Washington Pipers’ Association

We’re excited to welcome two current champion competitors to Washington Pipers’ Association competitions this Saturday, J. Reid Maxwell and Brian McKenzie 

Drumming will be judged by J. Reid Maxwell, certainly one of today’s most decorated drummers. When the SFU Pipe Band captured the Worlds in 1995, Reid became the first person in history to lead the drum corps of two different bands to be named World Pipe Band Champions (his other victory being in 1987 with Toronto’s 78th Fraser Highlanders, also the 1987 World Drum Corps Champions). And all this was preceded by two World Pipe Band Championships and four World Drum Corps Championships as a teenaged member of Scotland’s Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band!

With the band’s capture of the 2008 and 2009 World Pipe Band Championship and World Drum Corps Championship, Reid obtained his 16th World Championship, an amazing feat by any standard. In 2000, Reid placed second in the World Solo Drumming Championship. His ability to produce exceptional drum corps and his dedication to the instruction of young drummers is held in high regard worldwide.

Piping will be judged by 2010 United States Silver Medalist at the Midwest Highland Arts Fund “Winter Storm” contest, Brian McKenzie. 

Brian McKenzie started playing the bagpipes when he was 10 years old. Raised in the highlands of Scotland where they are fortunate to have a bagpipe instructor in every school.

He learned from Pipe Major Andrew Venters who was in the military for 22 years and Pipe Major of the Queens Own Highanders for 6 years.

After sweeping the boards as a junior competitor Brian entered the senior professional level and started to gain a reputation very quickly. He has had numerous prizes at events all over Scotland and still competes every year in the Northern Meetings and the Argyllshire Gathering events in Scotland, the two elite solo competitons in the world.

He has travelled extensively with the bagpipes from playing in Norway for a Robbie Burns night to Malaysia for St Andrew’s night celebrations.

He currently resides in the Seattle area having moved across from Scotland in late 2005.

Photos by Weatherly Schiele

You are invited to sign up for an opportunity to study with Andrew Wright, master of the music of the bagpipe, on Saturday, April 10, 2010.  The enrollment form is attached to this message.
 
On behalf of the Caledonian Society of SW Washington and Highland Musical Arts, I am accepting registrations from now through April 3rd for this workshop.
 
See below for a brief biographical sketch of Mr. Wright.  The Caledonian Society of SW Washington and Highland Musical Arts are committed to the enhancement of Scottish musical arts within the northwest region.  Please take this rare opportunity and experience the genius of Andrew Wright.
 
If you have questions, please contact Kathy Kinderman at adaywithandrewwright@gmail.com or 360-349-2665.

Use this registration form:  AWRegistrationForm2010
 
Andrew Wright, Dunblane, Scotland, has won virtually all of the world’s major prizes for professional piobaireachd, including the prestigious Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at both Oban and Inverness in the same year.
 
Andrew is renowned as a teacher of piobaireachd, and has coached numerous players to prize-winning performances at the world’s major competitive events.  He has conducted learning programs worldwide, serving on the faculty of colleges, summer schools and workshops.  Since 1972 he has been involved as senior instructor of the Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) Summer School of Piping and Drumming.  He has served as visiting instructor and external examiner at the Northern Ireland College of Piping and Drumming since 1993.
 
Retired after many successful years as a solo competitor, Andrew is now heavily involved in adjudication of piobaireachd events around the world.  He judges pipe band competitions at the highest levels, and is a senior judge of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association.
 
Andrew has performed recitals on several continents.  His numerous commercial recordings and CDs devoted to piobaireachd are esteemed around the globe.
 
An active leader in the international piping community, Andrew is past president of The Piobaireachd Society.
 
In addition to the workshop, Mr. Wright will be conducting a lecture on the history of piping, followed by a short recital, on Tuesday, April 13th, at 7 PM.  Location will be Peterson Hall at Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing, 2255 NW Northrup, Portland 97210.  Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for youth age 18 and under.  Tickets sold only at the door.

The BC Pipers’ Association added an update about the amazing results from our region at the biggest solo competition event for piping and drumming in the United States.

Washington State was well represented, with 3 top placings

United States Silver Medal for Piobaireachd

1. Brian McKenzie – Seattle
2. Will Nichols – Blaine

North American Amateur Drumming Championships – Grade 3

1. Steven Wheeler – Auburn

All of these competitors have competed or adjudicated at Washington Pipers’ Association events.  Congratulations on this major accomplishment!

In all, there were 12 players in the results from the Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia region, and including players who play with BCPA region bands, our region had the largest number of players in the top results of any North American organization.   Congratulations!

 The first event of the competition season had a modest turn-out, but good music, great adjudicators, and a bonus drumming workshop made for a great day overall.   Thanks to Scott Robertson making the trip down from BC, and John Dally for making the trip from Vashon Island. 

A couple announcements about the season; note that tune requirements are on the last page of the membership and registration form and are the same requirments used by the BC Pipers’ Association, which will help competiors preparing for events at the BC Mini Gatherings, or during the summer competition season.  Next, please note that ALL events are the third Saturday of the month, a change from the original schedule. 

Grade 5 piping – 2/4 March - 5 competitors

1. Diego Alvarez
2. Karl Stahlfeld
3. Peter North
4. Russell Prewitt
5. Kennan Mighell

Adult piping – Slow Air - 3 competitors

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Cleda Thompson
3. David Wilkie

Adult piping – 6/8 March – 3 competitors

1. Diane Axworthy
2. Cleda Thompson
3. David Wilkie

Grade 4 piping – 2/4 March - 5 competitors

1. Paul Vegors
2. Marcus DeVight
3. Sean Sele

Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel – 5 competitors

1. Marcus DeVight
2. Sean Sele
3. Paul Vegors

Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd – 2 competitors

1. Matthew Alger

Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March – 1 competitor

1. Aaron Stone

Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe & Jig - 1 competitor

1. Aaron Stone

Grade 4 Side Drumming – 2/4 March – 4 competitors

1. Robert Graham
2. Morgan McCullough
3. Jackson DeVight
4. Grayson Parr

Grade 3 Side Drumming – 2/4 March - 1 competitor

1. Bryce Kreger

Grade 2 Side Drumming – March, Strathspey & Reel – 1 competitor

1. Amber Stone

 Welcome John Dally and Scott Robertson back to WPA events this Saturday. 

John Dally - master of many bagpipes

John Dally is one of the founding members of Washington Pipers’ Association, if not the reason we began at all.  A master of bagpipes from many regions with a wealth of historical and musical knowledge, John has performed regularly around Western Washington and beyond since the age of 14.  Contact information for John is available here>>

Scott Robertson at WPA 2009

The 2010 Competition Season begins January 16th and will happen the third Saturday of each month through May.

Updated! New May 15th date  Click here for the 2010 registration.  Please note there have been very minor updates to registration fees, and our competitions have been brought much more closely in line with BCPA competitions.  A new page has bee n added to the end of the registration form detailing all of the music requirements. 

 2010 Events – UPDATED May date

Many in the community have heard about the theft already, but now there are several things you can do to help them recover from the devastating loss of over $17,000.00.  Running any highland games is a major undertaking and is significantly costly in tent rentals, porta-potties, space rental, judges and VIP’s who need lodging, payment and more, so anyone who takes on a project like this needs the support of the community.

If you haven’t heard already, and were at the Tacoma Games, their website has a posting about what you can do, but basically notify your bank of a stolen check, even if it’s cleared already, and have the bank hold it as potential evidence, and finally contact Tacoma Games President Brian Nelson; email on the Tacoma Games website.

If you have any knowledge or information on the theft and who may be involved please contact the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office at (253) 798-4721 and reference case # 091810279.

The theft is being added to the Pierce County Crime Stoppers program with a reward offered for information leading to an arrest.  Click the logo below for more information and anonymous tip lines: 

Finally,  join the games organization AND come to their fundraiser:

Pipes in the Park

Sunday September 27th at Vassault Park at North 37^th and Pearl in Tacoma. 

Support buttons will be available for a recommended donation of $10.00 each. 

Please help get the word out by printing out the attached poster.  Tell your friends about this sad story.  No leads have been fruitful yet.  For more details about the event, here’s an excerpt from Brian Nelson’s mail to the games membership:

Our 40^th annual Highland Games on June 27, 2009 were one of our largest and best attended.  It also received our largest admissions take ever.  The unfortunate fact is that wonderful gate take was stolen from us at the end of the Games.  You may have seen news reports regarding check security for people who wrote checks for admission or camping.  We lost over $17,000 in a single theft.

We had followed our usual procedures in handling our cash.  It was kept in a nondescript container and locked in a board member’s vehicle for transport to the bank.  While that board member finished tasks at the park before returning home, someone entered the vehicle and stole the money along with other items.  The police have investigated and our theft was included in the “Crime Stoppers” program by the Pierce County Sheriff’s office.  But, as of now, no firm leads or suspects have come to light.  Needless to say, we are changing our cash handling and deposit procedures for the future, so there will never again be an opportunity for such a theft. 

With your help the Games will go on.  We have already reserved Frontier Park in Graham for our 41^st annual Highland Games on June 26, 2010.  Several very generous donations and pledges of donations have assured the bills from this year are paid, and we have at least minimum cash to begin next year’s Games.  Please consider adding your donation to this growing list.  It is only with support such as yours that we can continue.

Here’s a a link to the flier advertising the fundraiser>>

Good luck to the Tacoma Games.  Please give them your support!

The Whidbey Island Highland Games are this Saturday August 8th, and the weather looks to be just under 70 with some clouds, 54 in the morning.  Five pipe bands will compete, and soloists from as far away as California and Delaware will also compete.  See www.wihg.org for more information.

Whidbey Island Highland Games Piping Order of Play

Whidbey Island Highland Games drumming order of play

Whidbey Island Highland Games Band & Quartets

This is slightly old news, but definitely worth sharing.  On June 20th, 2009, the United States Piping Foundation, associated with the Eastern US Pipe Band Association, held the Amateur Championships.  Patrick Downing, a Seattle area Grade 1 bagpiper and Simon Fraser University Pipe Band member.  Patrick has competed at WPA events in the past.  Placing 2nd in both the Piobaireachd and MSR competition, he won the aggregate for the day, receiving airfare to Scotland, two weeks of instruction, and a silver buckle. 

Patrick is another example of the outstanding talents of pipers and drummers in Washington State.

Photo by Weatherly Schiele

Patrick grew up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, an isolated place as far as bagpipes are concerned. His only inspiration for piping was from his father, Sean Downing, whom began teaching Patrick at age ten. Early on in his career, Patrick gained experience through pipe bands, starting with his first band, the grade V Brian Boru Pipe Band of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Patrick began solo competition at age 14, where he joined the New Hampshire School of Scottish Arts Pipe Band. He then began taking lessons from Gordon Webster, former piper to Queen Elizabeth II and his wife, Lezlie who ran the school. From there, Patrick achieved some success in solo competition, moving up a grade each year in the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, (EUSPBA).

In 2006, while attending the Invermark workshop in Castleton, Vermont, Patrick met Jack Lee. After receiving lessons for the week, Jack invited Patrick to British Columbia to play with Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Prior to SFU, Patrick played with the grade II Manchester Pipe Band of Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated high school in 2007 and moved to Seattle, Washington to begin a life in the northwest, both academically and musically. Patrick started playing with the band in the 2008 season and is currently preparing for the band’s concert this August as well as the World Pipe Band Championships.

Patrick is currently a grade one soloist and hopes to move to professional in the fall. He enjoys taking lessons from Alan Bevan, who won the gold medal in 2008. Alan is both patient and articulate, helping Patrick to improve his expression in both light music and piobaireachd. Patrick spends Monday nights instructing the Bellingham Fire Department in becoming a pipe band. He is also available for private lessons as well as performances of every kind.

4 $250.00 Scholarships were drawn at the last event of the season.

Mackenzie Webster     alternate:  Elliot Thompson

Amber Stone                 alternate:  Paul Vegors

Cleda Thompson         alternate:  Bryce Kreger

Aaron Stone                  alternate:  Matt Alger

Recipients were asked to tell WPA of their choices by the end of June 2009, so if they are unable to attend the alternates will have an opportunity to use the scholarship this year.