A schoolgirl beat will take marchers to the shrine
Maybe we can
get some of them to join up with us?
TWENTY students from Melbourne's Presbyterian Ladies' College will form the first all-girl school band to perform in Victoria on Anzac Day.
It's always good to be the first. But the distinction gets even more impressive — the students belong to an all-girl pipes and drums marching band.
The girls, aged 14 to 16, have been practising their instruments for three years, perfecting their technique in preparation for their first big march.
All Girl Pipe and Drum Band
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TWENTY students from Melbourne's Presbyterian Ladies' College will form the first all-girl school band to perform in Victoria on Anzac Day.
It's always good to be the first. But the distinction gets even more impressive — the students belong to an all-girl pipes and drums marching band.
The girls, aged 14 to 16, have been practising their instruments for three years, perfecting their technique in preparation for their first big march.
All Girl Pipe and Drum Band
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|
Weekly Update - 4/24/06
Apr-29-2006 07:27 |
Weekly Update
| Permalink
Greetings
All,
Se had a rather small practice this week.
PIPERS: Kevin Byrnes, Jeff Burton, Steve Cochran, Kevin Donnelly (with students John Murray & Scott Philben)
DRUMMERS: Ron Kuley (new guy)
As you may have noticed we had a new prospective member show up … Ron Kuley is a firefighter at Station 26 on A Shift. He was recruited by Brian Brendel. His aspiration is to become a Tenor / Bass drummer. He hopes to be able to march with us by the 4th of July.
We only did a little chanter work. I received in the mail a copy of the seconds to “America the Beautiful” and “The Star Spangled Banner” (Fragment) from a piper I know with the Mesa, AZ. We tried them out on the chanters and not being able to tune them not with standing, it sounded fairly good. Jeff, Kevin & Kevin are working on learning them. The thought is that when we play the Patriotic Set, that we would add the seconds with the repeat of “America the Beautiful”.
We then went outside and played the Military Set, “Caissons”, “The Marine Hymn” & “Semper Paratus” are coming along quite well, “Anchors Away” and “Off in the Wild Blue Yonder” still need some work. We also went through “The Dawning of the Day” and the Quiet Man Set. Both of these are doing quite well.
Homework assignment for pipers is to work on the Military Set, “Dawning of the Day”, Quiet Man Set & Cohen Set … in that order.
REMINDER: There will be Practice next Monday, May 1, 2006 (yes we are practicing on May Day – Sorry).
There is also a performance on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, for the Prince William victims of 9-11 at 7:00 p.m. and we are looking for as many participants as possible. It will be a short event, a monument dedication with lots of local politicians and the press … good PR event for us.
That’s it for now, see you all on Monday.
Slān,
Steve
===============================================================================
Se had a rather small practice this week.
PIPERS: Kevin Byrnes, Jeff Burton, Steve Cochran, Kevin Donnelly (with students John Murray & Scott Philben)
DRUMMERS: Ron Kuley (new guy)
As you may have noticed we had a new prospective member show up … Ron Kuley is a firefighter at Station 26 on A Shift. He was recruited by Brian Brendel. His aspiration is to become a Tenor / Bass drummer. He hopes to be able to march with us by the 4th of July.
We only did a little chanter work. I received in the mail a copy of the seconds to “America the Beautiful” and “The Star Spangled Banner” (Fragment) from a piper I know with the Mesa, AZ. We tried them out on the chanters and not being able to tune them not with standing, it sounded fairly good. Jeff, Kevin & Kevin are working on learning them. The thought is that when we play the Patriotic Set, that we would add the seconds with the repeat of “America the Beautiful”.
We then went outside and played the Military Set, “Caissons”, “The Marine Hymn” & “Semper Paratus” are coming along quite well, “Anchors Away” and “Off in the Wild Blue Yonder” still need some work. We also went through “The Dawning of the Day” and the Quiet Man Set. Both of these are doing quite well.
Homework assignment for pipers is to work on the Military Set, “Dawning of the Day”, Quiet Man Set & Cohen Set … in that order.
REMINDER: There will be Practice next Monday, May 1, 2006 (yes we are practicing on May Day – Sorry).
There is also a performance on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, for the Prince William victims of 9-11 at 7:00 p.m. and we are looking for as many participants as possible. It will be a short event, a monument dedication with lots of local politicians and the press … good PR event for us.
That’s it for now, see you all on Monday.
Slān,
Steve
===============================================================================
Weekly Update - 4/23/06
Apr-23-2006 07:25 |
Weekly Update
| Permalink
Greetings
All,
I got an e-mail from Kevin Byrnes the other day who had been contacted about having some pipers play at a memorial service for some local folks who were killed on 09-11-01. (We have been waiting for confirmation and additional details which is why I am just now putting this out.) The event will be on May 9th around 7:00 p.m. and is for a memorial for Prince William County Residents killed in the 9-11 attacks. The memorial will be at the McCort Building (Pr. Wm. Government) Complex south of Manassas on Prince William Parkway. We would like to turn out a complete band but we'll go with what we can get. Let me know ASAP if you can make it ... particularly the drummer dudes.
===============================================================================
I got an e-mail from Kevin Byrnes the other day who had been contacted about having some pipers play at a memorial service for some local folks who were killed on 09-11-01. (We have been waiting for confirmation and additional details which is why I am just now putting this out.) The event will be on May 9th around 7:00 p.m. and is for a memorial for Prince William County Residents killed in the 9-11 attacks. The memorial will be at the McCort Building (Pr. Wm. Government) Complex south of Manassas on Prince William Parkway. We would like to turn out a complete band but we'll go with what we can get. Let me know ASAP if you can make it ... particularly the drummer dudes.
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Patches
Apr-20-2006 07:24 | Permalink
Over
the past couple of years, Tim at the Philadelphia
Tavern in Manassas has been very good to this
band. The other night I was in there with my
wife and a couple of friends and I noticed that he
has several framed groupings of Police patches on the
wall in the Tavern.
I thought it might be nice if we put together a framed collection of the patches representing the different departments from which we draw our membership (with an NVFESPB patch in the center - of course) to present to him for his support.
To that end, please bring (or mail to the address below) one or more of your department / agency patches to the next practice you attend.
Thanks,
R. Steven Cochran
Pipe Major / Manager
Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band
P.O. Box 1143
Centreville, VA 20122
703.791.5616 - Phone
703.791.5696 - FAX
703.967.6728 - Mobile
www.NoVaIrishPipes.org
RSCochran@aol.com
===============================================================================
I thought it might be nice if we put together a framed collection of the patches representing the different departments from which we draw our membership (with an NVFESPB patch in the center - of course) to present to him for his support.
To that end, please bring (or mail to the address below) one or more of your department / agency patches to the next practice you attend.
Thanks,
R. Steven Cochran
Pipe Major / Manager
Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band
P.O. Box 1143
Centreville, VA 20122
703.791.5616 - Phone
703.791.5696 - FAX
703.967.6728 - Mobile
www.NoVaIrishPipes.org
RSCochran@aol.com
===============================================================================
Weekly Update 4/10/06
Apr-10-2006 07:23 |
Weekly Update
| Permalink
Weekly
Update
Greetings and all the Blessings of Holy Week, Passover & Easter
For this time of year, practice was fairly well attended last night.
PIPERS: Jeff Burton, Steve Cochran, Ed Snyder & Gary Winemiller, (Matt Dolan and Kevin Pittman from the Fairfax Co. Sheriff’s Deputy Coalition Pipe Band joined us)
DRUMMERS: Ethan Cochran
We did a little chanter work on the Military and Cohen Sets and then moved outside on the big pipes to prepare for Saturday.
SATURDAY: The Sikh Parade:
Attending: Jeff Burton, Kevin Byrne, Pat Carroll, Steve Cochran, Kevin Donnelly, Dana Moore, Ed Snyder, Rob Agnew & Ethan Cochran from the NVFESPB, Matt Dolan, Carl Hunt, Kevin Pittman (possibly) and two drummers from FDSCPB and maybe two and two from MCDFRSP&D.
Line up: We will meet at the parking lot an 3rd St and Pennsylvania Ave NW (in front of the Capital). Please be there by noon! The Sikhs will be sending a couple of 15 passenger vans to fetch us around a quarter after. We need to be all kitted out and ready to get on the vans at that time. This parking lot is usually open with spaces available and there is no charge on the weekends … (if there is a charge, save your receipts and turn them in to the treasurer and you will be reimbursed.)
Uniform of the Day: The uniform of the day will be the summer uniform, which is short sleeve, light green shirts, without neck ties. For those of you from the Sheriff’s Coalition and Montgomery County DFRS, wear your uniform that most closely matches ours. Obviously our kilts will be different and even shirts may be a different color but we want to look as uniform as possible.
Note: I just found out that this year the Sikh’s have hired another pipe band to march with them. It seems that their parade is getting so long that they want two bands. Our friends with the Washington Scottish Pipe Band will be marching with the Sikh’s as well. We will be in the front and the WSPB will be further back in the line of march.
===============================================================================
Greetings and all the Blessings of Holy Week, Passover & Easter
For this time of year, practice was fairly well attended last night.
PIPERS: Jeff Burton, Steve Cochran, Ed Snyder & Gary Winemiller, (Matt Dolan and Kevin Pittman from the Fairfax Co. Sheriff’s Deputy Coalition Pipe Band joined us)
DRUMMERS: Ethan Cochran
We did a little chanter work on the Military and Cohen Sets and then moved outside on the big pipes to prepare for Saturday.
SATURDAY: The Sikh Parade:
Attending: Jeff Burton, Kevin Byrne, Pat Carroll, Steve Cochran, Kevin Donnelly, Dana Moore, Ed Snyder, Rob Agnew & Ethan Cochran from the NVFESPB, Matt Dolan, Carl Hunt, Kevin Pittman (possibly) and two drummers from FDSCPB and maybe two and two from MCDFRSP&D.
Line up: We will meet at the parking lot an 3rd St and Pennsylvania Ave NW (in front of the Capital). Please be there by noon! The Sikhs will be sending a couple of 15 passenger vans to fetch us around a quarter after. We need to be all kitted out and ready to get on the vans at that time. This parking lot is usually open with spaces available and there is no charge on the weekends … (if there is a charge, save your receipts and turn them in to the treasurer and you will be reimbursed.)
Uniform of the Day: The uniform of the day will be the summer uniform, which is short sleeve, light green shirts, without neck ties. For those of you from the Sheriff’s Coalition and Montgomery County DFRS, wear your uniform that most closely matches ours. Obviously our kilts will be different and even shirts may be a different color but we want to look as uniform as possible.
Note: I just found out that this year the Sikh’s have hired another pipe band to march with them. It seems that their parade is getting so long that they want two bands. Our friends with the Washington Scottish Pipe Band will be marching with the Sikh’s as well. We will be in the front and the WSPB will be further back in the line of march.
===============================================================================
Weekly Update - 4/6/06
Apr-07-2006 07:13 |
Weekly Update
| Permalink
Greetings
All,
Those attending last Monday's practice:
Pipers: Kevin Byrne, Steve Cochran & Scott Philben
Drummers: Rob Agnew, Brian Brendel & Ethan Cochran
For those of you who have not made it to practice, remind me next time you are there and I will give you copies of the new music. For those of you who are living out in the wilds (i.e., non-Virginia residents) I will mail you a copy. If anyone knows that they will be out of town for the next couple of weeks, let me know and I'll mail you a copy as well.
Next Monday is a Mandatory Practice for the up-coming Sikh Parade. Right now I have only 5 pipers and 2 drummers from our band who have signed up to go. I have solicited help from the Sheriff's and Montgomery Co. Pipe Bands and have received some indications of interest from both.
The next gig we have coming up after that is the Rolling Thunder parade on May 28th. We hope to be able to play the new sets at that parade. Therefore, we need everyone to make as many of the practices as possible.
As a reminder, we practice every Monday* at the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Academy located at 4600 West Ox Road in Fairfax, VA. Beginners start at 6:30 p.m. and the rest of the band begins at 8:00 p.m. Practices normal go until 10:00 p.m.
*(The band practices every Monday except the Monday following a performance, unless there is a performance scheduled before the next practice. The Band also takes a break between the 4th of July and the first Monday in September and during the month of December.)
The Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band is an inclusive organization and everyone is welcome at our practice. Our friends with the Fairfax County Sheriff's Pipe Band, and with the Montgomery County (MD) Department of Fire & Rescue Services Pipe Band and the District of Columbia Fire Department Pipes and Drums are especially welcome.
===============================================================================
Those attending last Monday's practice:
Pipers: Kevin Byrne, Steve Cochran & Scott Philben
Drummers: Rob Agnew, Brian Brendel & Ethan Cochran
For those of you who have not made it to practice, remind me next time you are there and I will give you copies of the new music. For those of you who are living out in the wilds (i.e., non-Virginia residents) I will mail you a copy. If anyone knows that they will be out of town for the next couple of weeks, let me know and I'll mail you a copy as well.
Next Monday is a Mandatory Practice for the up-coming Sikh Parade. Right now I have only 5 pipers and 2 drummers from our band who have signed up to go. I have solicited help from the Sheriff's and Montgomery Co. Pipe Bands and have received some indications of interest from both.
The next gig we have coming up after that is the Rolling Thunder parade on May 28th. We hope to be able to play the new sets at that parade. Therefore, we need everyone to make as many of the practices as possible.
As a reminder, we practice every Monday* at the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Academy located at 4600 West Ox Road in Fairfax, VA. Beginners start at 6:30 p.m. and the rest of the band begins at 8:00 p.m. Practices normal go until 10:00 p.m.
*(The band practices every Monday except the Monday following a performance, unless there is a performance scheduled before the next practice. The Band also takes a break between the 4th of July and the first Monday in September and during the month of December.)
The Northern Virginia Firefighters' Emerald Society Pipe Band is an inclusive organization and everyone is welcome at our practice. Our friends with the Fairfax County Sheriff's Pipe Band, and with the Montgomery County (MD) Department of Fire & Rescue Services Pipe Band and the District of Columbia Fire Department Pipes and Drums are especially welcome.
===============================================================================
More on Tartan Day April 6
Apr-05-2006 07:03 |
Miscellaneous
Scottish | Permalink
Read more
here
ON March 17, 1762, the Irish members of the British military marched with bagpipes through New York City and began a tradition that has now become the largest St Patrick's Day parade in the world. Since then New York has become host to over 150 parades a year. To a New Yorker it often seems like every nationality and large social group has its own parade and we have become almost as jaded over them as we are about everything else.
But comparing the Irish event in particular to the Scots one is natural and it is understandable that many see St Patrick's Day as a benchmark for what the Tartan Day parade and Tartan Week should be.
Of course, the Irish have been celebrating St Patrick's Day as a religious holiday for centuries and they have been marching in New York as a show of strength and solidarity for 244 years. Tartan Day has only been nationally recognised for eight. But in eight short years Tartan Day has grown in popularity.
Celebrations are held in many cities of the US including the nation's capital, Washington DC, and, of course, the world's crossroads, New York City. In fact, in New York City an entire week is needed to fit in all the events that have been planned. But in certain ways, history does count. The St Patrick's Day parade became a symbolic way to unite the Irish during a time of great racism and discrimination. They used it as a way to remind each other that together they were strong and that being Irish gave you a voice in a greater group that you didn't have alone. That vision of inclusiveness remained, even later when the parade was used to promote tourism and help politicians gain the large Irish vote.
On the surface there seems to be no reason why a Scots version of the Irish "battling underdog" shouldn't similarly appeal to Americans.
Americans love looking to the past. They love all the kilts and tartan, bagpipes and shortbread stuff, and they love the spirit of Braveheart, which they see as not unlike their own pioneer spirit. Scotland may be a small place but it is well known over here that the Scots played a major role in the founding of America. Americans want to connect with tradition and heritage and they want to feel a part of something older and greater than themselves.
But there is a divide between the Scottish Americans and the Scots born in Scotland. Instead of the inclusive approach of the Irish's "Everyone is Irish on St Patrick's Day" we sometimes hear: "Yeah, yeah, everyone has a Scottish granny, that doesn't make you Scottish."
Another problem is that there seems to be some confusion as to what Tartan Week, with Tartan Day as the centrepiece, is really meant to be. Tartan Day in America, according to referendum 155, is meant to honour the many contributions Scots have made to the development of America.
April 6 was selected as the date of observance due to its significance as the day of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the document the Declaration of Independence is said to be modelled on. A chance, you would think, to show the world how many Scots there are here in America and how rich the Scottish traditions still are today.
When it comes to St Patrick's Day, the Irish seem happy to embrace all the stereotypes - the Guinness, the shamrocks - whereas the Scots seem a little more unsure what image they are trying to project. There are several political organisations, societies, clans and foundations that each have their own vision of what Tartan Week should be and at times it seems like each is only operating in their best interest. It is not uncommon to see one organisation undermining another to further their own event or agenda. Some are trying to push an "olden times tartan and shortbread" image to appeal to potential tourists to Scotland and some are trying to distance themselves from that to appeal to modern businesses.
So what are the Scots trying to achieve? Is it a week of cultural events and talks highlighting the best and the brightest minds and artists Scotland has to offer? Or a time to remind American Scots of the strength of their heritage and promote tourism? Or a big piss-up catering only to the world's glitterati? Why is it that some of these efforts smell of desperation?
In many ways, it is unfair to compare Tartan Week to St Patrick's Day - the Irish have had far longer to build their vision and sell it. But the Scots, from both sides of the Atlantic, need to answer some fundamental questions before Tartan Week can move out of St Patrick's shadow and into a limelight of its own.
===============================================================================
ON March 17, 1762, the Irish members of the British military marched with bagpipes through New York City and began a tradition that has now become the largest St Patrick's Day parade in the world. Since then New York has become host to over 150 parades a year. To a New Yorker it often seems like every nationality and large social group has its own parade and we have become almost as jaded over them as we are about everything else.
But comparing the Irish event in particular to the Scots one is natural and it is understandable that many see St Patrick's Day as a benchmark for what the Tartan Day parade and Tartan Week should be.
Of course, the Irish have been celebrating St Patrick's Day as a religious holiday for centuries and they have been marching in New York as a show of strength and solidarity for 244 years. Tartan Day has only been nationally recognised for eight. But in eight short years Tartan Day has grown in popularity.
Celebrations are held in many cities of the US including the nation's capital, Washington DC, and, of course, the world's crossroads, New York City. In fact, in New York City an entire week is needed to fit in all the events that have been planned. But in certain ways, history does count. The St Patrick's Day parade became a symbolic way to unite the Irish during a time of great racism and discrimination. They used it as a way to remind each other that together they were strong and that being Irish gave you a voice in a greater group that you didn't have alone. That vision of inclusiveness remained, even later when the parade was used to promote tourism and help politicians gain the large Irish vote.
On the surface there seems to be no reason why a Scots version of the Irish "battling underdog" shouldn't similarly appeal to Americans.
Americans love looking to the past. They love all the kilts and tartan, bagpipes and shortbread stuff, and they love the spirit of Braveheart, which they see as not unlike their own pioneer spirit. Scotland may be a small place but it is well known over here that the Scots played a major role in the founding of America. Americans want to connect with tradition and heritage and they want to feel a part of something older and greater than themselves.
But there is a divide between the Scottish Americans and the Scots born in Scotland. Instead of the inclusive approach of the Irish's "Everyone is Irish on St Patrick's Day" we sometimes hear: "Yeah, yeah, everyone has a Scottish granny, that doesn't make you Scottish."
Another problem is that there seems to be some confusion as to what Tartan Week, with Tartan Day as the centrepiece, is really meant to be. Tartan Day in America, according to referendum 155, is meant to honour the many contributions Scots have made to the development of America.
April 6 was selected as the date of observance due to its significance as the day of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the document the Declaration of Independence is said to be modelled on. A chance, you would think, to show the world how many Scots there are here in America and how rich the Scottish traditions still are today.
When it comes to St Patrick's Day, the Irish seem happy to embrace all the stereotypes - the Guinness, the shamrocks - whereas the Scots seem a little more unsure what image they are trying to project. There are several political organisations, societies, clans and foundations that each have their own vision of what Tartan Week should be and at times it seems like each is only operating in their best interest. It is not uncommon to see one organisation undermining another to further their own event or agenda. Some are trying to push an "olden times tartan and shortbread" image to appeal to potential tourists to Scotland and some are trying to distance themselves from that to appeal to modern businesses.
So what are the Scots trying to achieve? Is it a week of cultural events and talks highlighting the best and the brightest minds and artists Scotland has to offer? Or a time to remind American Scots of the strength of their heritage and promote tourism? Or a big piss-up catering only to the world's glitterati? Why is it that some of these efforts smell of desperation?
In many ways, it is unfair to compare Tartan Week to St Patrick's Day - the Irish have had far longer to build their vision and sell it. But the Scots, from both sides of the Atlantic, need to answer some fundamental questions before Tartan Week can move out of St Patrick's shadow and into a limelight of its own.
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