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Blog-Log
August, September 2006 Wednesday, September 27, 2006 I want to thank Stig Bang-Mortensen from Denmark for so kindly sending me high quality recordings of past championship contests. As always, after receiving copyright permission, many of these will be featured in You Be The Judge or the Highlanders' Institute. News this time of the year is a little scarce, but one thing of importance is the activity in Florida this month. PM Sandy Keith, instrumental in the development of the City of Dunedin Pipe Band and also the Southern Pipe Band Association has organized a series of workshops around the state - Orlando, Pensacola and Dunedin. This weekend, Tom Foote and myself will be conducting a piping, drumming and pipe band seminar in Pensacola. The latest reports have 40 pipers and 20 drummers attending. Congratulations are in order to the organizers and promoters. This is surely a lesson for other organizations. If properly staged, an event of this type is sure to be a success. Monday, September 25, 2006 Not to think that I was less than attentive to the blog here, there comes a time when all musicians must resort to their number two passion and mine just happens to be fishing with friends. So before you think that I have gone AWOL on purpose, have a look at the following pics. Six of us took our annual fly-in trip from Elliot Lake, ON - a drive about 5 hours north and west of Toronto - lake trout, speckled trout and splake, in a 4 lake area. We lived on an island and portaged between lakes - drank lots of beer and played too many hands of cards....but what a time. I strongly suggest that everyone take the time for their number two activity ...just for the fun of it!
The six of us - Bryan, Gene, brother Rod, the Captain, Larry and Dean
The bay inlet of our island - the Fall colors have started !
One of our float planes and the lake in the background
Bryan and Rod filleting speckled trout - as red as it gets! Thursday, September 14, 2006 I received two things today that are worth sharing. Stephen MacNeil wrote a note through the feedback here at the Corner ... "Great site, love the "historical" nature of " The Captain's Corner".... " and again later in the day ..."I know I jumped on the tail end of what you guys (yourself, Tuck, Anderson, Campbell...) started but its fun telling the young guys today about the bands that first put Canada on the World pipe band scene. Most of them just think the Frasers came out of nowhere to get the whole ball rolling .... Coincidental with Steve's comments, in the mail today was a CD sent to me from my good friend Allan Skalazub who played in the Triumph Street Pipe Band back in the 70's when comraderie between TS and the Clan was at its zenith. Allan has compiled a CD of Triumph Street performances from 1975 through 1991. I have listened to it all afternoon ... not much work done ... nostalgic to say the least ... perhaps some of the younger players of today can have a listen to a cut of this CD and understand some of the pieces to the puzzle. Triumph Street won the World's Drumming title and were 5th as a band way back in 1979 at the World's in Nottingham ... many thought they might have won the contest ... thanks Al for the march down memory lane!
Hear Triumph Street at the 1980 Santa Rosa Games in California Wednesday, September 13, 2006 Piping in order to flourish must have teachers and students wanting to learn. Some of the best Scottish players have come from a long lineage of family pipers - Angus MacColl, Colin MacLellan, Tom and Iain Speirs, Alasdair Gillies, Willie McCallum to name a few. But this list started many generations ago in Scotland so there was certainly a head start over North America. My recent travels got me to thinking that North America is starting to bridge family piping generations: Bruce and Alex Gandy, Jack, Colin and Andrew Lee, Angus MacPherson and Neil, Peter Aumonier and Stuart, Ken Sutherland and son John, George Campbell and daughter Kirsten, Peter Sinclair and son Garth, Alasdair and Norrie Gillies, Ann and Robyn Gray, Larry Wilson and daughter Laurie, Tom Donaldson , son Iain and grandson Graham, Gail Brown and sons Glenn, Blair and Graham .... the list goes on ... piping is certainly extending into the family fabric on this continent. I would think that the next generation is in great hands !
Family members Rob Crabtree and cousin Stephen Murphy (one of my pupils) playing at the lake on a summer's evening September 11, 2006 5 Years or 25 Years...time means little...as most would say, time flies. Can you remember exactly where you were 5 years ago today when the terror struck the World Trade Centre and other areas of the USA. Of course you can. But 25 years ago might be a stretch. For many of us, and especially members of the Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band, we remember explicitly...on two airplanes returning from San Francisco and the Santa Rosa Games ... we pause this time every year to remember and celebrate a great person, player and friend, Davey Moore who was taken from us that day when one of the planes dropped down in Salt Lake City for repairs.This past week marks 25 years since Davey died. Fred Bemrose in his historical column for the Paris Star has thoughtfully reminded the citizens of Paris, Ontario of this tragic event. But for all who grew up and played with him, let's celebrate and have a pint together, as Davey would have wanted it.
Clan MacFarlane pipers in California, 1981 - Jack Gillies, Don Forgan, Scott MacAulay and Davey Moore Friday, September 8, 2006 McGillivray to Sit on the Glenfiddich Bench Congratulations to Jim McGillivray, double gold medallist from Aurora, Ontario on being appointed to adjudicate the Glenfiddich Championship this Fall. Considered by most to be the world championship of solo piping, former winners are the who's who of the piping world. For a former competitor like Jim, this represents the recognition of his years service to piping in all forms - competitor, teacher and adjudicator. Congratulations my friend!
The annual Glenfiddich International Piping Championships for 2006 will be held at Blair Castle on Saturday, October 28, 2006. For more information and a full report of last years results please go to www.glenfiddich.com and choose from the Events list on the "What's On" Page. For Further Information Contact : Side Note : Jim declined a fishing trip with the Captain, scheduled for this same weekend ... I am still shaking my head ! Can't figure out why? Wednesday, September 6, 2006 Many might get the impression that all we do is play pipes and compete...but there is a social life to piping that is second to none. Often the good times come after the competitions, like last Sunday nite at Pleasanton. Another was the annual Islay Bar event held on Sunday, the day after the World's each year. The inaugural Sunday ceilidh was held in 1998 at Wilson's Bar, the year the Vic Police won the World's title. Started by Don Bradford, his patronage has kept this day on everyone's calendar ever since. This year was no exception, as the following picture taken by Ruth Parkes, wife of the FMM Pipe Major, brings to together the 1998 and the 2006 Champions....
The Captain, Richard Parkes (FMM) and Nat Russell (Victoria Police) A reunion - 2006 and 1998 Tuesday, September 5, 2006 Just in from Pleasanton, California and what a great few days it was.... superb weather - warm and dry - superb piping starting with the professional solos on Friday and ending with the Grade 1 bands on Sunday....and then the Sunday nite ceilidh where the first grade bands did their own thing! Peel Regional Police, Windsor Police, the LA Scots and the Alberta Caledonia ...
Some of my fellow judges - Adrian Melvin, Sandy Keith Blair Brown and Caitlin Harrington Bob Worrall, Willie McErlean and Alex Thompson (New Zealand)
... and they come out of the woodwork, ... and then there were the real players ! but can they play? Congratulations to Andrew Lenz, winner in Grade 4 Breaking News !!!! Mother and daughter sweep piobaireachd prizes at the Canmore Highland Games in Alberta on Sunday, September 3, 2006. Ann (Professional) and Robyn Gray (Intermediate) become the first mother-daughter duo to win ceol mor prizes on the same day! Congratulations to the two Alberta look-alikes !
The Grays - Ann and Robyn Is that also a drum harness, Ann? Tuesday, August 29, 2006 Finally home from Glasgow, Ireland and the games.... judged at Portrush, NI and also at the Cowal Gathering in Dunoon. What a wonderful opportunity to meet old friends and new. The piping was awesome at both the World's and Cowal. The hospitality in Portrush was beyond compare and to say it best, I think pictures will do... so here goes ! ....
Nat Russell, brother Bill and Sam Young (Australia) David Caldwell, now with the 78th
Hugh Cameron and Eric Ward, LD of Strathclyde Police Donald MacPhee, FMM stalwart
Do you think Bob Worrall needs bailing out ? Greg Dinsdale, Hugh Cameron, Sandy Keith and Jim Kilpatrick As Iain MacDonald suggests "Just or Injust" Incarceration...you decide!
SFU at the starting line - the day of the small band is gone !
Not to be outsized, count the players in Shotts at the World's !
Four of the judges at Portrush - Gordon Parkes, the Captain, Winston Pollock and Nat Russell
The Cowal Games field at Dunoon
... and promising Shotts piper, Graham Donaldson with his sister Emma taking in the Grade One contest at the World's - bet his money is on his Dad !
A Canadian group at Cowal including judge Bob Worrall and pipers Andrew Hayes, James and Kylie McHattie
The smiles say it all! The Captain with Jim McGillivray - Cowal Beer Tent
Judges Alastair Aitken, Jim McGillivray, Gordon Parkes and John Wilson awaiting their events in the Cowal adjudicators' lounge
Three of my very good friends in the Cowal Beer Tent George Wood, Manager of the Todd Bar, Bill Sawyer (ex Clan MacFarlane piper) and Peter Duncan from Durban South Africa (now Manchester) - stay in one spot in the Beer Tent and all friends will pass your way eventually !
Again, the Beer Tent where Iain Donaldson (right) is enjoying a pint with a fellow Shotts piper.
Two Jakes ! John (Billy) Watson and son Jake (PS of the 78th Fraser Highlanders)
Two really good friends, judges Malkie MacKenzie and Andrew Wright at the World's
And Glasgow scenes - Central Station from Argyll Street and the Salt Market ( High and Argyll Streets ) Friday, August 11, 2006 Hello from Glasgow...the week of the World's is on...concerts every nite...all the bands getting ready for the big day tomorrow...myself?...an easy day with no judging assignment...I have my ticket for the Grade 1 arena and will bounce back and forth hearing the best the world has to offer. This afternoon will be quite a time in the practice areas of Kelvin Park and the Todd Bar - The band Club at 2:30, Field Marshall Montgomery at 3, the 78th Frasers at 4 and the Shotts at 4:30.... whew ! The solo piping event last night at the Todd was won by Gordon Walker...certainly my pick on my judge's card....other competitors were Jack Lee, Angus MacColl and Roddy MacLeod...a great feast of piping.... will have some pics of the world's when I return...but first I am off to Ireland to judge at Portrush next week with my friend Nat Russell...again , it promises to be a great time.... Sunday, August 6, 2006 Just in the door from Maxville and the North American Pipe Band Championships and out again tomorrow to Glasgow and the World Pipe Band Championships...not a dull moment over the next few weeks! Congratulations are in store for the big winners at Maxville - Metro Toronto Police in Grade 1 and Fredericton Society of St. Andrew in Grade 2. My fellow adjudicators, Scott MacAulay, Rob Crabtree and Al Savage were feted to world class performances - 11 bands in Grade 2 and 5 in Grade 1. I am waiting on permission at the moment to post the winning Grade 2 performances in You Be The Judge .... The many improvements to the park that Maxville has made over the years were never so apparent as this year, with a separate park area for the solos and the usual arenas for the big bands....kudos to the people of Glengarry for their support over the years. I mustn't forget the Gold Medal, won by Glenn Brown from Milton, Ontario. The event was judged by my long time friend Angus J. MacLellan, Glasgow. His host for the weekend, Jim McGillivray, adequately summed Angus up: " he has more knowledge of Ontario piping than most Ontarians".... and knowledge Angus has ... given his 20 plus years as a student of the great Donald MacLeod and the equal with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.
Angus J. with Scott MacAulay - 2 Islanders!
Past PPBSO President Bob Allen with drumming adjudicator Greg Dinsdale
and I mustn't forget the Novice Piobaireachd winner, Garth Sinclair with his dad Peter. Congratulations Garth on your first piobaireachd win !
The resting place for the blog entries for the last year.
Copyright © 2005,2006 The Captain's Corner |
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