The MacKay Pipe Band will kick the holiday spirit into high gear by playing a variety of Celtic music at the annual holiday parade on Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. This year’s parade theme is Frost Fest.
Located in Bethlehem, the 18-member bagpipe band will be performing in the parade for the first time.
“We are always looking for a new place to march,” bagpiper Kevin Boyd said. “We do 20 performances a year. It looks like it’s going to be a fun parade.”
Archive for November, 2006There was indeed some exotic piping at this Piping Centre presentation, including a version of the pipers’ favourite, Donald Willie and His Dog, in a metre that substituted a camel for the canine. The more traditional piping styles of both Scotland and Ireland were conspicuously well represented too, however.
Geordie Hall’s parents thought she was too busy to take up playing the bagpipe. But her in terest in soccer, the violin and the piano didn’t slow her down. Geordie has won more than 50 first-place awards in just 18 months of piping. Last week, she was honored by the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association in New York City as its 2006 juvenile champion, having competed against more than 300 others. Not bad for a lassie from Perry County’s Wheatfield Twp. who turned 14 on Oct. 29. The U.S. Air Force Reserve Pipe Band at Robins Air Force Base will march in the 80th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Klicken Sie bitte an diese Verbindung, Winterschule, zu aller relevanten Information auf Deutsch. The College of Piping is running a Winter School in Germany from Sunday 11th February till Friday 16th. The venue is a well appointed youth hostel set in pleasant woodland at Brüggen, 30 miles west of Dusseldorf. Classes are open to all levels of ability and there will be PDQB examinations at the end of the week. Instructors will be Robert Wallace, Joe Wilson and Dave Johnston. FeesStudents over 27 years - 310 Euros Students under 27 years - 292 Euros. Fees cover full board for the six days and the tuition fees for all classes. Exam fees are extra. There will be a single room supplement of 10 Euros per night.
Hello Southern Branch Members, At this time of the year, we are usually in full swing preparing for the I hope that some of you will decide that the Workshop has been so valuable — Winkie Taylor – Branch Chair Bagpiper.Com’s Norm Weaver, has been mentioned in the Rappahannock News - Washington, VA,US … Capping the afternoon’s performance was Scottish bagpipe music provided Wetootwaag’s Podcast of Bagpipe Power New Episode, complete with a chantery Eye
Nov
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2006
 
PPBSO finalizes 2007 regrading; Hamilton Police moves to GradePosted by: Pipe Major in NewsThe Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario (PPBSO) has completed its regarding after the 2006, and only four bands have been moved, including the Hamilton Police Pipe Band, which has been upgraded to Grade 2.
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE - The Air Force Reserve Pipe Band at Robins Air Force Base will perform Nov. 23 in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.The bagpipers will march in the 80th annual parade along with the Air Force Academy Band, cadet honor guard and cadet flag squadron. The parade will be televised on NBC from 9 a.m. until noon. The local unit, formed in 1961, is one of two military active-duty bagpipe bands. “We absolutely love playing for troops and communities around the globe,” said Tech. Sgt. Janis Thrift, a bagpiper with the band. “We are excited to be participating in an event that has truly become one of America’s great traditions.” Five Characters in Search of an Exit The SCI FI Channel is airing an episode that has a bagpiper as a main character. It will air on the SCI FI Channel on December 25, 2006, check your local tv listings for exact times. Five people — a ballet dancer, a major, a clown, tramp and a bagpipe player — trapped in a featureless enclosure with no idea how they got there attempt to escape. CAST: William Windom, Murray Matheson, Susan Harrison, Kelton Garwood, Clark Allen, Mona Houghton, Carol Hill. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Characters_in_Search_of_an_Exit The future of the Grade 2 Polkemmet Pipe Band of Whitburn, Scotland, is reportedly in doubt after a mass-exit of players following the departure of the band’s Pipe-Major, David Barnes, in September when he left to take over the Grade 1 Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band. Polkemmet, one of the world’s longest-running civilian bands dating back almost 100 years, will hold it annual general meeting on November 19 to assess the situation. With Barnes also went “the majority of the pipe corps,” according to a source close to the band. There are reportedly only three stalwarts left in the pipe section.
Nov
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2006
2006 BALVENIE MEDAL PRESENTATION TO THE RT HON SIR IAN L. MCKAY, BA. LLB. KNZMPosted by: Pipe Major in NewsSir Ian McKay of Wellington, New Zealand received his early piping tuition from his late brother Neville and later from Alan Guild and Neil McPhee. He was an early pioneer of piping pilgrimages to Scotland in 1952-53, studying piobaireachd under Pipe Major R. U. Brown. He supplemented this tuition with further assistance from his brother who was then serving with the Aberdeen Police. He received further tuition from R.U. Brown in 1966 and 1971 and from Robert Nicol in 1976. Ian was a founding member of Comunn na Piobaireachd (NZ) in 1958 and was its first Chairman of the Music Committee until 1970. Comunn na Piobaireachd (NZ) has the distinction of being the first piping body to be affiliated with the Piobaireachd Society (Scotland). Sir Ian was instrumental in securing this affiliation and also in securing the donation of a handsome silver piper as the trophy for the newly instituted Gold Medal Competition in New Zealand.  He succeeded to the Presidency of the Society in 1970 and held this post until 2005. He drafted its constitution which follows closely that of the Piobaireachd Society of Scotland During his lifelong involvement in piping, Sir Ian has been a guiding light in promoting piobaireachd playing in New Zealand most significantly through teaching and organising prominent pipers from Scotland to visit New Zealand and conduct seminars. Sir Ian has been a regular tutor at these seminars and held winter classes for piobaireachd in Wellington from 1953 to 1982. Pipers and Piping enthusiasts are invited to the WPC’s social piping evening Feel free to head along earlier and sample the fine meals they serve and
“McBlare” is a robotic bagpipe player. It plays an ordinary set of bagpipes using an air compressor to provide air and electro-magnetic devices to power the “fingers” that open and close tone holes that determine the musical pitch. McBlare is controlled by a computer that has many traditional bagpipe tunes in its memory. McBlare can also add authentic sounding ornaments to simple melodies entered through a piano-like keyboard and play the result on the bagpipes. McBlare was constructed by the Robotics Institute for its 25th Anniversary in 2004. The team that built McBlare includes Ben Brown, Garth Zeglin, and Roger Dannenberg. Bratach Gorm Ram’s Horn Piobaireachd J.B. Robertson Rose Bowl March London Medallion March Strathspey and Reel
John Roe Plate Piobaireachd Strachan Cup March Strathspey and Reel Hugh MacMillan Trophy Hornpipe & Jig London Scottish Hodden Grey March Strathspey and Reel Donald Forbes Medal Hornpipe & Jig Highlands & Islands Society Trophy Gaelic Air & Jig John Patrick wins latest round of SPA Knockout against Alastair Dunn
Walking down the halls of Highland High School on a Wednesday evening, a mystifying sound reverberates through the air - the sound of Highland bagpipes. Around the corner in the school’s Little Theater is the source. Gathered in a large circle are nearly 30 members of the Salt Lake Scots, a Scottish pipe and drum band. Dennis McMaster of West Valley, a bass drummer and band member for 33 years, said joining the band was something he had always wanted to do. “I fell in love with the sound of the pipes,” he said. “It’s a way to keep traditions in addition to having a lot of fun.” … Here is an interesting video of a bagpiper playing while operating two puppets. Watch the Video
We are saddened to announce the passing of Bob Dunsire at age 53 after a brave two year battle with cancer. Bob was born January 3rd, 1953 in Burnaby, British Columbia to Lily Bell and P. Kenneth (Ken) Dunsire. He passed away in his home on Camano Island, Washington on November 6, 2006, surrounded by his loving family. Bob was the original developer of this Website, the first official Piping Association Website, and maintained it for eight years. He also served on the BCPA Board of Directors for several terms. His contributions to the piping World were many, varied and generous of his own time and resources. He will be greatly missed. |
Bagpipe makers D Naill &Co will sponsor the school, presenting practice chanters to the highest exam passes and a set of pipes to the top student. There will be a presentation ceremony at the conclusion of the school followed by an instructors/ students/ pipe band concert in the local town hall. All classes will follow the College of Piping curriculum. All beginner to intermediate students must bring CoP Tutor 1, Intermediate to Advanced CoP Tutor 3 and piobaireachd students, CoP Tutor 4, though lessons may be flexible depending on intake. Those interested in attending should contact the registrar Dave Johnston at 
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