The Highlander the Quarterly Publication of the Pikes Peak Highlanders Pipes and Drums Inc
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The Highlander The quarterly publication of the Pikes Peak Highlanders Pipes and Drums Inc. Volume 1, Issue 1 Newsletter Date: 3rd Quarter 2016 Breaking News! We’re back into Print! Highlanders Place 3rd at the We’re Back! Yes, after a long band executives as well as a short Colorado Irish Festival “hiatus” (hmmm... that word has column that introduces you to both to be Gaelic!) the band news- a new and senior band member. Band says “Farewell”, to one letter is back in publication. Look for this in your email box each of our RCAF Members — Phil D. takes a Director of The purpose of the newsletter quarter. If you have an interesting Operations (DO) position is to provide a quick update on article please forward to the Band back in Canada! Brother, band happenings and serve as President for review. you will be missed! another tool to foster commu- nication and to keep band mem- “Tapha Leat”, (Thank you) from the Band is prepping for the bers and groupies up to date on publishing staff of The Highlander! Colorado International Tat- band events. We will also pro- too. vide words of wisdom from our Did you Know? The best guess of scholars and made its first appearance in the with a special experts is that bagpipes arrived early 1700s, completing the tune. He would in Scotland sometime during the modern-style Great Highland play on im- 1300s, settling in the Highlands set of pipes. At the same time portant occa- regions circa 1400. Before be- the Great Pipes were increasing sions involving Inside this issue: coming the Great Highland Bag- in popularity, over in Ireland, members of the pipes that we know today, how- the older Irish war pipes—with clan, to com- ever, these earlier versions of only has two drones, tenor and memorate wed- the bagpipes would need to bass—were falling out of favor. dings, births, and Did you Know? 1 sprout a couple more drones. The Highland clans shouldered funerals. When the responsibility of sustaining the chief wanted The first set of pipes brought pipers and piping for centuries. to hold a meet- Ask the Highlanders 1 into Scotland would have had The Highlands had their own ing, the piper only a single drone, if any at all. breed of professional pipers, played a gather- P/M’s Corner 2 Around the middle of the 16th who were in the employ of the ing tune to call the members century, a second drone was clan chieftain. Every morning, affixed to the pipes. The third together. the piper awakened the clan Wise Craic 2 drone, the bass or great drone, Desk of the “Prez” 3 Ask the Highlanders -Why do we do this? Schedule 3 Q - Why do the drummers in some bands wear checked Glengarries and the pipers wear plain? Scottish Shortbread 4 A - In some regiments of the British Army, the Pipers were personal employees of the recipe Commander of the Regiment rather than the Crown, while the Drummers were always soldiers employed by the Crown. The soldiers employed by the Crown wore the checked (more Meet a Member 4 properly called "diced") glengarries. Some military and even civilian bands maintain this distinction. Website Info 4 Q - Why do you see one or more of the Drummers wearing a leopard skin? A - This is likewise an old British Army tradition. Strictly speaking, the privilege of wearing the leopard skin was granted to specific Army regiments as a regimental honor for meritorious service, usually in Africa. Because of this background, the use of the leopard skin in civilian bands is in somewhat dubious taste. (Note that mod- ern bands usually do not use real leopard skins but imitations, because of the endan- gered species acts). Page 2 The Highlander Pipe Major’s Corner—P/M Andra “Pipey” Stoller I have been asked whether we are being a rock star! new folks how to keep playing primarily a performance band or a even when their bag is slipping competition band. The short We perform because it sup- or they messed up the last answer is: we are so much more! ports the financial needs of our measure or when they feel like band. Our band has always they will never get it (because We compete because it makes us been “financially friendly” for we’ve all been there). a better band. The competitions its members. We use fees We support and encourage give us a way to measure how from performances to purchase one another. Our mission well we are playing. We bring in pipe chanters, chanter reeds, statement ends with ”...while experienced pipers and drummers drums and drum heads, uni- encouraging brotherhood, felic- who coach us to play more as a forms, instructors for clinics, ity and good fellowship among “Describing unit. Pipers and drummers are band registrations to WUSPBA its members.” Felicity means motivated to learn and play better and competitions, carpool re- “great happiness”. Are you ourselves as a in order to score well in the com- imbursement, and travel finding great happiness in play- petition circle. There has been funds. We do this to offset the ing with the band? This is what performance, dramatic improvement, over the personal cost for each band you have committed to do as last few years, in our unison and member. Because the money your hobby. Enjoy it! Enjoy competition, and sound because of our involvement from these performances sup- the friendships, the workout in competitions. ports all parts of the band, all (that’s what I tell my doctor), teaching band band members are a part of the and the music. We perform in order to enter- performance band. There are means a lot more tain. Our band mission is “to no competition only members. Describing ourselves as a per- develop, promote and perpetuate formance, competition, and than those few pipe band music and the heritage, We teach because we can teaching band means a lot customs and folklore of the Gaelic share our great experience more than those few words.” Scottish, Gaelic Irish and all other with others who will hopefully words. We are more like a Celtic nationalities, through public join our ranks. We do not well organized group of great performances, public education have any local youth band to friends, of all ages and occupa- and participation in Highland teach young kids how to play tions, who play difficult ancient games and other Celtic activi- pipes and drums. Bagpipes and instruments that we force to ties…” Have you ever noticed Scottish drumming are not tune together while wearing 18 how you become an instant celeb- taught in the local high schools pounds of wool and debating rity when you wear your uniform (anyone want to how open we will play that in a public place? Use that short- start?). Individuals can learn taorluath in the first bar of the lived fame to educate others by with an instructor, but playing third line of the second tune of sharing Gaelic history, showing in a band requires some addi- the set. It’s much easier to say, how bagpipes work, inviting folks tional skills. There’s no early E “I’m a part of the Pikes Peak to upcoming events, and playing when you’re a soloist. Unison Highlanders!” We all know “WUSPBA” stands for for them. This is the closest and tempo are big factors when what you mean. Western United States Pipe some of us will ever come to playing with a band. We teach Band Association, which supports and organizes pipe and drum competi- Wise Craic - tions throughout the moun- tain states region. The Pikes Peak Highlanders field grade 4 and 5 bands at WUSPBA competitions each season. More infor- mation can be found at wuspba.org. Note: "Craic" , is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 From the Desk of the “Prez”—Dale Kuykendall Hello Highlanders! I just wanted to some motivation for participating in the anyone else may have. The amount share a few things in our inaugural ongoing events. Right now, we are of effort that we put into these newsletter. looking at participating in competitions fundraising events will be directly With our busy season in full swing, I outside of our little part of the country proportional to how much money wanted to make sure that everyone every few years, with the ultimate goal the band can contribute to each knows how much I appreciate the of going to international events. As a member for the trips. We are also help with all of our events. We still start to this goal, we’ve decided that in looking at setting up a system have some left this season, and I’m 2020, the band will go to the North where people could put money looking forward to seeing you at American Pipe Band Championships in away with the band throughout the them. Upcoming events include: Maxville, Ontario. This event happens year as they can afford it, saving it Cripple Creek Veterans Memori- around the end of July every year. In up to help them with the big trips. al on August 21st the meantime, we will add a local com- A variety of people have contribut- Colorado International Taptoo petition to our schedule next year ed great ideas for this band, and we on August 27th (likely Albuquerque or Moab), and look need your help and support to be at going to a USPBA competition out- Estes Park Games on September successful.