers, and he has encouraged and developed some first-class talent himself, and always gives freely of his time and expertise.
This CD is part of that effort. Bruce has recently established the Bruce Gandy Bagpiping Development Society, whose goals include establishing a fund to help young players take advantage of opportunities to travel and compete.
The CD packaging and notes are excellent, the price is good, and the playing is fantastic. The Big Spree alone is worth the price of the CD, and the money is going to a very worthy cause.
So, get over to Bruce's site, buy the new CD, and maybe pick up a book or two while you are there.
Canadian 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 and Jimmy McIntosh. Bruce has won both Gold Medals, the Bratach Gorm, and a host of other prizes.
Perhaps most importantly, Bruce has been an inspiration to many good pipers, and he has encouraged and developed some first-class talent himself, and always gives freely of his time and expertise.
This CD is part of that effort. Bruce has recently established the Bruce Gandy Bagpiping Development Society, whose goals include establishing a fund to help young players take advantage of opportunities to travel and compete.
The CD packaging and notes are excellent, the price is good, and the playing is fantastic. The Big Spree alone is worth the price of the CD, and the money is going to a very worthy cause.
So, get over to Bruce's site, buy the new CD, and maybe pick up a book or two while you are there.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
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 tempos and breaks.
When you don't hear it all together, it starts to feel like it might not exist, but last night we finally got to the light, and it wasn't a train after all. Friday night we sat around a table with pads and chanters and worked on some details with a small group, and then passed that on to a larger group Saturday, played at the Ceilidh, and then had a long practice Sunday morning.
There are some really exciting signs of a much improved musical product. The experience gained in Scotland last summer seems to be settling in. With limited facilities and time for tuning, the pipers were able to put together and deliver a very good sound at times, especially for February. The huge experience gained in the back end with the addition of Buz Brown and Roland Reid is having a positive effect on all sections of the band, and their ideas and leadership are helping to make a substantive difference in the way the band sounds.
Of course, it's February still, and there is a lot still to do, but it was exciting to take this first step out into the light.
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 tempos and breaks.
When you don't hear it all together, it starts to feel like it might not exist, but last night we finally got to the light, and it wasn't a train after all. Friday night we sat around a table with pads and chanters and worked on some details with a small group, and then passed that on to a larger group Saturday, played at the Ceilidh, and then had a long practice Sunday morning.
There are some really exciting signs of a much improved musical product. The experience gained in Scotland last summer seems to be settling in. With limited facilities and time for tuning, the pipers were able to put together and deliver a very good sound at times, especially for February. The huge experience gained in the back end with the addition of Buz Brown and Roland Reid is having a positive effect on all sections of the band, and their ideas and leadership are helping to make a substantive difference in the way the band sounds.
Of course, it's February still, and there is a lot still to do, but it was exciting to take this first step out into the light.
*************************
Mid-Winter Celtic Festival
Another festival is safely behind, and many thanks to all those who came out to support the band and the events. It was great to once again have the support of Alexander Keith's as the primary sponsor, and this year we were very proud to add Beam Global, Canada as a Festival sponsor. We couldn't do it without all the community groups and single performers who sign up to perform over the weekend, and as usual, O'Hanlon's Pub played a huge role in making it all go.
Another festival is safely behind, and many thanks to all those who came out to support the band and the events. It was great to once again have the support of Alexander Keith's as the primary sponsor, and this year we were very proud to add Beam Global, Canada as a Festival sponsor. We couldn't do it without all the community groups and single performers who sign up to perform over the weekend, and as usual, O'Hanlon's Pub played a huge role in making it all go.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Musicianship Shines Through
Tonight 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 sneak into the theatre and catch his show. It turns out, Jeffrey was just back from recording in Nashville, and he threw together the band. There was a cellist and violinist, a bass player, drummer, his sister Jill singing back-up vocals, and Jeffrey on piano and vocals. He's an energetic, Elton-Johnish kinda performer, and he put on a great show.
Pretty much everyone except Jeffrey, his sister and the drummer had music to play from, and this was not a highly rehearsed act. And yet, it was really good. The players all stepped up, and delivered what they needed to, on cue, and with flair. It came together, and delivered a whole band picture that you might not have expected knowing the limited preparation as a band. And that got me thinking.
The CRPB is a bit like that at the moment, and what is necessary to pull things together after the holiday, is that we all take our musicianship seriously. Come with instruments and music prepared, and with a willingness to "be in the moment" and deliver what we need, when we need it.
I know that pretty much everyone in the band thinks that way anyway, and so this is not a "you do this" kind of post, but more a "Hmmmm, this has the potential to be good" kind of thought. Looking forward to pulling it together.
And here's a little Jeffrey for you:
Tonight 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 sneak into the theatre and catch his show. It turns out, Jeffrey was just back from recording in Nashville, and he threw together the band. There was a cellist and violinist, a bass player, drummer, his sister Jill singing back-up vocals, and Jeffrey on piano and vocals. He's an energetic, Elton-Johnish kinda performer, and he put on a great show.
Pretty much everyone except Jeffrey, his sister and the drummer had music to play from, and this was not a highly rehearsed act. And yet, it was really good. The players all stepped up, and delivered what they needed to, on cue, and with flair. It came together, and delivered a whole band picture that you might not have expected knowing the limited preparation as a band. And that got me thinking.
The CRPB is a bit like that at the moment, and what is necessary to pull things together after the holiday, is that we all take our musicianship seriously. Come with instruments and music prepared, and with a willingness to "be in the moment" and deliver what we need, when we need it.
I know that pretty much everyone in the band thinks that way anyway, and so this is not a "you do this" kind of post, but more a "Hmmmm, this has the potential to be good" kind of thought. Looking forward to pulling it together.
And here's a little Jeffrey for you:
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Waiting for a Band to Show Up
The 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 background image to our online music page, where we store music files for the band members. And that's what the past eight weeks has been: a wiping [pretty] clean of the proverbial slate, and a fresh start on a new medley, new MSR, all new drum scores, and some new tunes. Add to this a group of new members in pipes and drums, and we don't really know what we have just yet.
While there is a lot of new music being written, arranged, and tweaked, members are working hard at learning it, and we have been planning for the other elements of getting the band on the road: ensuring we have enough uniforms and equipment, and making budgeting and purchase decisions in a couple of areas.
Meantime, planning is well underway for the Alexander Keith's Mid-Winter Celtic Festival and apart from having a great leading act booked for the Ceilidh, there are many things to organize for the larger event, sponsors to work with, silent auction, and this year we are planning a public performance stage downtown, which will draw added interest and sponsorship for the event, as well as provide a "family friendly" performance stage during Saturday afternoon.
Add to all this that there is a Grade 4 band to manage and a potential Grade 3 band in the works, and you have a very busy time in the schedule.
However, I'm looking forward to getting this all on the floor, and hearing what we've got. Bring in the band!
The 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 background image to our online music page, where we store music files for the band members. And that's what the past eight weeks has been: a wiping [pretty] clean of the proverbial slate, and a fresh start on a new medley, new MSR, all new drum scores, and some new tunes. Add to this a group of new members in pipes and drums, and we don't really know what we have just yet.
While there is a lot of new music being written, arranged, and tweaked, members are working hard at learning it, and we have been planning for the other elements of getting the band on the road: ensuring we have enough uniforms and equipment, and making budgeting and purchase decisions in a couple of areas.
Meantime, planning is well underway for the Alexander Keith's Mid-Winter Celtic Festival and apart from having a great leading act booked for the Ceilidh, there are many things to organize for the larger event, sponsors to work with, silent auction, and this year we are planning a public performance stage downtown, which will draw added interest and sponsorship for the event, as well as provide a "family friendly" performance stage during Saturday afternoon.
Add to all this that there is a Grade 4 band to manage and a potential Grade 3 band in the works, and you have a very busy time in the schedule.
However, I'm looking forward to getting this all on the floor, and hearing what we've got. Bring in the band!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
It's About the Music
These 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, I purchased the 2004 concert CD at Virgin in Glasgow, and I remember popping it in the player as the family drove from Glasgow back to Gargunnock, near Stirling, where we had a rented cottage. This track builds beautifully, and you can tell the audience is with them all the way, and when Liam Og O'Flynn breaks out the pipes, the place goes crazy. And, I don't mind admitting, I actually got all choked up listening to it.
My first Planxty record [long-playing 33rpm] was The Well Below the Valley. I was dating a girl in first-year university, and her sister's boyfriend showed up with it. He explained that his brother was into weird British rock, and ordered lots of records, and was dismayed to find that this was "some bagpipe crap." The boyfriend said, "I know a guy who likes that stuff," and thus I was introduced to Planxty.
It turned out, I loved it, and I chased down all their albums as they came out, and I learned the words, and was so enchanted by the piping that I started into learning the uilleann pipes, which I have played [not well] off and on since 1983.
In 1980 or 81, I was able to hear Planxty live in concert at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. I had a three-day pass to the Edinburgh Folk Festival, and bought tickets also to the evening concert with Planxty. It was magic: 3,000 people jammed into the hall, and the main floor held about 1,000 Irish rugby fans who were there for a match that day at Murrayfield. The band was amazing, the sound of O'Flynn;s pipes filled the hall. I remember the feeling walking back to my friends' place after the show...I was walking on air [substance free].
Shortly after that, the band broke up [again], and there were years of ups and downs, different members in and out, and various formations of Planxty, some which were better and worse than others. Because the band was so amazing in its prime, traditional music fans of the band were always saddened that it didn't continue. There was politics, and band politics, and boozing, and families, and other projects that all got in the way of what the band did.
And that's why the 2003-4 reunions were so great. Here are these four titans of Irish traditional music, and they've all seen and done a lot, and there's a ton of history, and...it all seems to wash away under the power of the music they are making.
And I think that's the power of what we do, even in bands like ours. The music is a force unto itself, and at the end of the day, it's not about the politics, the trophies, the contests or all the other stuff. It's about the music, and the pure enjoyment that people get making it, working on it, and playing it together.
These 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, I purchased the 2004 concert CD at Virgin in Glasgow, and I remember popping it in the player as the family drove from Glasgow back to Gargunnock, near Stirling, where we had a rented cottage. This track builds beautifully, and you can tell the audience is with them all the way, and when Liam Og O'Flynn breaks out the pipes, the place goes crazy. And, I don't mind admitting, I actually got all choked up listening to it.
My first Planxty record [long-playing 33rpm] was The Well Below the Valley. I was dating a girl in first-year university, and her sister's boyfriend showed up with it. He explained that his brother was into weird British rock, and ordered lots of records, and was dismayed to find that this was "some bagpipe crap." The boyfriend said, "I know a guy who likes that stuff," and thus I was introduced to Planxty.
It turned out, I loved it, and I chased down all their albums as they came out, and I learned the words, and was so enchanted by the piping that I started into learning the uilleann pipes, which I have played [not well] off and on since 1983.
In 1980 or 81, I was able to hear Planxty live in concert at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. I had a three-day pass to the Edinburgh Folk Festival, and bought tickets also to the evening concert with Planxty. It was magic: 3,000 people jammed into the hall, and the main floor held about 1,000 Irish rugby fans who were there for a match that day at Murrayfield. The band was amazing, the sound of O'Flynn;s pipes filled the hall. I remember the feeling walking back to my friends' place after the show...I was walking on air [substance free].
Shortly after that, the band broke up [again], and there were years of ups and downs, different members in and out, and various formations of Planxty, some which were better and worse than others. Because the band was so amazing in its prime, traditional music fans of the band were always saddened that it didn't continue. There was politics, and band politics, and boozing, and families, and other projects that all got in the way of what the band did.
And that's why the 2003-4 reunions were so great. Here are these four titans of Irish traditional music, and they've all seen and done a lot, and there's a ton of history, and...it all seems to wash away under the power of the music they are making.
And I think that's the power of what we do, even in bands like ours. The music is a force unto itself, and at the end of the day, it's not about the politics, the trophies, the contests or all the other stuff. It's about the music, and the pure enjoyment that people get making it, working on it, and playing it together.
Friday, September 24, 2010
"Thanks" Hardly Covers It
Readers 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 our Scotland trips in 2005 and 2006, so he had a pretty good sense of what the band was like at the time.
For our part, we were pretty much "done" as a band. After 2006 we lost a few veteran pipers and drummers. Players departed to the Clan Gregor Pipe Band, Alberta Caledonia, Toronto Police, Rocky Mountain Pipe Band, Winnipeg St Andrews, Fredericton, and just out of bands. Of the 22 people standing in the band photo at North Berwick Games in 2006, 16 had departed by the 2008 season.
So, when Ian offered to be "Lead Drummer," there was very little to lead. We had one tenor drummer, a bass drummer who hadn't played in over 25 years, and one snare player remaining from the 2006 corps. We brought in players from Grade 4/5 bands: the Conservatory and Estevan, and set to work as best we could. The entire band was very rough, but actually quite a bit of fun, and Ian helped make it so. Constantly enthusiastic, always willing to try, change and learn, Ian did a fantastic job working with what he had, and he built a very young and inexperienced group into a decent unit: one that regularly took firsts and won "Best Drum Corps" against regional bands.
Last year, Ian's corps won Best Drum Corps at the Canmore Highland Games [Sept 09] Winnipeg Scottish Festival [Feb 10], and Regina Highland Games [May10].
And now, with the opportunity to have Buz lead the corps, Ian was part of the decision making in that choice, and is looking forward to playing in the corps. So,"thanks" barely covers it. Ian has been an outstanding contributor to the rebuilding of the band, and to whatever modest success we've had. He contributes to the esprit de corps whenever he's around, and has stick handled all kinds of issues on behalf of the group: from drums and music to uniforms to camp sites to steak dinners.
I know that the entire band joins me in extending our thanks to Ian AND Stephanie for their contributions to the band so far, and we look forward to the next chapters!
Readers 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 our Scotland trips in 2005 and 2006, so he had a pretty good sense of what the band was like at the time.
For our part, we were pretty much "done" as a band. After 2006 we lost a few veteran pipers and drummers. Players departed to the Clan Gregor Pipe Band, Alberta Caledonia, Toronto Police, Rocky Mountain Pipe Band, Winnipeg St Andrews, Fredericton, and just out of bands. Of the 22 people standing in the band photo at North Berwick Games in 2006, 16 had departed by the 2008 season.
So, when Ian offered to be "Lead Drummer," there was very little to lead. We had one tenor drummer, a bass drummer who hadn't played in over 25 years, and one snare player remaining from the 2006 corps. We brought in players from Grade 4/5 bands: the Conservatory and Estevan, and set to work as best we could. The entire band was very rough, but actually quite a bit of fun, and Ian helped make it so. Constantly enthusiastic, always willing to try, change and learn, Ian did a fantastic job working with what he had, and he built a very young and inexperienced group into a decent unit: one that regularly took firsts and won "Best Drum Corps" against regional bands.
Last year, Ian's corps won Best Drum Corps at the Canmore Highland Games [Sept 09] Winnipeg Scottish Festival [Feb 10], and Regina Highland Games [May10].
And now, with the opportunity to have Buz lead the corps, Ian was part of the decision making in that choice, and is looking forward to playing in the corps. So,"thanks" barely covers it. Ian has been an outstanding contributor to the rebuilding of the band, and to whatever modest success we've had. He contributes to the esprit de corps whenever he's around, and has stick handled all kinds of issues on behalf of the group: from drums and music to uniforms to camp sites to steak dinners.
I know that the entire band joins me in extending our thanks to Ian AND Stephanie for their contributions to the band so far, and we look forward to the next chapters!
Monday, August 30, 2010
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 results.
The CRPB was profiled in Scottish news footage, papers and web sites from its performance at the Piping Live! Festival, and we also had a great day at the "Pipes of Peace" Festival with the Celtic Spirit lads, including an evening concert with Scottish Grade 1 band Inveraray and District. The trip wrapped up with the Perth Highland Games, where the band won the Grade 2 band event, and also was "Best Band on Parade," winning the Provost's Cup.
The trip brought a lot of things into perspective, both musically, and in terms of group dynamics. It underlined for me what a superb group of people we have in the band at the moment. It has also given me a definite "to-do" list musically, and that should have a very positive impact on the way the band sounds in the future.
Thanks to all band members and supporters for a great season, and a memorable trip to Scotland. Looking forward to the coming season.
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 results.
The CRPB was profiled in Scottish news footage, papers and web sites from its performance at the Piping Live! Festival, and we also had a great day at the "Pipes of Peace" Festival with the Celtic Spirit lads, including an evening concert with Scottish Grade 1 band Inveraray and District. The trip wrapped up with the Perth Highland Games, where the band won the Grade 2 band event, and also was "Best Band on Parade," winning the Provost's Cup.
The trip brought a lot of things into perspective, both musically, and in terms of group dynamics. It underlined for me what a superb group of people we have in the band at the moment. It has also given me a definite "to-do" list musically, and that should have a very positive impact on the way the band sounds in the future.Thanks to all band members and supporters for a great season, and a memorable trip to Scotland. Looking forward to the coming season.
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