I've decided to start this blog to chronicle my development as a piper. I have had experience with blogging before and have found it an effective way to hold myself accountable for progress. If others want to read it, great. If not, so be it!
Since the journey started approximately three years ago, perhaps a little history is in order.
For those who have simply stumbled upon this blog while "surfing the net", let me start by saying that I have Scottish roots on my father's side. I also have Irish roots, on my mother's side, and (like most Canadians) a smattering of other ethnic connections including Quebec French.
Both my father and I attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario and then served in the Army, he as an Military Engineer and me as a Logistician (formerly known as the Service Corps). Even before I joined the military I had a love of pipe music. At RMC there was professional piping instruction available to interested learners but since I already played a couple of instruments, I chose not to avail myself of the opportunity. This is something that I regretted for years afterwards.
Skip ahead twenty years and I moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick where there is a very high quality pipe band, the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipe Band. On Saturday mornings they teach lessons at a school quite near my home and on Wednesday evening the band practised so from time-to-time I would hear the skirl of the pipes on the wind. I kept thinking that I should drop by and see about lessons but I never did. Roughly three years ago though I was attending one of their summer concerts and a person I recognized from where I work was playing with the beginner band and he mentioned their lesson program. I vowed that I would "Just Do It" that fall and indeed I did.
Over the past three years my journey has been slow but steady. With instruction from several experienced and patient pipers - Tom, Sandy, Chris and Gord - I have progressed to the point where I now play with the beginner band (known in piping as a Grade 5 band) for concerts, parades and Highland Games competitions. I have also had my first summer of Grade 5 solo competitions.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
My New Blog
I've decided to start this blog to chronicle my development as a piper. I have had experience with blogging before and have found it an effective way to hold myself accountable for progress. If others want to read it, great. If not, so be it!
Since the journey started approximately three years ago, perhaps a little history is in order.
For those who have simply stumbled upon this blog while "surfing the net", let me start by saying that I have Scottish roots on my father's side. I also have Irish roots, on my mother's side, and (like most Canadians) a smattering of other ethnic connections including Quebec French.
Both my father and I attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario and then served in the Army, he as an Military Engineer and me as a Logistician (formerly known as the Service Corps). Even before I joined the military I had a love of pipe music. At RMC there was professional piping instruction available to interested learners but since I already played a couple of instruments, I chose not to avail myself of the opportunity. This is something that I regretted for years afterwards.
Skip ahead twenty years and I moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick where there is a very high quality pipe band, the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipe Band. On Saturday mornings they teach lessons at a school quite near my home and on Wednesday evening the band practised so from time-to-time I would hear the skirl of the pipes on the wind. I kept thinking that I should drop by and see about lessons but I never did. Roughly three years ago though I was attending one of their summer concerts and a person I recognized from where I work was playing with the beginner band and he mentioned their lesson program. I vowed that I would "Just Do It" that fall and indeed I did.
Over the past three years my journey has been slow but steady. With instruction from several experienced and patient pipers - Tom, Sandy, Chris and Gord - I have progressed to the point where I now play with the beginner band (known in piping as a Grade 5 band) for concerts, parades and Highland Games competitions. I have also had my first summer of Grade 5 solo competitions.
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