May 27, 2009
Hello folks, welcome back.
The seasons are changing and everyone is in full swing. It has been so nice to play outside. The weather is still not great and it has been pretty cool in the evenings but still, nice to actually hear what you are doing. The good news is of course that when it is cool, the mosquitoes are sleeping so no complaints.
Both bands attended the Brandon Highland Festival. Richard Wilson, David Kyle and their committee once again organized a splendid day. Well run, on time and very well attended. At the end of the day, both bands won their events with firsts across the boards. Our solo players also had a stellar day brining home a lot of hardware! Well done to all.
The band again hosted their annual Dinner/Dance at the Downs at the end of March. This is a fine evening with a beautiful meal, entertainment, lots of auctions and prizes and of course dancing. If you were not there, you missed a great time! Thanks to Jessica Locke and her committee for all their hard work getting this organized.
Another fundraiser we just finished was the Children’s Hospital Bookmart book move. This organization collects books all year and then holds a sale for charity at the St.Vital Centre mall. We get to load 3 semi trailers by hand and then unload them to dollies and distribute them throughout the mall (mostly in an organized fashion). It is a huge amount of fun and not really that hard. We were tired by the end, but truly a good time with lots of laughs.
Our next outings find the bands going in separate directions. The grade 3 band is going to Brandon for the annual Travelers Day Parade. This is usually the hottest day of the year and a pretty long walk so I wish them luck, let me know how it turns out, I will be thinking of you! The grade 2 band is heading to cottage country, Kenora Ont. We are going for two days. We have a parade and a few playing commitments but the brunt of the time will be spent rehearsing. All our of our out of town players will be coming in and will give us an opportunity to play uninterrupted. In the evening we will have a chance to relax and enjoy each others company. It is important to do this. We see each other every week but never really get an opportunity to just visit, sit back and make jackasses of ourselves. This is our chance. Most of us will be staying with Alan and at some cottages next door to Jillian’s family cottage. My next update will let you know the casualty count from this weekend!
JANUARY 12, 2009
Hello and welcome to the New Year. Both bands have been hard at it in the confines of their Legion hall caves. New music has been flying, new players to get on line, all in all very busy.
This year both of our bands have been working a lot closer together, both playing wise and organizationally. It has made us a much tighter group. We have had several practices together and equally as many social gatherings. We had a group Holiday Season party where we did a pot luck dinner and a gift exchange. During the exchange, gifts could be stolen. I have not laughed that hard for a long time and did not realize just how badly some folks needed a stainless steel coffee mug!
We sometimes forget about what is really important about going to band and being part of a group like this. Of course we all want to get better and be able to do our best. There is a time to be serious but we also need to have fun doing it. It is a great feeling going home from band when you have made some great musical strides but your sides are sore from laughing, it makes it all worth while!
We just finished a weekend practice getting ready for our 5th annual winter concert. It is titled With One Voice and promises to be our best show yet. There are two shows, one on Saturday February 7th at 7:00 and one the next day on Sunday the 8th at 3:00. Both shows are at the Jubilee Auditorium at the MBCI Campus on Riverton Ave. Tickets are available from any band member or check the ad on our web page. Hope to see you there.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2008
Hello and welcome back! It has been a very busy summer for both bands and a lot has happened so let’s get busy and get caught up.
The grade 2 band took a trip out west to Red Deer/ Ellerslie. It was a great weekend. Some of us stayed with our resident Edmonton player Jamie Simpson and his wife Diane. We had a great time with lots of laughs. The contests went very well. We were the only band in grade 2 but we really went to take a crack at playing in grade 1. We got our chance in Red Deer. We finished second but played very well. It was a nice feeling to know we were not out of place. Sunday in Ellerslie was not so good. We battled rain and ferocious winds all day, living in a makeshift tent for most of it. Grade 1 was cancelled at the call of the Pipe Majors. There was no point in getting any wetter. All in all, it was a good trip with lots of fun.
The following weekend was our home contests of the Manitoba Highland Gathering and Bands on the Boardwalk. Both of our bands played very well. The grade 4 band had a terrific day on Saturday winning the grade 3 event. As well, on the Saturday in Selkirk, we had our annual picnic/BBQ. It gives us a chance to have everyone in the organization together and share some food and cheap laughs. More groups should do this. It takes the stress out of the event and gives everyone a chance to just socialize and have a good time. Hat’s off to both contests. Although small, they ran very efficiently and provided a great environment for playing. Big thanks to all the volunteers who make these events happen.
The next big outing was for the Grade 2 band as we made our annual trek to the North American Pipe Band Championships. We started off at the B In The Park concert but this year as spectators. It was a wonderful show sponsored by the Son’s of Scotland Pipe Bands and featured Triumph Street from the west coast. This event is growing bigger by the year, well done to Bethany and her crew.
The contest in Maxville in Saturday was awesome. We dodged the bullet and didn’t have to play in the rain. However, shortly after the skies opened up, they had their worst storm in years. Rain, wind, lightning (a couple of people were hit in the vendor area). Everyone was scrambling for shelter, the beer tent gave new meaning to the phrase “a river runs through it”. Grade 1 continued on in the rain. Massed bands were cancelled but at the end, we were 3rd and we won the best bass and best pipe section! It is amazing how much water and mud a kilt can absorb.
The next day in Montreal, the weather was much more consistent, it just rained all day. We again dodged the bullet as it stopped just long enough for us to tune up and play. At the end of the day, we had taken first place and again won best pipe section. It was a great day!
It was especially nice to see City of Regina back in the contest circle, well done.
The trip home was pretty quiet (lots of tired bodies). A few of us were home just long enough to change suitcases, wash our socks and get back on the plane. We were on our way to Scotland with the Grade 4 band.
Excitement filled the air at 5:30am as we checked in. The trip was pretty good and uneventful as long as you consider projectile barfing, lost luggage, duty free seized at customs and members lost in the London airport uneventful. However, we all made it in one piece.
The band went right to it, and had a practice right away. They were pretty tired but by the next day, all were in fine form and in the spirit of the summer games, the beer Olympics began (we brought home the gold)!
Our first games were Dundonald. It is a very pretty little town south of Glasgow. By Scottish standards it is small (only 35 bands) but it was a great time. Of course it rained and the mud was everywhere. In the tuning circle, you could not stand in one place as you would start to sink like in quicksand. None the less a very well organized event and at the end of the day, the band was 7th in grade 4, 2nd in grade 3 and the best overseas band. What a great time!
Sunday was Perth and guess what, it rained! On and off but it sure made for a long day. The grounds were soaked so it was moved to the race track (pretty wet there too). When the day was done, 6th in grade 4, 6th in grade 3, a very respectable day.
The next week was combination of practice, touring and of course supporting the local economy. Practices were moved to 8am to coincide with the start time of the qualifier for the worlds. We didn’t have any problems with this but there were some complaints from some of the other bands who were staying near us. I looked after it though with warm salutations and suggestions of doing something with their hats.
WORLD PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS AUGUST 16-2008
The big day had arrived. The band took to Glasgow Green in fine form with their entourage of friends and family. I expected a nervous tense group. What we had in fact was a group of very collected, organized and determined people. They played the qualifier with probably their best play of the year. At that point, it did not matter if they won or lost, they were on top of the world. They had done their best and they were happy. Tears of joy flowed as they realized what they had accomplished. They had started out only a few years ago, built a band, worked hard as a team to get where they were and took it to the world championships. All the time and effort was worth it, they had made it. Lots of pictures and the long wait for results. The band won the qualifier. It was a long wait now to play the final and when the smoke cleared, they finished 7th, a very respectable finish.
When a lot of groups take on a trip like this, it sometimes tears at the very fabric of the band. Many do not survive the next year. In this case, it had the opposite effect. The band became tighter, became tighter friends and even made new friendships. They are already planning to return in 2010, they will be ready.
Hats off to the RSPBA. They run a tight ship. Everything happens on schedule to the minute. They have great stewards who help you get where you are going and really go out of their way to make sure your experience is a positive one.
Our new season has started for both bands. All is well with numbers up from last year. Our concert date has been set for February 7-8/2009. Tickets will be out shortly. Anyone interested in joining the organization should contact us through our website saspb.com. Stayed tuned, there will be lots more to come.
June 2, 2008
It's inside the circle with Sean!!!! Wes is real busy building a new house right now so I got the nod to write up a little "what's up" for the inside the circle.
So… what's up? Well, both bands have been really busy. Our annual concert was a great success and even got us mentioned on the prestigious piper and drummer website based out of Ontario. After that there was WSF, which both bands swept. Perhaps more importantly the grade 2 band got to spend Sunday afternoon with none other than multi-time world champion Reid Maxwell of the SFU pipe band.
The bands followed that up with a lovely dinner and dance fundraiser, which was well attended, and of course then came the Brandon Highland Festival… another clean sweep. We're all very proud.
On another note, Wes and myself just got back from several trips teaching pipe band clinics with various groups. We started down in South Dakota with the South Dakota Pipes and Drums, then we stopped in for a session with a group in Fargo.
Most notably, we recently returned from a lovely weekend with the 96th Highlanders from Saskatoon. This organization was an absolute pleasure to work with. Next to our own they might be one of the largest groups on the prairies, which in this day in age isn't too shabby for a juvenile pipe band.
We started to think of reasons for the size of the band. It struck me that almost all of the kids had a solo teacher. Someone, whether it was their regular instructor or not, to inspire them to learn these difficult instruments we work with.
Saskatoon has a strong network of pipers and drummers who are willing to teach young players, something that Winnipeg is lacking. While Transcona, the Boy Scouts, and all the Cadet bands have excellent and dedicated instructors, it is hard to cater to every student.
So, what can the big blue do? We can offer our experience and knowledge to the next generation. Our success dictates that we have some semblance of knowledge regarding pipe bands, let's pass it on.
For all the pipers and drummers out there, St. Andrew's or not, please take an hour or two from your busy week and instruct a child in our art form. If we each had one student the youth bands would be over flowing and our own future would be secure.
For all the youth out there interested in learning the pipes or drum, please contact any member of the St. Andrew's organization and we will gladly set you up with a teacher and point you in the direction of one of Manitoba's excellent youth bands.
Good luck with the rest of the season to all and please consider teaching it is truly a rewarding experience.
January 2, 2008
Hello and welcome back. It has been a very busy Fall and lots of catching up is needed, but before we do that I would like to extend a huge congratulation to the members of the Triumph Street Pipe Band on being upgraded to Grade 1! I can think of no one more deserving than this group of people. They run a class organization and are a really great group of people to hang out with - not to mention very talented. Hats off to you and all the best in the upcoming season!
The Fall has been a very busy time for both bands. The organization is still growing with lots of new members in both bands. We are always looking for more people, there is a place for everyone between the two bands.
The Grade 4 band went on their annual retreat to the Falcon Lake Resort on the Remembrance Day weekend. Lots of playing, swimming and karaoke. A good time was had by all.
The Grade 4 band is really pumped. This year they are going to Scotland to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships. They are working very hard and should do well. Fundraising is in full swing with updates to follow.
The Grade 2 band is steamrolling ahead. Many new players and a lot of new music is making for an exciting Fall. We are getting ready for our third all-weekend practice. Again, lots of fun, cheap laughs and of course practice.
Our Annual Concert - An Guaillibh a Cheile - is on for January 19 and 20 (2 shows). This year's performance promises to be even bigger and better! Tickets are available from any band member, or phone 254-7435.
Hope to see you soon!
September 3, 2007
Well, hello and welcome back. It has been a while since I did an update and there has been a lot going on so let’s get to it.
The July long weekend was very busy for both bands. This was a double header for us with the Manitoba Highland Gathering on Saturday, June 30, and Bands on the Boardwalk in Winnipeg Beach on the first of July - Canada Day.
In Selkirk, the band had their annual BBQ in conjunction with the contest and it was a great time. The weather was beautiful and the park was in great shape. We had everything from caribou burgers to taco salad, chicken and cherries! After that we had the contest. Both bands had great runs, the Grade 4 Band sweeping the day with straight firsts in grade four. The Grade 2 Band sporting our newest addition, Amanda Shirley, put in probably our best play of the season.
The contest was run pretty well. It is a new group of volunteers and with a lot of help from various people it came off on time without too many difficulties. Next year this contest promises to be back - bigger and better than ever. Big thanks to Joyce, Roger and the whole organization.
The next day we were in Winnipeg beach at B.O.B. The day was somewhat less spectacular in terms of weather. Rain and high winds made the morning difficult but competitors, judges, and organizers pulled together and kept it well run and on time for the most part. The afternoon was a mixed bag. It started OK but then the rain returned in full fury. Good performances still happened but it was very wet and cold. Again, the Grade 4 Band emerged with solid plays and wins.
B.O.B. has a special “beach” event where the rules of pipe bands change. You can basically do anything you want in a beach or summer festive theme. Our bands joined forces and created a pirate battle on the field complete with costumes, water bombs, guns, tattoos and swords with, of course, pipes and drums. A huge amount of fun and we won the event!
Big thanks to the organizers who once again put on a really top notch event.
The next outing was the Grade 2 trip to Maxville/Montréal or the M&M weekend. We flew in on Thursday after much preparation and within a few hours were doing the B In the Park concert along with Triumph Street, The RCMP, and the Sons of Scotland pipe bands. It was a great show held in Confederation Park. The heat was unbelievable. At 8:00 it was still 38C with a humidex (whatever that is) of 44C. It felt like we were playing in a shower. After, we all bought shares in Darcy MacGee’s Irish Pub and the local Donair shop.
The next day was an off day except for those playing solos in Maxville and those who had an evening practice, so I guess nobody really got an off day! Congrats to all who played and especially Clarke Stockton and Chris Gardner who brought home some hardware.
Maxville was a great day! Beautiful weather, meeting with old friends, and of course great contests. This was our first real contest since last year at this time - a hard situation to be in. When the dust settled, we were third behind Triumph Street and Chicago Midlothian, two great bands. A hard but very successful day.
The next day in Montréal we had one of our best plays ever. The weather was very hot and we all got extra special burns. The smoked meat shops made a fortune off of us and the beer tent was extra busy. At the end of the day, we were second only to Triumph Street. Following massed bands we put on a show in the beer tent that brought the house down!!
All in all, I think the best part of the trip was the way everyone got along. We did some really hard days and everyone was put to the test. A good time was had by all, and I cannot think of any issues other than trying to find Alan and Sean! The other part was the way the different bands interacted with each other. We shared a bus with Edmonton & District and had huge laughs and good times with them. Congrats to them. They did a repeat of us and won both the North Americans and Montréal in grade three. We were all in the same hotel with Triumph Street. Again, good laughs with old friends and had a great time making new ones. The best moment was when the two drum corps played together in the Montréal beer tent, what a sight, wall to wall drums! All in all, it was a fantastic trip.
The last trip of the year was the Grade 4 band going to Calgary/Canmore. This is a well attended games held on the September long weekend. It was a very long trip out as most of us drove, but we survived. The weather was fantastic and the scenery was even better. Such a pretty locale for a contest. Again, lots of laughs, visiting with old friends and made a few new ones.
The whole weekend was all St.Andrew’s! These boys and girls put on two of the best shows I have ever heard them play. It was seven out of eight firsts and a clean sweep. It was a real pleasure to watch them play. They have grown into a very confident, well rehearsed group with a high standard of play. They made us all really proud.
I think the nicest part of all these get-togethers is the way the bands interact with each other. There is a sense of togetherness and comradery that is hard to explain. Even though we are competing against each other, no one hesitates to jump in when help is needed. Our drums were used in Canmore by another band who met with some bad luck. The pit crew (Christian and myself) helped set up another band whose PM had a family emergency. No one questions it, you just do it because when you think about it, we are all just one big family and without each other, none of this would be any fun.
Both bands have started their new seasons already. If you are interested, please contact us at the numbers on the site. See you soon.
June 1, 2007
Hello folks and welcome back. It is nice to be back in the warm weather and playing outside, although the Grade 2 band may not agree. We held our first practice in the rain the other night. It was raining, cold, and miserable. It was kind of like a free trip to Scotland!
Both bands participated in the Brandon Highland Festival in April. It was a great day and we were able to compete outside, which for us at that time of the year is incredible. The contest itself is put on by Richard Wilson and his dedicated crew of volunteers - too many to mention. They ran a very tidy contest, everything went on schedule, and we were done in good time. It was also very nice to see The Conservatory of Performing Arts band from Regina there. If you have never been, it is a great event... small, but well worth the trip.
The two bands had a great day winning all their events. The Grade 2 band was alone in their grade and the Grade 4 band was in a class of five bands. As well, our solo players came away with seven trophies. Congratulations to all!
Our next event was the Grade 4 band going to Moose Jaw and Regina. These contests, although far away geographically, are considered “home” contests for the Manitoba bands, so there was a huge contingent there.
The Moose Jaw/Regina games are central, so it makes it easy for all the “old timers” to get together, swap lies, and catch up on old times. It was really great to see my old pal Jamie Simpson from Edmonton who I played with in my old Dauphin Legion days, John Fisher, Dave Hicks, Iain MacDonald of course, and many others. These games were very well run also. Times were run to the minute, especially with the bands.
The weather was another story. I have never played willingly in such cold conditions as we did in Moose Jaw. For a while I thought I was at a Remembrance Day service. I actually played for a drummer wearing a Winter jacket and was still cold! The band faired very well. The grade four class was huge with ten bands. On Saturday, they received a second and a fifth.
Sunday was a great day, with the Grade 4 band winning first and third! However, the jewel of the weekend was playing up into grade three with the medley (for adjudication only) and winning!!! The band received three firsts and one second, snagged best mid-section, and the drum corps won the entire weekend! Needless to say, Gravol and Aspirin was the meal of choice on Monday.
Parade season is now upon us, with our first being last weekend for the Elmwood Legion. It was not a world record but pretty close... 1½ blocks!
The next events coming up are the Manitoba Highland Gathering in Selkirk, and Bands on the Boardwalk at Winnipeg Beach. Selkirk is also the annual BBQ picnic for the band and is a huge pile of fun, hope to see you there.
April 25, 2007
Hello all, we are back inside the circle! Lots of exciting things happening. The Grade 4 band was able to have their first practice outdoors last week. It was a little cool, but boy was it nice to not have your eardums shaken out for two hours!
The band received an invitation to play at the opening of the Rod Stewart concert here in Winnipeg on Tuesday night. We played a short set in the concourse as people were coming in and then played around the main stage before the big show. Afterwards, we were all able to stay to see the show along with our guests. Although we did not get to meet Mr.Stewart, the show was top notch. He is a real class act, with a great group of support people working with him. Big thanks to Danny Hoplock for making it all happen. Cam Ballantyne even got an interview with CTV to promote the show. He is one sharp looking dude on camera!
This weekend is the Brandon contest. It is put on by Richard Wilson and his great group of volunteers. The band has solo players, and of course both bands will be playing.
See you then!
March 26, 2007
Good day and welcome back to Inside the Circle.
Both bands are presently in the most difficult part of the season. We have a nine week break from competition. It becomes a real chore sometimes to keep the troops motivated. There was cetainly no evidence of that Saturday night though.
The band hosted a dinner and dance at the Assiniboia Downs Race Track and before you say it, the meal was not the last place finisher. It was a beautiful meal set out with all the trimmings. We had a fairly large crowd in with even some guests from North Dakota!
Before the meal, the crowd was entertained by the Grade 4 band. Their performance was outstanding! It is very gratifying to see this group and what they have achieved. The band demonstrated their depth as well, being led by Pipe Sargent Crystal Hay and using rotating leads. Pipe Major Kirby found himself very ill but like a good trooper, was there cheering on the group. The band didn't miss a beat, what a great show.
After dinner, the Grade 2 band put on an amazing show with the help of the Irene Baird School of Highland Dance. The playing was top drawer and the sound was fantastic! The crowd loved it. There was a raffle for a lot of great stuff including some dance lessons. We won't say who won those, but there is a certain drummer in the band who will now be known as "twinkle toes".
The evening rounded out with a lot of dancing and of course a whiskey draw. A big thanks to the organizer Jessica Locke and her committee, they did a great job!
February 26, 2007
Good day and welcome to INSIDE THE CIRCLE. My name is Wes Sheppard and I have the honor and privilege of being the St.Andrew's Society of Winnipeg Pipe Band’s pipe major and the President of the St. Andrew's Pipe Band organization here in Winnipeg. We have a fairly large organization with two bands, Grade 2 and Grade 4, as well as many associate members and friends. We are a fun group who puts a lot of effort into our music and having fun doing it.
We thought it might be useful and kind of fun to have an information page where we could keep you informed of what was happening with our bands, as well as get some feed back as to what the outside world thought. Hopefully we can keep you well informed of our upcoming events both in and out of the circle.
This past weekend, we had our season opener at the Winnipeg Scottish Festival. It was a great time! The event is organized by a super group of hard working volunteers. They bring in some great judges and put on a really top notch event. Both of our bands played and put on a great show. The Grade 2 band was in their grade alone so of course we got the trophy. (clap, clap, clap). The real excitement was the Grade 4 band. After their first really successful season last year, they came out like a house on fire. The band has doubled in size and put on a terrific show. They won all 3 events with 10 first placings! These guys and gals make us all very proud, keep your eye out for them.
Our next outing will be the Brandon Highland Festival. Check out www.PPBAM.org for links to all the upcoming summer games in our area. Also, don’t forget to check our event schedule to keep on top of all our social events and fundraisers.
Bye for now,
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