Washington Pipers’ Association

Archive for April, 2009

WPA Mini-Gathering Results – April 4th

Apologies for the delays posting results, the week leading up to the British Columbia Pipers’ Association Annual Gathering made getting time for these results a little challenging. Check the results on the BC Pipers’ Website, you’ll see quite a few competitors from Washington State in the top placings.

Thanks to Ed McIlwayne and Scott Robertson for making time to come down from BC to adjudicate these events.

Ed MacIlwaine started his piping career with the White Spot Pipe Band in 1986. In 1989 he began getting tuition from P-M James Watt and continued his association with James and the the Western Academy of Pipe Music until James’ death in 2000. Since 2001 Ed has been a dedicated student of Andrew Wright of Dunblane and since 2005 has been a frequent prize-winner at piobaireachd competitions in Scotland. Ed is a Past President of the BCPA. www.edwardmacilwaine.com

Scott Robertson is currently instructing grade 4 and 5 side drummers of the RMM Pipe Band. He has instructed and led pipe band drum corps including organizing and training bands for recording and competing in North America and Britain. Drum Corps taught include: Triumph Street Pipe Band, Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band (1980 World Champions),Delta Police Pipe Band, Seaforth Highlanders. Drum Corps that he has played in include TSPB (1979 World Champions) 1974 – 1991 and the Abbotsford Police Pipe Band. Scott is an official drumming and ensemble judge of the BC Pipers Association. He frequently judges at highland games in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. His judging experience includes adjudicating solo snare & tenor completions as well as drum corps. Since 2000 Scott has worked as Head Drum Instructor for Tom Lee Music. Accomplishments here include establishing a drum lesson curriculum for all teachers. For more info about Scott, please visit www.scottondrums.com and www.scottondrums-school.com

Scott’s newest CD SWING PATROL is now available in iTunes. You can find the link and listen to sound clips here: www.songcastmusic.com/albums.php?zoom_query=30786. The reviews are coming in:

Dennis Mersmann at MuzikReviews.com gives it four stars out of five: “Swing Patrol is an exceptional album.” …”Each track deserves to be listened to once for every musician playing to fully appreciate what each is doing.”…” There is not one song here that isn’t worth listening to…”

Jeff Parker at Swingmusic.net: “The guitar work is first rate and the work with both brushes and sticks by leader Scott Robertson is really superb.”…” Exceptional work!”

Bobby Hales in UPBeat: “For performers still in their 20’s (Bria Skonberg and Evan Arntzen), their maturity in this idiom is amazing.”…”A thank you to Scott for reminding me how good brushes sound on ballads.”…”West Coast Street Beat shows off some impressive snare drum work by Scott.”…” There is not a bad track on the whole CD”.