Northwest Junior Pipe Band(s) and soloists had a great weekend at the biggest Highland Games event in the Northwest US and British Columbia.

The premier season for the Grade 5 (beginning) band was a great success, with NWJPB Grade 5 taking 1st place at every graded competition entered this year.  The Enumclaw games were no different.  NWJPB Grade 5 1st place, both Saturday and Sunday.  Grade 4 played well and placed 4th both days. 

The NWJPB Bagpipe Quartet placed first in a field of seven pipe band quartet entries. 

NWJPB’s Grade 4 drum corps placed 2nd of 3 entries.

A soloist was awarded the “Grand Aggregate” in Grade 4 piping competitions all season.

Starting the season with half of the Grade 4 band having no Grade 4 competition experience, and finishing the season ranked 4th out of 18 or more bands who competed in this grade is a significant accomplishment.  To also come toward the end with a 1st place at Tacoma and 2nd place at Portland, as well as two quartet victories; 2007 has been an incredible year for the young musicians of Northwest Junior Pipe Band.  The next competition is at the Whidbey Island Highland Games, where NWJPB will also be selling Bangers, chips, soda, and root beer floats as a fundraiser for the World Pipe band Championships in 2008.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Coming off a second place finish overall at the Skagit Valley Highland Games, NWJPB Grade 4 competed at the Portland Highland Games and won 2nd place of 6 pipe bands.  Grade 4 piper Alexander S placed 1st overall winning an aggregate award, and Matt M placed 1st overall in the Grade 3 Piping competition.  NWJPB Side Drummers Steven W and Amber S placed 3rd and 4th in the 2/4 March competition, and Tenor drummer Colleen S placed 5th in Grade 2 tenor drumming.

The next NWJPB appearance is at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games Friday July 27th at 7:00 pm for a free concert.  Both bands will compete on Saturday and Sunday the 28th and 29th.

Northwest Junior Pipe Band placed 2nd of 4 bands Sunday July 15th at the Skagit Valley Highland Games. 

In addition, the NWJPB Grade 5 drum corps took first place in the Grade IV Drum Corps competition, having challenged up because there was no Grade 5 drumming competition.  Videos will be posted to the NWJPB MySpace page and more details about solo placings will be posted on the NWJPB web page later in July.  Seven NWJPB members are attending the Highland Musical Arts camp during this week between the Skagit Valley Games and the Portland Highland Games where Northwest Junior Pipe Band Grade 4 will compete on July 21st.

July 14th, 2007 - Mt. Vernon, WA

Northwest Junior Pipe Band Grade 5 (beginners) took 1st place of 2 pipe bands at the 13th annual Skagit Valley Highland Games. 

Northwest Junior Pipe Band Grade 4 placed 4th out of 6 bands.  Each time Grade 4 takes the field, the band has improved over the last competition….this time the “Ensemble” Judge ranked the band in 1st place.  Comments were provided by the judges which the band will continue to learn from.  Competing and receiving comments and feedback from the best piping and drumming judges in the region helps provide an important part of the excellent cultural music education NWJPB strives for.

Stewart Cassells is doing a lot to popularize and raise awareness of the art of bagpiping and pipe band music.  He formed the band “Red Hot Chili Pipers“, which may be the most famous Pipe and Drum group in the World….winners of the Prime Time BBC One show “When Will I Be Famous?” with their unique Rock Bagpiping music.  Stewart also hosts a regular program on BBC radio called Piping Roots.  Listen to the most recent broadcasts of “all that’s new in the piping world” by linking from this site:  Piping Roots on BBC>>

The Shotts drum corps opened the Live Earth event in London on 7/7/07 alongside Queen’s Roger Taylor, Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith in a one-off performance especially composed for the event.  The “SOS All Stars”.  Hear the perfomance on the Shotts Blog.  “SOS” is a Global Movement for a “Climate in Crisis” with worldwide events to help draw attention to Global Warming.

Update:  The link to the Shotts website is supposed to be a video, but it didn’t work for everyone.  Here’s a YouTube version:

Playing the bagpipes is a unique kind of exercise, for your arms, hands, fingers, and lungs.  For a beginner just starting on bagpipes it can take months of regular practice to just keep the bag going for half an hour.  This article suggests it may be just what’s needed to combat asthma symptoms as well.

The Northern Echo - Tunes Help Me Breathe More Easily

See this resulting discussion on the Bob Dunsire Forums as well>>