An Old Dog and Some New Tricks

Ok... so I'm not that old... but stay with me...

I've been running the grade 2 corp for a number of years now, needless to say it's been awhile since I've seen a new rudiment I had to wrap my hands around.

But with each new year comes a lot of new opportunities. The Grade 2 band is heading to Maxville this year. We will not be in Scotland for the World's the week after. This, however, has opened up an opportunity for myself... At some point somewhere the Pipe Band God's were having a party, throwing a few back, and decided to trick the great Graham Brown into asking me to try out for his corp.

This results in me getting a chance rarely bestowed on pipers and drummers... The chance to play Grade 1. To be on the cd's and dvd's. To go to the show as Kevin Costner so aptly put it in Bull Durham (I think that movie was about pipe bands).

The next step? Don't screw it up!

I've nestled into a practice regimen that sees me practicing an hour before work and one to two before bed. I am deadly dedicated to St. Andrew's so I have to make sure I have that music cold before I delve to far into Peel's.

I am practicing them as a hybrid. Since both band's seasons overlap I have to be able to move from score to score without hesitation. Incidentally out of 4 MSRs (Two per band) Exactly 3 of the tunes are different both bands are playing the same marches and both are playing one of the same Reels....

But wow what music!

It's been three days and I've learned a ton. Haven't even been to a rehearsal yet. This is the education I desperately need, and many local drummers outside our corp have been kind enough to explain to me... But I'm loyal to my people, something a great piper once told me about Graham.

I love my corp, and it's my opinion that this experience will certainly make the big blue back end sound even better.

So away I go.


This blog will now become not only musings and news from Saspb, but a diary of my attempt to play in the bigs. A sort of days in the life of a grade 1 virgin if you will.

I hope you enjoy and follow along as we take this adventure on together.

Cheers

Sean
Saspb Lead Drummer
Peel Wanna-be

New Year, New Blog

Good morning fellow pipe banders and general clingers-on.

I hope 2012 finds everyone in good spirits. We at the Big Blue Machine certainly are!

There's a lot of news kicking around so I'll get right to it.

We welcomed a couple new family members before Christmas. Baby Graeme from the Ford clan joined us and the whole family is doing very well. Alan is slowly taking to the idea of not being the only kid in the house, and we're all adjusting to Papa Al!!

We also had a new Schneider Baby arrive December 8th!! Phil, Allison, and Isla brought baby Malcolm into the world and based on his size (9lbs, 21") he'll be carrying a bass drum around before pre-school. Everyone is healthy and happy and Malcolm is already arm wrestling with Dad!

So we entered the New Year with some sleepy parents but smiles all around.

We have had to make some tough decisions as a band this season. We had initially planned on another run at Scotland, but due to expense and holiday restrictions etc. we have decided now to go back to Maxville for the North Americans.

This was a tough decision and it wasn't made lightly. The game plan is Scotland 2013 and we've already begun planning.

Our annual concert has been booked. April 14 is the date, and a second show is being added April 15. Both shows will be held at the beautiful Franco-Manitoban Cultural Center (Centre culturel franco-manitobain) we hope to see many of your smiling faces.

I hope to have some more time now to spend blogging and keeping up with Pipe band things.

Take care and see you all soon!

Sean

A New Challenge

So, for as long as I can remember I've had a bit of an issue with Fundraising adult pipe bands....

*pause a moment to dodge rotten tomatoes....

Here's why..

Annually major pipe bands all over the world, complete with Doctors, Lawyers, Business owners etc. use public funding and charity bound money to sponsor their activities. Which usually include traveling all over the world competing.....

I completely understand the hard charging fundraising efforts of kids bands.

Now fundraising is an absolute necessity for most bands. So I conclude this mini-rant by saying I tolerate it because it is necessary for the prolongation of our sport.

But I've always thought we could do something useful with our fundraising power. The networking of the pipe band world has the potential to raise big money for worthy causes other than our own.

Enter the SASPB drum corp and our decision to support the now World-wide MOVEMBER efforts.

Each member of the drum corp (male member I should add) will be attempting to grow a mustache in the month of November.
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Mustache growing is nothing new for pipe bands. I reference the greasy looks of SFU this season in Scotland, City of Regina's distinguished contest a few years ago, and let's not forget those awesome pictures of... well.... everyone from the 70's...

This instance, however, we can raise some money. Please donate and follow along on our Movember page as we add photos after every Tuesday of everyone's wonderful mustachery.

Simply follow the link: http://ca.movember.com/mospace/1372184/

Please give to this deserving charity and help us raise funds for Cancer research as we try and give back to a world wide community who always supports us.

Cheers

Sean

Fall Time

First off my apologies for being away for a bit. I've taken up tiling again, though only at my own home, and my audience is a bit more picky than before :)

It's been a pretty busy week or so since our weekend rehearsal. We had a great turnout and a great workout both days of that weekend rehearsal. So great to see all the new and returning traveling players. Welcome back to Jamie, Sarah, and Tad, and a special welcome to new players Katie Brady, Rob Kinnaird, and a few new players trying their hand at the grade 2 band.

I think we had 19 pipers around the chanter table which was a real pleasure to see since we were missing a few. Good turnout in the drum corp with new tenors Anna Fritschij, and Amanda Norquay filling out the tenor corp we had a good 7 sides (missing 3?) 5 tenors, and Chris Brown.

I'm excited about the new music. Lots of new stuff, some music I've never heard before. I think we're trying to define the St. Andrew's style which we've previously always copied from various bands but principally the 78th Frasers. The music is taking an edgier, and darker style and I really appreciate some new pieces we've pulled out from composers like Anne Gray and Gordon Duncan.

The Medley is set, the new MSR's have been played on drums already. I'm a happy guy :)

Next is the concert, which is where I've been focusing my energies the past week. Trying to read the extensive contract that comes with a rental of the Concert Hall here. It seems we've outgrown every venue otherwise so stay tuned for the announcement of the date for this winters concert.

I'd better get back to page 987 of this contract before I forget what I've read already. Have a great week, and on a more personal note to Sarah, we'll all forgive you for cheering for the Habs but you have to come over to the Jets side by 7 pm tonight or forever been shunned with Chris Brown.

Cheers

Sean

Superman vs. Clark Kent

So I had a sort of awakening this morning... I suppose most do when they sleep. This one, however, came to me while walking to work.

I started thinking about my time commitment to pipe band. How much time exactly do I spend, each day, thinking about band?

The answer is lots. That's okay too, but my next thought was, "I wonder if anybody realizes."

Here at the office everyone knows I play in a pipe band. It's almost universally known I'm a piper.... that's right.. they all assume, despite my protests that I'm a piper. Fair enough.

They have no clue what's going on behind these glasses. Or that at any necessary moment I can change into my kilt in a phone booth and run off with my drum at the ready.

How many of us are there? Silent people with super human ability to create music under duress.... Desk tappers, folks who practice doublings on their keyboards at work..

Thousands? Millions? Hard to say...

If you're reading this you're one of these folks. Silently honing your craft, pretending like you aren't working to pay for that trip to Scotland :)

Tonight at around 10 I'll transform yet again into a wanna-be rock star, when what I'd really like to be is in bed asleep. I'll bounce around stage with a loud guitar, smiling and singing, collect my cheque, thank God I can make money making music then drive home... superman.

The whole time I'll be trying to figure out how to make Tuesday rehearsal even better than this weeks. It's a blessing and a curse, just like the cape.

Today I challenge you to remove your glasses for a moment and show one coworker what it is exactly you do. Even if it's a youtube video or whatever... Open their eyes to the new generation of pipe bands.

I'd better go practice my pipes, wouldn't want to disappoint my coworkers....

Up up and away

Sean

A Great Weekend

Excuses are for losers, and luck is for the unprepared.

I don't know if you can translate that into latin but if you could, it would be the new motto of the 96th Highlanders from Saskatoon.

Here's the kicker, they're a juvenile band. Full of young kids.

Their pipe major sent an email this morning as a cap off to the weekend. Aidan herself is not an instructor but a member of the band. That line was how she ended the email.

This group always rises to the challenge. Every time we go out there they have remember everything we worked on the last time, and they have improved.

We had a great weekend, writing scores, arranging sets, talking maintenance, and now this band is ready for their contest season, in October.

First contest is February.. that's not bad.


My pick for the rising star in the grade 4 ring this season on the prairies is 96th, not because the instructors teach well (though they do), not because the parents force the kids to practice (no need), but because the kids have adopted an ownership of their band.

Good things will surely come from this.

Cheers,

Sean

The Morning After

...or afternoon.

Well it's official. We're going back :D

The band has confirmed our plan to go back to Scotland in 2012, including a trip to Northern Ireland for the Ulster Championships the weekend before the World's.

We're all very excited about this decision, and I am very very proud of the band for sticking with the long term plan.

Another bit of news that will come as no shock to anyone who knows him, but young chanter setup/ piper dude Andrew Laird will be leaving us this season. Andrew will be moving to Vancouver to try his hand in the big leagues with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band.

We could not be more proud of Andrew. He truly is a testament to hard work, and focus, as well as proof that our art form is alive and well with young people in Canada. Good on ya Andrew!!!

There's some more great news a coming and as it comes up I'll keep everyone posted.

Cheers

Sean