New massed band drum scores hit the field next season

Wednesday November 17th, 2021

All PPBSO pipe bands should be aware that The Alliance of North American Pipe Band Associations (ANAPBA) has revised all massed band drum scores (snare, tenor and bass), which will now be referred to as “The Massed Band Cadences”.

This initiative was started by Jim Sim and Reid Maxwell, with many others, observed that the massed band drum scores were too difficult for novice drummers playing in grade 5 bands and community bands throughout North America. Many bands have felt obliged to teach the scores to beginner/novice drummers very early in their development so that they could be included in massed bands and parades. Because the scores are beyond the capability of novice players, too many individuals struggle to play them. 

The new massed band cadences mean that even novice drummers should feel comfortable playing in massed bands.

It is anticipated that this will improve massed bands at our Highland Games and at the same time support drummers who are in the earlier stages of development.

The new Massed Band Cadences will receive their first airing at Georgetown Highland Games next June, and all pipe bands will be expected to have these scores off and ready to play.

Click here to go to the new Massed Band Cadences.

Opportunity knocks! Toronto Branch AGM (& K-O round 2!)

Tuesday November 16th, 2021

The Toronto Branch of The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario will be hosting the second round of their annual knock-out competition this coming Saturday, November 20, at 1:00 pm (EST). This event will be presented via Zoom with a full line-up of competitions. Andrew Carlisle of Pittsburgh is judging all events. He is also the featured recitalist!

On the same day, the branch will hold its Annual General Meeting. THE AGM IS SCHEDULED TO START AT 12:00 PM.

People competing in the Knockouts will automatically receive the meeting notice and Zoom link.

All others wishing to attend should send an email here.

After ten years of dedicated leadership and support, branch President, Ellen Mole, has decided to step down. The role of President will be up for election. The role is central to the branch’s operation and is an opportunity for any member looking to help nurture piping and drumming in the Greater Toronto Area (and have fun with a dedicated group of like-minded people)!

Those interested are encouraged to drop a line here for more information!

Dojo U. Offering PPBSO Members Free Workshops

Saturday November 6th, 2021

A number of free online workshops are on offer this winter by Dojo University for PPBSO members.

The first is Sunday November 14, at 1:00 pm (EST),  “11 Reasons Pipers Fail”.

Said presenter, Andrew Douglas, “The workshop will explore why happiness doesn’t live on the other side of ‘success’ for pipers, and where we might actually look to find happiness – or fulfilment, or whatever it is you’re looking for – along the journey of learning to play this wonderful instrument”.

Attendees will come away with insight into what’s been missing in their musical journey and have a better sense of what they can do to improve.

Sessions will be targeted primarily to pipers and should benefit soloists, band players, teachers and pipe majors. Said Andrew, “While it’ll be piping focused, I suspect drummers can get a lot out of the presentation as well”.

Interested participants can register here.

Ian K. MacDonald wins 2021 Glengarry Cup

Thursday October 28th, 2021

Ian K. MacDonald was the overall winner of the 2021 Glengarry Cup, which was hosted virtually by the Ottawa Branch of the Pipers’ and Pipe Band Society of Ontario. This event was held as part of a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary year of the Branch.

Ten competitors submitted a march, strathspey and reel and piobaireachd of their own choice, with winners determined based on combined scores across both categories and ties broken by piobaireachd preference.

The Glengarry Cup has been awarded since the 1980s when it was donated by the Glengarry Pipe Band. Past winners include Bruce Gandy, Colin MacLellan, Michael Grey, Andrew Hayes, Rob Crabtree, Andrea Boyd, Matt MacIsaac and many others.

Judges for this year’s event were Colin MacLellan for piobaireachd and Ken Eller for the MSR.

A video presentation of the top MSR performances and winning piobaireachd is on YouTube! It can be accessed here.

After two years of being held virtually due to COVID-19, the Ottawa Branch plans to hold the next Glengarry Cup in person in autumn 2022.

Results:

Overall

1. Ian K. MacDonald- $500
2. Bruce Gandy – $400
3. Alastair Murray- $300
4. James MacHattie- $200
5. Dan Lyden – $100

Piobaireachd

Judge: Colin MacLellan

1. Alastair Murray – Big Spree
2. Ian K. MacDonald – Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon
3. Bruce Gandy – The King’s Taxes
4. James MacHattie – Old Men of the Shells
5. Ross Davison – Lament for the Earl of Antrim
6. Aidan Bowen – MacKay’s Banner

MSR

Judge: Ken Eller

1. Bruce Gandy – Abercairney Highlanders, Arniston Castle, The Grey Bob
2. Ian K MacDonald – The Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady MacKenzie of Gareloch, JohnMorrison of Assynt House
3. Dan Lyden – John MacDonald of Glencoe, Mrs. Morag Banks, Drumlithie
4. James MacHattie – Margaret Ann MacLeod, The Bob of Fettercairn, Broadford Bay
5. Daniel Carr- The Hills of Kintail, Caberfeidh, Charlie’s Welcome
6. Ross Davison – Inveran, Bob of Fettercairn, Cockerel in the Creel

All of the Glengarry Cup performances from the ten competitors will be available via the new PPBSO Spotify channel, coming soon!

PPBSO Championship Supreme celebration welcomes The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario

Tuesday October 26th, 2021

The awards celebration to recognize the overall winning participants of The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario’s 2021 competition season will be presented Saturday, November 6, 2021, at 6:00 pm. 

The PPBSO Communications Committee has established a gold standard for online awards presentations. Our November 6 event will follow the format fine-tuned over the course of the 2021 contest season: the Championship Supreme Awards Show will be live-streamed from the PPBSO Facebook page. Kris Bawden, Chair, Communications, will again host with featured comments from special guests and performance highlights from the summer season. The Championship Awards Show will also mark the official beginning of celebrations to mark the PPBSO’s 75th anniversary – our Diamond Anniversary year!

Each winner of this year’s Championship Supreme award will receive an enamelled lapel pin in an accompanying jeweller’s box. The bespoke design (pictured) was created by PPBSO member (and Communications Committee teamer), Jaymee McCarthy for the 2021 season.

The PPBSO is especially happy to announce that the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario will attend our Championship Supreme Awards Show. She will grace us with opening keynote comments. 

The November 6, 2021 – 6:00 pm – PPBSO Championship Supreme Awards Show is shaping up to be an epic not-to-be-missed event. See you there!  

Toronto Branch 2021-2022 Knock-out ready for entries!

Thursday September 30th, 2021

The Toronto Knockout is back with the same proctored video format as last year. Depending on how the world goes, the branch may switch to live meetings at some point; if so, they will take place on the video submission dates.

The PPBSO Toronto Branch VIRTUAL KNOCKOUT aims to capture the tense excitement of having only one chance to get it right, and then streaming from one server, without worry about the Internet connectivity of the competitor’s location. Last year’s competitors and judges all spoke positively of how “close to live competition” the experience was.

The Knockout is open to drummers or pipers who are current members of the PPBSO or its affiliated organizations around the world.

• Competitors will record their competition piece in an MP4 video file with a Toronto Branch Proctor watching via Internet. As at a regular competition, there will be only one take. This will be done at an agreed-upon time in the few days before the closing date for the event. Where the competitor is required to submit multiple tunes, the judge will predetermine the tunes to be played and the proctor will inform you what tune is being played.
• Proper Highland Dress is required – see the PPBSO Rule Book, Appendix 1 for a definition if you are new to competition.
• Drummers may play their selections to recorded piping or to a live piper.
• The competitor will immediately upload the MP4 file to a dedicated Drive.
• The order of play will be generated and the videos will be connected in that order for judging.
• The judge will watch and complete the score sheets.
• Family, friends, and other enthusiasts may purchase a pass to watch one or all of the events in the VIRTUAL KNOCKOUT 2021 series to be streamed on specified dates (competitors are entitled to watch the livestream as part of their competition entry fee).
• Remember, the branch relies on the entry fees for all competitions to support the ongoing branch events and new workshop events.
• As always, we will attempt to provide you with excellent recitalists to round out your VIRTUAL KNOCKOUT 2021-2022 experience.

Round 1 Information:
Enter by October 10th 2021 11:59PM
Submit by October 16th 2021 11:59PM
Streamed on October 23rd 2021 TBD

Visit the Toronto Branch’s website for more detail, including information on how to enter!

The latest news from “The Sherriff”

Tuesday September 21st, 2021

It’s a ‘green light’ for the George Sherriff Memorial Invitational competition. With the ongoing concerns and restrictions surrounding Covid-19, the decision has been made to run the 2021 competition virtually. This will be the 25^th year for the competition. 

The selection of the ten players for this year’s competition was based on 2021 results for Grade 1 amateur pipers from the different jurisdictions throughout Canada and the United States. For the most part, these were virtual contests. In the case of several associations there were Champion Supreme results that helped determine the best all round piobaireachd and light music players. 

Each player will be playing in three events: 6/8 Marches, Piobaireachd, and March, Strathspey & Reel. Their tunes will be submitted by October 18, with the players notified of their selected tunes on October 22. Their recordings will be submitted by October 29. The results from each event and the overall winner will be announced live on Facebook on the evening of November 20. This would have been the date of the traditional in person contest. 

Here are this year’s 10 performers:

Jessica Bain – Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Callum Bevan – Abbotsford, British Columbia

Sean Buchta – Tampa, Florida

Zippa Curiskis – St. Paul, Minnesota

Trevor DeMass – Murray, Utah

Mark McClennan – Guelph, Ontario

Stuart Marshall – Greensboro, North Carolina

Charles-David Mitchell – Kingston, Ontario

Andrew Prioli – Cranston, Rhode Island

Caleb Thibodeau – Toronto, Ontario

The adjudicators for this year’s competition:

Chris Armstrong and Richard Parkes, MBE (6/8 Marches and March, Strathspey & Reel)

Bruce Gandy and John Wilson (Piobaireachd)

The George Sherriff Invitational website will be updated shortly. In the meantime, we are absolutely honoured that McCallum Bagpipes will once again be donating an engraved set of MacRae bagpipes to be presented to the overall 2021 Sherriff Champion. And, this year The Piobaireachd Society is donating a silver Piobaireachd Society kilt pin to the winner of the piobaireachd event. Amazing prizes! R.G. Hardie, Reelpipes.com, Scotts Highland Services, Lee and Sons, plus several others have stepped forward to offer some amazing prizes for this year’s event. The list keeps expanding and will be updated on the website.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Bob Worrall, Director, The George Sherriff Memorial Invitational Amateur Solo Piping Competition