On Pipe Band Management

Our band played last weekend for a Memorial Day Ceremony at Skylawn Memorial Park near Half Moon Bay. Eight pipers, four drummers and our Drum Major along with various camp followers. The day before the band played at the Half Moon Bay Pentecost Festival parade memorializing the fifty days following Easter. A week before the band played in Pescadero for a Portuguese festival and parade. Each had a different cast of characters playing in the band. To make each event happened is a crew of dedicated musicians who love to serve the band in many capacities.

Those jobs are for the most part, unsung hard working volunteers that want to see the band succeed and prosper. Think about what it takes to get to one event. First, there are weeks, if not months, of practice, almost every Tuesday evening. The band managers have to coordinate with our host church, St. Andrews Episcopal, Saratoga, CA to find us time in their sanctuary or gym. Our band President and Drum Major will send out detailed email reminders, and our Pipe Major and Drum Sergeant will run the practices. If there are issues with uniforms or drums, our band managers will coordinate obtaining gear from ‘the shed’. If something needs purchasing, then our band Treasurer will coordinate and money exchanges. If a related topic needs to be discussed by the Board of Directors, then the Secretary will keep notes. If reeds are going bad and new ones needed, then they need to be issued. If changes in music scores are needed, another volunteer updates the music and gets it posted on the band’s web site: http://www.stewarttartan.com/ Another volunteer coordinates with the parade organizers regarding any pertinent details regarding the event. That gets passed along to band management and entered on to the web site and TeamSnap website. And that’s before the day of an event! If the volunteers did their part, and practices went well, then the event will go smoothly. The members attending will come prepared and once at the event will for the most part, act as professionals, listening and obeys the Pipe Major, Drum Major and Drum Sergeant.

At a performance such as for Memorial Day, the band will arrive and dress in their uniforms. Each member looks out for the other to see that we look our best. After the pipers warm up and tune roughly, Pipe Major will complete the fine art of tuning. The drummers will work with the Drum Sergeant to insure that they are prepared and drums tuned. The Drum Major will keep a keen eye on everyone’s deportment to ensure that the ensemble of pipes and drums works together. The event’s performances then work with almost never a problem. The Drum Major and Pipe Major will work seamlessly together in accomplishing the goals of the team at the event. The old adage of “Proper prior planning prevents poor performance.” is true in a band as in every part of life.

Everyone doing their part, focused on our mutual goal of playing music to the best of our abilities leads to becoming a great band. Thanks cannot be offered often enough to our staff for tirelessly volunteering to move our band forward. My hat’s off to each. Thank you for all you do.

On piping for a wedding at the beach

When a young couple in love thinks of an outdoor wedding and chooses the beach, they have an amazing backdrop of sand, surf, sun and sky. The informality of the beach can be juxtaposed with the beauty of a bride with bridal party, either formal or casual. Music for a beach wedding can be equally fascinating. Some couples choose canned sound system with recorded music. Safe bet as even a small breeze can muffle the sound of live musicians. Violin and cello are beautiful with lilting strains of classical music. Guitar work well when amplified. But rarely does the sound equal that of the bagpipes.

The bagpipes at a beach seems to me to match the beauty of the surroundings. Waves rolling in, clouds rolling by and the stirring sound of the highland bagpipes as the bride accompanied by her Father walks down between rows of family and friends to an outdoor alter of sorts. And should the couple have ties to a Celtic background then the scene will be complete when the piper strikes in.

Almost any tune that is upbeat and grand will work for either stately processional or joyous recessional. Highland Cathedral, or Green Hills, Mairi’s Wedding, Simple Gifts / “Lord of the Dance”, Highland Laddie or a hymn such as “Be Thou my Vision” played at a tempo of the bride’s choice works.

The challenge for a piper is with the potential for temperature swings which can cause the bagpipes to go out of tune. Special care needs to be taken to keep the pipes stable. Warm and cold swings as clouds move through, as beautiful as the picture is, may cause the pipes to go out. The other consideration is that too much wind may stop a drone from playing lessening the full sound of the pipes. Playing facing into the wind (if the wind is blustery) is best, but the venue will dictate your position.

The piper is there for the bride and groom. Anything I can do to make their special day just that much better, I will do. I always suggest meeting the bride ahead of time to discuss. Even have a “Bagpipe Tasting” for the couple. Just as one might taste cake options at a bakery for the wedding cake, I like to think that a couple wants to get a sense (or taste) of what I bring to the wedding ceremony. So setting aside time to play for them gives a connection with them.

Weddings are THE most fun to play for and be a part of. Whether for the ceremony or for the reception, I love being a part of such a special day. Beaches aren’t just for picnics and splashing in the waves, but are a lovely venue for nuptials; Bagpipes optional!