Northwest Junior Pipe Band had a remarkable weekend at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games on Saturday and Sunday July 26th & 27th, 2009. The band started the season adding one additional event to the Grade 4 schedule, to give us a mathematical “shot” at winning the Grand Aggregate for the season, but it required an undefeated season. Other bands go to two other events on Vancouver Island; the Comox Valley Highland Games and the Victoria Highland Games in May. NWJPB started the season at Bellingham, already down by two victories, which are worth 88 points each, but placed first in Bellingham and won best drum corps for the first time at those games in Grade 4 competitions. Grade 5 placed 2nd of 3 bands.
On to Sons of Scotland, with another 1st place and best drum corps. Vague glimmers of hope began to surface, but the competition in the region is tough, and the band stayed focused on the next competition. BC Highland Games has always been a bit of a challenge for the band, the heat on the rubber surfaces the band practices and performs on seems to raise the actual temperature by 10 degrees or so. The band is also taking on the top bands in the region on their home turf. This year was no different, the heat was taking its toll, but the band performed well. 3 first places and a 4th from one piping judge was enough for the band to win first and best drum corps again. Grade 5 placed 3rd with a 2nd place for the drum corps.
Skagit Valley was next. The Grade 5 drum corps won 1st and the band placed 2nd, but the Grade 4 band won its 4th straight 1st place finish and another best drum corps. On day two, NWJPB won its second Washington State Pipe Band Championship, and challenged up to the Grade 3 competitions, placing 2nd of 5 bands. The next weekend brought the Portland Highland Games, and the 6th straight 1st place victory (5 which are counted in the BCPA standings), this time with two first places from the piping judges, and White Spot won best drum corps.
The band was now two 1st place finishes away from the Grand Aggregate, but had already won more events in a row than ever before in their history. The heat was sure to play a role at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games, but the band performed very well on Saturday and managed to step into 1st place overall for the first time ever. One event remained. NWJPB had now won 1st place at SEVEN straight Grade 4 competitions, more than any other pipe band in our division. The band took the field in high temperatures and played very well. Band Director Kevin Auld praised them for playing well despite the conditions, and noted that they played with great skill, doing what it takes to overcome the conditions. The band results were announced and NWJPB received 2nd place. It was somewhat disappointing because it meant NWJPB would end the season with fewer points than the very talented White Spot Pipe Band from Canada, but NWJPB members recognized they had performed better than any time in their history against a tough field of at least 15 bands in the division. The most 1st place finishes of any Grade 4 pipe band in the BCPA region this year, and the most consecutive wins in NWJPB’s history in Grade 4, and it was a remarkable season for some incredibly talented youth musicians.
Adding to the excitement of the Pacific Northwest Highland Games, the band won 1st and 2nd place finishes in the Quartet competition, and the first ever West Coast Grade 4 Drum Corps Championship win for NWJPB with the drum fanfare, with lead stroke Joseph Y coming back for his first competition after a season-ending injury. Finally, there were 4 aggregate winners at the games and 2 overall Grand Aggregate winners in solos for the season:
Aggregate winners at the games:
Aaron – G3 piping, Alexander – G2 piping, Amber – G3 side drumming, Steven (lead stroke) - G4 side drumming.
Grand aggregate winners: Bryce K, Grade 4 side drumming and Alexander S (PM), Grade 2 piping. See them mentioned on the Pipes|Drums website, the world’s only independent pinping and drumming publication.
Saturday results:
- NWJPB 1st of 9 bands
- Grade 4 Quartets, NWJPB “A” (Alexander, Aaron, Matt, Elliot): 1st place
- Grade 4 Quartets, NWJPB “B” (Kevin, Sterling, Paul, Patrick): 2nd place
- Grade 5 piping 6/8 March: Marcus 3rd, Megan 4th
- Grade 4 piping 2/4 March, group A: Paul V. 5th
- Grade 4 piping 2/4 March, group B: Saul 2nd, Matt 4th, Devon 5th
- Grade 4 piping Piobaireachd: Saul 3rd
- Grade 3 piping 2/4 March: Aaron 2nd
- Grade 3 piping Piobaireachd: Aaron 2nd
- Grade 2 piping Piobaireachd: Alexander 6th
- Grade 2 piping Hornpipe & Jig: Alexander 1st
- Grade 4 side drumming 2/4 March: Steven 1st, Morgan M 3rd, Bryce 4th, Robbie 5th
- Grade 3 side drumming 6/8 March: Amber 1st
- Grade 2 Tenor 2/4 March: Ali 6th
Sunday results:
- NWJPB 2nd of 8 bands
- West Coast Grade 4 Drum Corps Championships: 1st place NWJPB Grade 4, 3rd place NWJPB Grade 5
- Grade 5 piping Slow Air: Marcus 1st, Megan 2nd
- Grade 5 piping 2/4 March: Megan 3rd
- Grade 4 piping Strathspey & Reel, Group A: Paul 5th place
- Grade 4 piping Strathspey & Reel, Group B: Saul 2nd, Devon 3rd, Matt 5th
- Grade 3 piping Strathspey & Reel, Aaron 2nd
- Grade 3 piping Jig: Aaron 2nd
- Grade 2 piping MSR: Alexander 2nd
- Grade 4 side drumming 6/8 March: Bryce 1st, Steven 2nd, Robbie 3rd, Cheyenne 6th
- Grade 3 side drumming 2/4 March: Amaber 3rd
- Grade 2 tenor drumming 6/8 March: Ali 4th, Alexander 5th
Other notable awards and placings:
Best from Washington aggregate scores:
- Grade IV piping: Saul G. (James McNeill Memorial Scholarship–NWJPB founder Charlie McNeill’s brother)
- Grade III piping: Aaron S (also games aggregate)
- Grade II piping: Alexander S (also games aggregate)
- Grade IV Side Drumming: Steven W (also the games aggregate and winner of the David M. Moore –NWJPB’s first drumming instructor– Scholarship)
- Grade III Side Drumming: Amber S (also the games aggregate and winner of the David M. Moore Scholarship)
