On piping with the Stewart Tartans for a second year

It’s December 2014 and I come to the end of my second! year in a pipe band. Last Sunday was our band’s last performance of the year, playing in San Mateo for our second Christmas Concert. The band performed 16 times, 6 parades and competed 9 days in the year culminating with our band’s back to back Scottish Christmas concert! 

Mathematically the band played every other week, plus some. Again, I have to acknowledge (and thank) my beautiful my wife and family for encouraging and supporting my piping. Playing the pipes this year has been overwhelmingly fun. I started last year with the goal of performing well and playing at a level that I would be accepted into the competition band. I see many hands in the running of our pipe band. From the pipe major and drum major on down to the most in need of more practice, so many folk helped make this year fun and profitable.

The band itself played successfully through the competition year coming in 4th overall in WUSPBA. This standing, along with a healthy desire to see the band progress, had the band management apply for and be approved for moving from grade 5 to grade 4. This spells more time and energy needed to play well at the next level up. Along with that was the band’s desire to keep the grade 5 band going as a farm band to support player’s upward movement. Based on the rules of competition, our pipe major will stay with the grade 4 band, and I was asked to step up and into the role of PM for the grade 5 band. OMG, what was I thinking when I accepted?

This coming year will be another year of growth for me in the new role as well as progressing in my playing to stay in the upper band when the grade 5 band is not competing. Our band will be establishing individual goals for each member this year, as a trial. I do well with goals set and accomplished. I hope that the band will respond favorably to the idea. My personal goal / fantasy will be to compete personally whenever the band is competing. I guess that I’d better get practicing.

Thank you to all those who listen to our band, and music!

Merry Christmas!

John B

'Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people, for unto you is born this day a Savior which is Christ the Lord.' Luke 2:11

On playing Christmas carols

Every year at Christmastime I find myself being asked to play Christmas carols at different festivities. And during our Scottish Christmas Concert our band will play a couple carols, changing tune combinations each year.

Some piping friends have challenged the ‘need’ for playing carols at all as “they were not composed for pipes.” I have to say I disagree. Music transcends the instrument if the transposition of tunes can be played well on the pipes. 

I thoroughly enjoy playing carols as a treat to listeners. It surprises and stirs listeners when they least expect it. Played solo, the tunes can be added to most any repertoire where exact embellishment may be laid aside for the sake of the listener.

Trusted tunes that work are:

Angels We Have Heard on High
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel
Come All Ye Faithful
Hark the Herald Angel Sing
Deck the Halls
I Saw Three Ships


Merry Christmas!