PPBSO OTTAWA BRANCH NEWSLETTER! FEBRUARY 3, 2011 NEWSLETTER

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1 NEWSLETTER New Newsletter Format! A few changes... Table of Contents 1... Newsletter Changes 2... On the Day Movie 2... News and Announcements 3... Passages 3... For Sale 6... Results 7... Continuing Education 7... A Tune History 6... Upcoming Events 8... Ar n-òran Gaelic Choir 9... Branch Executive 9... Event Calendar The PPBSO Eastern Branch Newletter has been revamped with new look and feel. In addition there will be some new sections included in future editions that will hopefully be of interest to our members. We will also be having a competition to name the Newsletter (title beside the PPBSO logo). Details on the naming competition in the next newsletter. Feedback is always welcome. Please send feedback and submissions to the editor-at-large: James van de Ven. Submission dead-line is 29th of each month. Submissions include advertising requests, articles, pictures or anything you care to share or announce. If you wish to be included in the distribution list, please send your request to James at the address below. Happy Piping and Drumming! james.vandeven@gmail.com (Left) On The Day Director and Producer John McDonald and Drummer Scott Nicholson autographing DVDs and Posters at the Kingston screening. See story on page 2. (Above) Drum Salute Performers at the Kingston screening. MARCH ELECTIONS Elections for the Branch Executive will be held at the March meeting following the Branch Knockout Finals. As with any healthy organization, an active, enthusiastic and vibrant team is needed to keep the wheels turning. This is your chance to participate by voting for your executive. Go a step further by throwing your name in the ring and give back by serving on the executive. These events do not run themselves and without participation, these great events and workshops may not flourish. Renew your PPBSO membership online! Go to PAGE 1

2 PPBSO OTTAWA BRANCH NEWSLETTER! FEBRUARY 3, 2011 ON THE DAY - CANADIAN PREMIER The Movie, On The Day, premiered across Canada February 9 and again on February 13 at select Cineplex Odeon Theatres. The event was fairly well attended with some sold-out screenings in Calgary, Saskatoon, Hamilton, and Fredricton. The Kingston screening was attended by John McDonald, producer and director of the film. Prior to the start of the film, a drumming fanfare was performed by Scott Nicholson (member of the Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band in the film), Chris Bell, Iain Bell and Dylan Stewart. The film was then introduced by John McDonald. After the film, John McDonald and Scott Nicholson took questions from a large very inquisitive audience. John and Scott also signed posters and DVD s for fans of the film. The film was a great labour of love and it was apparent that the audience shared a love for the film. Well done John McDonald! For those of you interested in purchasing the DVD, inquire at your local piping supplier or try the film website (an to John). As an aside, there is scuttle-but that there may be an extended version with special features... but that is for another article. Other suppliers: Brown Bag Pipe Supply The Spirit of Scotland marching to the competition circle at Glasgow Green NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS February 12 Knock-out Cancelled The scheduled Canadian Content Knock-Out was cancelled at the last minute as unforeseen issues left the event without either a piping or drumming judge. Concert - April 10, 2011 RCMP Pipes, Drums and Dancers and Ottawa Police Service Pipe Band will be performing in concert at the Dominion-Chalmers United Church. Please see the advertisement below for more details. Tartan Day Celebrations - April 10, 2011 On Sunday 10 April 2011, the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band will host the National Tartan Day Celebration from 12 noon to 1pm on Parliament Hill, Ottawa. All tartans are welcome. There will be speeches, Scottish Coutry, highland and step dancing demonstations and a massed fling at the end of the show. Meet at 10AM onwards at Room 200 in the West Block on Parliament Hill. All information on the event is available on the Sons of Scotland band site at Spring Fling - April 16, 2011 To be held at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute in Smith s Falls. Weather permitting, band competition will be held out doors. Judges: Jack Coghill Jr, Brian Williamson, Amy Garson and Robert Waugh. Bands register early to ensure warm up rooms are available.! PAGE 2

3 PASSAGES PPBSO OTTAWA BRANCH NEWSLETTER! FEBRUARY 3, 2011 Gordon Stew McVey - February 2011 Kemptville Legion Pipe Band lost one of it s oldest members with the passing of Gordon Stew McVey. Gordon passed at the home of his daughter, Beth Durant, at the age of 91 years. At the age of 90, Gordon was escorted on to the field for massed bands at the Almonte Highland Games to play bass drum to Amazing Grace. He was still playing bass drum in concerts for Legion Week as recently as last September. Unfortunately that was the last time as Gordon had told Beth he couldn t drum any more. As a young buck, Gordon played in the Brockvile Pipe Band with his father, Robert Carson McVey. A memorial service for Gordon was held February 26th at the Prescott Legion. Editor s note - I was in massed bands at Almonte, when Gordon came on the field and I can tell you there was a lot of astonished murmuring and all of it good. Good bye Gordon, we will miss you. FOR SALE Bagpipes for Sale 1. Set of Robertson bagpipes (pre-ww1); wood-mounted projection mounts with nickel furrells; casein ring caps; recently refurbished; MG drone reeds; Gibson pipe chanter with Elliott reed; cords, cover and case. 2. Set of Glen bagpipes (80-90 years old); button mounted, celluloid ring caps; nickel furrels, drone reeds; cords, cover and case. Both sets of pipes in excellent playing condition. Prices available upon request. Contact Jack Yourt at Phone/Fax: or at jcyourt@gmail.com!! 1. Heavyweight kilt; Maple Leaf tartan; perfect condition; W 42 Drop 27 ; $ Heavyweight military kilt; Royal Stewart tartan; good condition; W 36 Drop 26.5 ; $ Heavyweight piper's plaid-macpherson tartan; excellent condition; valued at $500-$600; $ Vintage (1900) coccusswod David Glen bagpipes with original chanter, zip bag, synthetic drone reeds, Kinnaird moisture control system, chanter reed, cover, cords and case. $ as described or $ as sticks only. 5.Vintage blackwood Glen bagpipes (? 1920's)-professionally restored with new imitation ivory mounts. Being sold as sticks only for $ Used Scottish made military horsehair sporran $ or best reasonable offer. 7.Used Scottish made sealskin dress sporran $ or best reasonable offer. 8.Used HLI brown leather sporran-best offer over $ Used day dress green tweed jacket-size 36; good condition; best offer over $ *Please add 13% HST to the above prices. Contact Ross Brown at rbrown06@cogeco.ca! PAGE 3

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6 RESULTS Ottawa Branch Knockout Canadian Content - Feb 12, 2011 No results pending due to cancellation of the Event. UPCOMING EVENTS Ottawa Branch Knockout Final Round - March 12, 2011 Gail Brown has been confirmed as the Piping Judge for the Final Round of the Ottawa Knockout. All competitors are asked to arrive as close to 7pm as possible. There are a large number of performances to fit into the eventing and we would liek to start as promptly as possible. All A Division Pipers and A & B Drummers who have taken a prize in at least one contest during the season are eligible to play the final round. B Division Pipers have already been announced. The Canadian Content Contest will be run the same day as the Glengarry Cup in March. More details to follow Glengarry Cup - Open Solo Piping Competition - Date TBA This event features invited top-level area pipers competing for the Glengarry Cup. If you want to listen to some truly exceptional musicians, this event is a must.! PAGE 6

7 CONTINUING EDUCATION Bag Piping Credit Course In February of 2010, St. Michael s Catholic High School, in Kemptville Ontario, commenced a program whereby students could achieve high school credits through bagpiping. Through the Continuing Education department, of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, classes began after school and on Thursday evenings. Students who have completed the course have earned credits toward their secondary school diploma. By focusing on the Grade 9 Music Curriculum, as set by the Ontario Ministry of Education, students developed, and were assessed on their, musical literacy skills by using creative and critical analysis process in performance and a range of reflective and analytical activities. Students also developed, and were assessed on, an understanding of the conventions and elements of music, and developed a variety of skills that are transferrable to other areas of their life. If you would like more information about obtaining high school credits, through bagpiping, please contact Matt Goral via (matthew.goral@cdsbeo.on.ca) or by telephone ( ). century and a four parted bagpipe setting is found in William Gunn's collection. The "charge" was used by a regiment to march past at the double. In the Victorian army normal quick marches were approximately 110 paces per minute while marches performed at the double were 150 paces per minute. The 78th used Cabar Feidh as their Regimental Charge. There is a two parted reel setting of this tune in Angus Mackay's collection and a four parted reel setting in William Ross'. The 79th Farewell to Gibraltar/The Barren Rocks of Aden 2/4 Quick Marches - These two popular marches date back to the mid 19th century. The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar was composed by Pipe Major John Macdonald of the 79th Cameron Highlanders. He composed this tune in June of 1848 when his Regiment left Gibraltar for Canada. The Barren Rocks of Aden was an unnamed composition composed by Piper James Mauchline when a detachment of the 78th was stationed in Aden. Pipe Major Alexander Mackellar re-arranged and named the tune. A TUNE HISTORY Cabar Feidh Quick March and Regimental Charge - Cabar Feidh is Gaelic for "the antlers of a stag." It is the motto for the Clan Mackenzie and dates back to the 13th century. Clan history states that King Alexander III of Scotland was attacked by a stag that he was hunting. Colin of Kintail, Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, came to the king's aid by yelling "Cuidich 'n Righ" ("Help the King") and lobbed off the stag's head. The king then gave the Clan Mackenzie the right to bear the stag's head on the clan crest. The tune is a Gaelic song that dates back to the early 18th! PAGE 7

8 Come out and enjoy Comunn Gàidhlig Ottawa's award winning Ar n-òran Gaelic choir and help support their trip to represent Canada at the Royal National Mòd in Stornoway, Scotland (October 2011). Ar n-òran, is Ottawa's premier Gaelic choir and has accomplished a great deal in a short period of time. Since its inception, Ar n-òran has become an award-winning choir, one of only two that remain in Canada. Its goals are ambitious and its members are highly committed to achieving excellence - in both music and Gaelic language. Those who seen Ar n-òran perform have raved about their diverse and interesting approach to continuing Scottish Gaelic traditions, helping to make Gaelic relevant today, and, making Scottish language and music more accessible to people living in the National Capital Region and beyond. The Gaelic language in which Ar n-òran sings in, has been designated by UNESCO as an endangered language, with fewer and fewer native speakers in the world each year. Part of the choir s, and CGO s, mandate is preserve the language which has endured through countless centuries of discrimination, suppression and disregard, yet is an important and irrefutable part of Canadian heritage. In fact, during the first period of immigration to Canada, Gaelic-speaking Scots and Irish settlers well outnumbered their French and English co-settlers. For that reason, Senator Thomas Robert MacInnes introduced a bill in the Senate in 1890, to make Gaelic Canada s third official language, reflecting the impact that Gaelic had in shaping the cultural landscape of Canada. To this day, Cape Breton remains one of the largest pockets of Gaelic speakers outside of Scotland, retaining a language that is endangered, but very much still alive. It is therefore important for the community involved in this project to do what can be done to keep the Gaelic language and culture alive, so that Canadians of all backgrounds can better understand the roots of their country, and continue to celebrate the wealth of innovations and creativity that the Scottish Gaelic culture has injected into the Ottawa Valley, in Canada and our greater society as a whole. In September 2009, Ar n-òran won 9 medals at the US National Mòd in Ligonier, Pennsylvania and are now preparing for their trip to compete at the Royal National Mòd, the Gaelic olympics. Come out and help them raise funds for this momentous occasion. Let's make Canada proud. The show will feature very special guests Cathy Ann MacPhee and The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band and more. If you are not able to make it, tell your friends. Ar n-òran "Ceol an Earraidh" (Spring song) fundraiser will take place: Sunday, April 3rd 2pm - 4pm Bells Corners United Church 3955 Richmond Road, Nepean, ON, K2H 5C5 Admission is: Adults $10 Families $25 Children $5 Seniors and Veterans - Freewill offering Hope to see you there, Randaidh! PAGE 8

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10 Your Branch Executive President Vice-President(1) Vice-President(2) Treasurer Secretary Ross Davison Lionel Tupman William Jacob Ridley John Wright Emily-Kate MacLellan President:$ $ Ross Davison$ $ $ (613) $ $ ( rossdavison@gmail.com) Vice-President:$ Lionel Tupman$$ $ (613) $ $ $ ( ltupm065@uottawa.ca) Vice-President:$ Will Ridley$ $ $ (613) $ $ $ ( thesoundofthepipes@gmail.com) Treasurer:$$ John Wright$ $ $ (613) $ $ $ ( john.wright061@sympatico.ca) Secretary:$$ Emily Kate MacLellan$ $ (613) $ $ $ ( emilykatemac@gmail.com) RESPONSIBILITIES The Branch Executive is elected every spring and serves the branch members by organizing Branch events and workshops. Throughout the late fall and winter months, Knock-out competitions are held to keep players sharp as well as boost participation in piping and drumming. Occasionally throughout the year, several workshops with guest instructors as well as other non-competitive events are held throughout the year. During the competition season, the executive organizes and/or assists with in-door and out-door games. Other responsibilities include the newsletter, and website although these tasks are sometimes performed by volunteers. If you have ideas or feedback, the executive is there to listen. If you would like to help out by volunteering, let the executive know as they are always happy for the assistance. Calendar March 12th, 2011 Knockout Final Date TBA Glengarry Cup Open Piping Contest April 16th, 2011 Spring Fling - Smith Falls May 8th, 2011 Eastern Branch Indoor Games (Kemptville) May 29th, 2011 Kingston Scottish Festival - Sponsored by O.P.G.! PAGE 10