It’s December 2015 and I am just completing my third year
in a pipe band. Completing our year, the
band played two free Christmas concerts; one at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
in Saratoga and one at Trinity Episcopal in Menlo Park. Both were very well
received
The band played in six parades, five competitions and a
myriad of performances – some seventeen events large and small; some with the
full band, some with smaller numbers of pipes and drums. My favorite event of
the year was piping for the homecoming Honor Flight. The band played for the
returning veterans who were honored by Bay Area Honor Flights by an all-expense
paid trip to Washington DC.
We played some events in full uniform, others in band shirt
and Glengarry. I played in 15 of the 28 events as well as performing as Piper
John B for additional weddings, memorials and parties. Thank You must go to my
wife and family for encouraging and supporting my piping addiction and habit. I
would have to say that I’ve had the best year of piping since taking up the
bagpipes! And each year continues to get better. I have said it before: add in
weekly practices with the band, practicing my instrument and I’d have to say
that I’ve had almost enough piping for one year.
The 2015 season highlights included Grade 4 competitions
at the Sacramento Games, Monterey Games and Pleasanton Games. We debuted our
new competition uniform at the Sac Games (bye spats, horsehair sporran and
black police shirts and hello grey shirt and tie with waistcoat, black leather
sporran, grey socks with Gillies and new cap badge. I’m looking forward to the
new challenges ahead in 2016 band competitions playing a new MSR and refining
our TLM. In addition to competing with the band, I tried my hand again a solo
competition playing in Grade 3 at Monterey and Pleasanton. Stepping into a
competition quickly points out just how much more practice I need. It is very
humbling. My solo MSR is Duncan McInnes, Captain Colin Campbell and Colonel
MacLeod, and, my jig is Granny MacLeod. I hope to enter solos at all games that
the band enters, and maybe the Redding Solo competition. We will see.
In conjunction with the piping is the hanging with band
mates, both pipes and drums and their significant others. The time together,
whether preparing, competing, performing or just hanging out after a gig
contributes to the fun of the pipe band experience.
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
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