Oregon Pipers’ Society PS News In Our 21st Year! Volume 21 - November 2008
Ian Lawther to Headline November OPS In this Issue: Ian Lawther began playing the Ian Lawther - November Northumbrian smallpipes in the early Featured Performer The Portland Police Highland Guard 1970s, and is a former winner of the Ensemble Performers Open competitions at Rothbury and Local Hero - TBA Redcar. He helped found the London Pipers group in the late 1970s, and Calendar of OPS events organized the Kent Northumbrian Competition rules and mail-in registration form Pipers group before coming to the States in 1999. He has also been part OPS Membership form of the revival of the Scottish smallpipes and the border pipes which began in November Event Details: the 1980s and is now flourishing. November 15 In 1996, he became a professional Oregon Pipers’ Society VFW Hall, 837 SE Mill, Portland musician, playing a variety of bagpipes 5:00 PM - Solo Piping contest and other folk instruments for folk 7:30 PM - Program clubs, dances, session work and on street corners! Ian is now based in OPS Upcoming Events: Sammamish near Seattle, Washington, Ian Lawther December 13 2nd annual ‘Kitchen Piping” contest and plays the Highland pipes, festivals in England, Belgium and Featured Performer -TBD Northumbrian smallpipes, Scottish Germany. Over the years he has Ensemble Performers - TBD January 17 smallpipes, border pipes, Uilleann played in a variety of bands, including Annual piping quartet contest pipes, as well as the whistle, flute and pipe bands and folk bands, performing Featured Performer - Jory Chisholm Ensemble Performers - Clan Macleay PB English concertina. in both dance and concert settings. February 14 Annual Workshop. Again this year we will be offering a full day workshop with one of His past experience includes film and In 1998 he produced his own the world’s top piping talents. Details to be television work, and performances recording, “The Empty Trough”, announced. Featured Performer - TBD in the orchestral pieces “Orkney which gives an excellent sample of Ensemble Performers -TBD Wedding with Sunrise” (Maxwell- the differing bagpipes of Britain and March 21 Featured Performer - Jacquie Troy Davies) and “Celtic Requiem” Ireland. In addition he has appeared Ensemble Performers - Portland Metro PB (Tavener), Burns Nights at the British on a number of other CDs including April 18 Featured Performer - TBD Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, and folk Continued on Page 3 Ensemble Performers - River City PB
- 1 - The Portland Police Highland Guard: Guest Ensemble Performers The Portland Police The Highland Guard Highland Guard, a tradi- is now a segment of tional police pipe band the Portland Police was formed in 1998 in Historical Society, a recognition of the need 501(c)(3) Non-Profit for such an organization organization. The band’s to serve the Portland underlying mission is Police Bureau and the to honor and com- Portland community. memorate fallen police officers and firefight- With the tragic line- ers, from throughout of-duty deaths of two the Portland area and officers within 6 months the Pacific Northwest, of each other, and no in our every perfor- band in place to pro- mance. This is accom- vide a musical tribute plished with musical at their final roll-calls, presentation at funer- the Highland Guard found its roots in the collaborative als and memorial events in times of tragedy. Moreover, efforts of Officers Brian Kelly, Erin Anderson, and Sgt. we dedicate our every concert, parade, and competition Stephen Bell. to our fallen brothers and sisters.
Recap of April: Final OPS Event of Last Season Local piper Tom Peralta was the announcer for the player. He gave a short lecture on the historical and final event of the 2007-2008 season. The program technical background of the instrument. Eliot then began with Isabella Ramsay, the April Student of the commenced playing a selection of various types of Month, Isabella, a side drummer, demonstrated her tunes such as slip jigs, reels, hornpipe, and also a drumming skills to the OPS audience. slow air.
The River City Pipe Band, the guest band, returned For the finale of the program, the brother and for their second appearance at OPS with a larger sister duo of piper James “Jamie” and side drummer number of members this time. Wearing the Nova Jacquie Troy were featured, Jacquie had facilitated a Scotia tartan, they formed up in the hall, and began drumming workshop earlier in the day They started their performance with a ¾ march set “The Shoals of with an air, and continued with a number of marches, Herring” and “I See Mull”. The band continued enter- jigs, and hornpipes. Their MSR was composed of taining the crowd with a number of sets that con- “P/M Tom MacAllister”, “the Caledonian Society of sisted of basic standard pipe tunes that many pipers London”, and “Mrs MacPherson of Inveran.” It was are familiar with such as “Mairi’s Wedding”, “Brown really a treat to hear this duo play together, and a Haired Maiden”, “Bugle Horn”, and “Steam Boat”. testament to their accomplishments. Uilleann piper, Eliot Grasso, was an additional guest
- 2 - The New Season of OPS Has Begun! Here are scenes from October... Gary Warren hosted the October event of OPS. The evening began with a new feature started this season called “Local Hero”. This was initiated by piper Mark Mul- laney, a former member of the Sir James MacDonald Pipe Band.
Mark has since played with Maple Ridge, and now is currently with Portland Metro. He played a selection of tunes inspired by some of his favorite pipers. As an example of these were “Kyleigh’s Lullaby”, and “New Year in Noosa”.
Chris Macaulay, who hails from South Africa, was the featured solo piper for the evening. After adjudicating
the piping competition Above: Chris earlier in the day, he Macaulay and Richard Gillies marched in with the Below: Chris on classic 4/4 march “Flett the shuttlepipes from Flotta”. His pro- gram included a num- “Susan MacLeod”, and “Pretty Marion”. ber of marches, jigs, hornpipes, and notably, Later on, local piper Richard Gillies, originally from South a slow air called “Top Africa, joined Chris in playing a duet. Deck in Perth”. This air commemorates Finally Chris ended his presentation with some of his the antics of some own compositions on the shuttlepipes. An outstand- band members in the ing example of one of these tunes was a hornpipe “The Victoria Police Pipe Dragon’s Lair”. In addition, Chris also played with a Mark Mullaney Band. A classic com- recorded accompaniment of his band, and also tunes that pilation of tunes was explored a variety of different styles such as utilizing a heard for his MSR which included “Highland Wedding”, North African flair to them.
From Page 1 Cover Story: “A Zero Ore” by the Italian folk rock band Ned Ludd, the Ian has recently launched the specialist online CD/DVD movie soundtrack of “Monk Dawson”, “Boomshamarocka” store “bagpipediscs.com
- 3 - Caught in the Act! Occasionally, members of the October OPS audience at OPS enjoy singing along Competition to the pipes, as shown here by Results Travis Dutton. Seated to his right, John Osborn seems to be enjoying Piping Judge: Travis’ vocals. Also pictured is Chris Macaulay Mark Mullaney and Ray Galloway There were 24 (in foreground). competitors.
Chanter Exhibition: Kyle Prewitt
Adult - 2/4 March Portland Metro 1st: Stuart Vickery Youth Pipe Band 2nd: Mary Bonds Now Forming 3rd: Cynthia Keen Come join Portland’s exciting, new youth band! Grade 5 - Slow Air All levels of play are welcome. 1st: Aletheia Booknight Group and individual River City Pipe Band Piping Classes 2nd: Robbie Johnston lessons are available. 3rd: Nick Mannen For information, please contact: Chief Piping Instructor Grade 4 - 2/4 March Mark Tomasetti 360.600.5377 1st: Charles Johnston [email protected] 2nd: Elijah Kolmes 3rd: Ryan Wigg Chief Drumming Instructor Joe Hewitt 503.359.4237 Grade 3 - Jig [email protected] 2008 / 2009 bagpipe classes have started. 1st: Alistair Ramsay Classes are held at Mt. Carmel Lutheran Band Practice every Monday Church at 515 SW Maplecrest Drive in SW 2nd: Megan Rogers 7:00pm Portland on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. 3rd: Craig Maxwell at Calaroga Terrace, Visit RiverCityPipeBand.com and click 1400 NE 2nd (near Lloyd Center) on the “ Free Instruction” button or Next parent meeting: contact Michael Johnston at Grade 2 - MSR 7:00pm on Nov. 17th. 503-264-9703 for additional information. 1st: Danny Delmain 2nd: Erika Takeo 3rd: Mark Mullaney Portland Metro Burns Supper Planned! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in the band’s Grade 1 - Jig Burns Night Supper, set for Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1st: Richard Gillies Embassy Suites Portland Downtown. Tickets are available for $75 each or $600 for a table for eight. 2nd: Patrick Downing Call Julie Piper Finley at 3rd: Patrick Case 503-318-1362 to reserve your tickets now!
- - OPS Competition Mail-in Registration
Name: ______Mail-in Entries: The registration fee is $4 per event Address: ______for OPS members, $5. for visiting com- petitors. Mail-in registration may be City: ______State: _____ Zip: ______submitted for the entire season or for selected event dates. Order of play will Day Phone: ______Evening Phone: ______be determined by entry receipt date, giving advantage to those who pre-reg- e-mail address: ______ister versus day-of entries, so mail in Nov. 15 ______Class: ______Fee: ______early. Payment must accompany regis- tration. (Sorry, there are no refunds for Dec. 13 ______Class: ______Fee: ______no shows.)
Jan. 17 ______Class: ______Fee: ______Day-of Entries: Feb. 14 No Competiton this month because of workshop The entry fee will be $4 per event for OPS members, $5. for visiting competi- Mar. 21 ______Class: ______Fee: ______tors. Entries will also be accepted until the check-in deadline on the day of Apr. 18 ______Class: ______Fee: ______the event. TOTAL FEE ENCLOSED: ______For more information please call Susan Ramsay at (503 )233-1854. email [email protected] All competitors must be prepared to play at check-in and to perform when requested Make check payable to OPS and to do so. The check-in times are as follows: Chanter and Grades 4 and 5 check in by 4:30 PM. mail registration & check to: Adult. Grades 1,2 and 3 check in by 5:00 PM. All Drummers check in by 5:30 PM. Susan Ramsay The order of play will follow reverse order of entry (first to enter is last to play, 2861 S.E Woodward St. including the mail-in registrants). All contestants are required to play in recognizable Highland attire (except for Chanter class). Best of luck. Portland, OR 97202-1359
Yes! I want to be a member of OPS and receive this monthly newsletter and notification of special OPS events.
Name: ______Address: ______
City: ______State: ______Zip: ______Day Phone: ______Evening Phone: ______
e-mail address: ______( Email information will be kept confidential )
Memberships:______($20 per membership of an individual or a family.) Scholarship Donation: ______(Your donation will support scholarships for OPS pipers & drummers.) Total:______
Please mail your check to: OPS Membership 3117 NE 30th Ave Portland, OR 97212 -2608
BCPA & OPS Memberships The BC Pipers Association is giving a credit towards its membership dues if you have membership in the Oregon Piper’s Association. This is part of BCPA’s efforts to encourage support of the activities of the local piping societies. This year the credit will be $20 for Individual and Family memberships. Everyone is reminded that you need to be a member of Oregon Piper’s Society to get this credit. If questions contact Gary Warren at [email protected]
- - OPS 2008-2009 Competition Schedule
Please note some important changes to this year’s recommended to use the mail-in entry form for early regis- competition schedule and requirements. tration. All contestants are required to play in recognizable Highland attire except Chanter class. Schedule: Detailed listing of events is shown in the chart below. There will be no competition in February because of the Tune Requirements: All tunes for piping and drumming events planned workshop. are required to be 4 parts. Exceptions are all chanter class and grade 5 piping events where 2 parts of a tune played twice is Times: -Chanter and Grade 5 - Check in 4:30. Competition permitted. Also note specific requirements for certain grade 2 5:00. All other piping grades - Check in 5:00. Be prepared to and 1 piping events indicated in the chart below. play. All drumming grades - Check in 5:30. Be prepared to play. You must check in at the competition desk at or before Membership: If you live in Oregon or the Portland metro area, check-in time listed and be prepared to play at check-in time including Vancouver WA, one needs to be a member of OPS in if your steward requests you do so (with the exception of order to compete. Chanter and Grade 5 entries). Because we take field entries, we cannot predict the order of Awards will be given at intermission play in advance, so be prepared to play first. Order of play will as in previous years. follow reverse order of entry (first to enter is last to play). It is
Piping October 18 November 15 December 13 January 17 February 14 March 21 April 18
Chanter Slow Air 2/4 March Any Tune Slow Air 2/4 March Any Tune
Adult 2/4 March Slow Air 6/8 March 2/4 March 2/4 March Grade 5 Slow Air 2/4 March 6/8 March 2/4 March
Piobaireachd Grade 4 2/4 March 6/8 March Strathspey Ground and 1st & Reel variation
Grade 3 Jig 2/4 March Piobaireachd Strathspey & Reel
Workshop MSR Jig Hornpipe & Jig Piobaireachd Grade 2 No ( submit 2 marches ) ( submit 2 ) ( submit 2 ) Competition
Jig MSR Hornpipe & Jig Grade 1 ( submit 2, selected tunes ( submit 2 of each ( submit 2 of each ) Piobaireachd played twice through ) tunes ) ( submit 3 ) Tenor Drumming
Beginner 6/8 March 2/4 March No No No Drumming Drumming Drumming Grade 2 This 6/8 March These 2/4 March This Month Months Month Grade 1 2/4 March MSR
Side Drumming
Grade 4 6/8 March 2/4 March No No No Grade 3 Drumming 6/8 March Drumming 2/4 March Drumming This These This Grade 2 Month 2/4 March Months MSR Month
Grade 1 Hornpipe & Jig MSR
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