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,