NWJPB’s Grade 4 band will be ready to compete at Skagit Valley Highland Games, bringing out a lot of new faces, but Highland Games regulars have been seeing a lot from NWJPB soloists, and the Northwest/White Spot United Pipe Band project, currently in 2nd place of four pipe bands competing at the Grade 3 level.

Congratulations to these players from the Bellingham Highland Games, and all pipers & drummers who work hard to get out in front of the judges and the crowds at every event, working to improve each time, while getting constructive feedback from some of the finest players the piping and drumming community has to offer.

2011 Bellingham Highland Games results

Grade 5 Piping, 2/4 March
1) Kyle G
2) Katrina J
5) Stuart M

Grade 5 Piping, Slow Air
1) Katrina J
2) Kyle G
Tie for Grade 5 Piping Aggregate: Katrina J & Kyle G

Grade 4 Piping, 2/4 March (17 competed)
3) Diego A
5) Peter N

Grade 4 Piping, 6/8 March (16 competed)
3) Diego A

Grade 3 Piping, 2/4 March (14 competed)
1) Marcus D
3) Alumni Elliot Thomson
6) Alumni Devon Mercurio

Grade 3 Piping, Strathspey & Reel (13 competed)
1) Marcus D
Grade 3 Piping Aggregate winner: Marcus D

Grade 2 Piping, Hornpipe & Jig (6 competed)
1) Alumni Matthew Lee Maier

Grade 1 Piping, March, Strathspey & Reel (13 competed)
1) Alexander Schiele
3) Alumni Aaron Stone

Grade 1 Piping, Hornpipe & Jig (13 competed)
1) Alexander Schiele
5) Alumni Aaron Stone

Grade 4 Side Drumming 4/4 March (5 competed)
2) Robert G
4) Lauren G

Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (9 competed)
4) Robert G

Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (6 competed)
2) Bryce K

Grade 2 Side Drumming, Hornpipe & Jig (6 competed)
4) Bryce K

Grade 1 Side Drumming Aggregate winner (tie)
Alumni Amber S

Grade 2 Tenor Drumming 6/8 March (4 competed)
1) Marissa Lytle Alumni/Instructor
3) Alexis H

Grade 2 Tenor Drumming 2/4 March (3 competed)
1) Alexis H
2) Marissa Lytle Alumni/Instructor

Bass Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (2 signed up, 1 competed)
1) Morgan Schiele

The Aggregate standings have been posted as of the Victoria Highland Games here>>.  All of the Highland Games results are posted here>> and check out the latest video and results from Northwest/White Spot United Pipe Band here>>

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'Toddish McWong", Gung Haggis Fat Choy creator

NWJPB has been asked to perform again at the wildly popular Gung Haggis Fat Choy-Seattle. The majority of the funds will go to Northwest Junior Pipe Band programs, including support of the NWJPB members competing with the Northwest/White Spot United Pipe Band and their travel to Scotland this August for the World Pipe Band Championships. The event is mostly sold out already, but click the photo of event creator Todd “Toddish McWong” Wong to find out more information.  Some of the entertainment you can expect:

Todd “Toddish McWong” Wong

Master David Leong’s Martial Arts & Lion Dance School

Washington Chinese Youth Orchestra

Red McWilliams, “America’s Celt”

Don Scobie

Susan Burk

and Northwest Junior Pipe Band

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After several years of very close competitions, with the bands pushing each other to better and better performances and for the last two years, having the Grand Aggregate Championship for the season come down to just one judge’s placing at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games, the White Spot and Northwest Junior Pipe Band members have built close friendships.  The bands announced a partnership Monday for their top musicians to compete together at a higher level competition grade in 2011.  Click the image for link to the story on Pipes|Drums.  Both bands plan to remain independent and field separate indpendent bands in Grades 4 or 5, but in order to provide new challenges for the bands’ talented young musicians, the decision to work together at the higher level Grade 3 and provide new challenges was a great opportunity to support the growing talents of the bands’ musicians.  Naming and other details will come soon, but practices are slated to begin in September.

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Northwest Junior Pipe Band traveled to the Portland Highland Games in Gresham, OR on Saturday July 17, 2010. The youth of the Grade 4/advanced band and soloists faced cool temperatures in the morning which cleared mid-day and reached the low to mid 70′s by band competition time.

In the second to last competition of the season for the youth bagpipe band celebrating its 15th anniversary, the band set a new milestone by moving into the lead for the season aggregate standings for the first time in its history competing in Grade 4.

The competition is very close, with three youth bands taking the top three spots. Northwest Junior Pipe Band from Shoreline, WA; White Spot Pipe Band from Vancouver, BC, Canada in 2nd place, and Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band from Portland in 3rd place of the five pipe bands competing.

Soloists faced challenges in the morning with cool temperatures chilling fingers and instruments, but NWJPB members continued to display their growing talents for the judges, and learning from the feedback.

Full Results

Band: Piping: 2 1st place, Drumming: 1st Place, Ensemble: 2nd place.

Grade 5 Piping

2/4 March: Katrina, 2nd place; Slow Air: Katrina, 2nd place

Grade 4 Piping

6/8 March: Megan 3rd, Paul 4th; 2/4 March: Marcus 6th

Grade 2 Piping: Piobaireachd: Aaron Stone 1st, March, Strathspey & Reel: Aaron Stone 3rd; Hornpipe/Jig: Aaron Stone 5th

Grade 1 Piping: March, Strathspey & Reel: Alexander Schiele 1st, Hornpipe & Jig: Alexander Schiele 3rd

Grade 4 Side Drumming:

2/4 March: Morgan M: 1st, Jack: 5th

6/8 March: Morgan M: 1st, Robert G: 3rd

Grade 4 Side Drumming Aggregate Winner: Morgan M

Grade 3 Side Drumming:

2/4 March: Bryce K: 2nd; 6/8 March: Brcye K: 2nd

Grade 2 Side Drumming:
March, Strathspey & Reel: Amber S, 1st; Graham Young (instructor) 2nd; Hornpipe/Jig: Amber S, 3rd; Graham Young (instructor) 4th
Grade 2 Side Drumming Aggregate Winner: Amber S.

Alumni Resuts:
Grade 3 Piping, 2/4 March: Elliot Thomson: 4th; Grade 3 Piping, Strathspey & Reel: Elliot Thomson: 6th

Grade 2 Tenor, 2/4 March: Colleen Salmi: 3rd, Ali North: 4th

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NWJPB has had a very busy week, and was on most of the major TV stations in town and performing for the Seattle Mayor and Washington Governor at the Irish Week Proclamation Luncheon, laying of the Green Stripe and in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, St. Patty’s Day dash, appearing with the Balle Glas Irish Dancers and the Irish Club yesterday morning, and capping it off with Noon News appearances on King 5 today (Wednesday March 17).  Here’s our latest appearance!

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Last week was the third annual US Juvenile Solo Bagpiping Championships in Pittsburg, PA, at the Balmoral Classic.   Thirteen year old NWJPB Pipe Major Alexander Schiele was invited to the event, competing with 15 registered pipers and came back to the Seattle area with 5th place finish in the Piobaireachd competition.  The classic was a lively event culminating in a concert featuring the St. Thomas Episcopal  School Pipe Band, another top US youth pipe band program, with five Juvenile world championships to their credit, and another trip planned for 2010.

Friday the 13th, NWJPB was invited to perform at the BCPA Knockout competitions; where professional pipers and drummers and a couple of top amateurs are invited to compete. A small band of NWJPB Grade 4 pipers and drummers and a volunteer instructor and alumni tenor drummer performed a short set of tunes following the competition for 50 or 60 attendees and were very well received by the audience.

Today (Saturday November 14th) was the first official day of competition opportunities in the British Columbia Pipers’ Association.  Eight of the Northwest Junior Pipe Band solo pipers and drummers, most of whom were promoted to new amateur grade levels after last season, and every one of them placed in the top 6, a remarkable accomplishment.

The results:

Grade 4 piping 2/4 march, 12 competitors:  Marcus 2nd, Megan 5th

Grade 4 side drumming 2/4 march, 3 competitors:  Morgan M 2nd

Grade 3 side drumming 2/4 march, 6 competitors:  Steven W 1st, Bryce 2nd

Grade 2 piping 6/8 march, 8 competitors:  Aaron 1st

Grade 2 piping 2/4 march, 8 competitors:  Aaron 3rd

Grade 2 side drumming 2/4 march, 7 competitors:  Amber 3rd

Grade 1 piping 6/8 march, 13 competitors:  Alexander Schiele 4th

Congratulations to all, as well as last year’s graduate of our youth program, Almuni Elliot T. for placing 4th of 11 in the Grade 3 2/4 march.

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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)

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Eleven Northwest Junior Pipe Band pipers and drummers competed in solo events at the 77^th Annual British Columbia Pipers’ Association Annual Gathering Friday and Saturday April 10^th and 11^th ; the largest turnout of solo competitors to the event in NWJPB history. 10 placed in the top 6, for a total of 15 top six finishes, including:

Piping

• Grade 5 Piping 2/4 March, Megan M 1^st Place. 8 registered to compete
• Grade 4 Piping Strathspey & Reel; Elliot T 1^st place. Matt A 6^th place. 20 registered to compete.
• Grade 3 Piping Strathspey & Reel; Aaron S 5^th place. 23 registered to compete
• Grade 2 Piping March, Strathspey & Reel; Alexander S 1^st place (William Lamont Memorial Trophy). 25 registered to compete
• Grade 2 Piping Piobaireachd; Alexander S 2^nd place. 20 registered to compete.
• Grade 2 Piping Hornpipe & Jig; Alexander S 5^th place. 24 registered to compete.
• Grade 2 Piping Aggregate Winner; Alexander S. Heather MacInnes Collins Memorial Trophy and Scholarship to Mastery of Scottish Arts Winter School, presented by the Celtic Arts Foundation

Drumming

• Grade 4 Drumming 2/4 March; Steven W 2^nd place, Bryce K 4^th place. 11 registered to compete.
• Grade 4 Drumming 6/8 March; Steven W 1^st place, Bryce K 2^nd place. 9 registered to compete.
• Grade 4 Drumming Aggregate Winner; Steven W. BC Pipers’ Association Shield
• Most Promising Drummer; Steven W. Roderick MacLeod Memorial Trophy and Piping Hot Summer Drummer School of Scottish Pipes & Drums Scholarship
• Grade 3 Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel; Amber S 3^rd Place. 9 registered to compete.
• Grade 3 Drumming 6/8 March; Amber S 3rd place.  9 registered to compete.
• Grade 2 Tenor Drumming 2/4 March; Alexander S 3^rd place, Ali N 4th. 5 registered to compete

In the Band Competition, Northwest Junior sent two Grade 4 mini-bands for the first time in our history. Each band was larger than the entire competition band in 2004, with 8 pipers, 2 snare drummers, 2 tenor drummers in NWJPB Grade 4 A, and 7 pipers, 2 snare drummers, 2 tenor drummers in NWJPB Grade 4 B. Bass drummer Morgan S. played for both bands (as allowed by the BCPA competition rules) for a total of 24 Northwest Junior Pipe Band members. Bands competing included White Spot Pipe Band, Keith Highlanders Grade 4, Portland Metro Youth, Robert Malcolm Memorial IV and NWJPB A and B.

Results:

1. Northwest Junior Pipe Band “A”, winning the Malcolm Nicholson Shield for the best Pipe Section, and the John MacKenzie Memorial Trophy.
2. White Spot Pipe Band
3. Keith Highlanders’ Pipe Band
4. Northwest Junior Pipe Band “B”
5. Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band
6. Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band IV

The top three bands all competed and placed at the World Pipe Band Championships in 2008, so the competition is very close in this grade level. Northwest Junior Pipe Band greatly appreciates the hard work of the dedicated volunteers of the British Columbia Pipers’ Association for their work staging an incredible event featuring hundreds of pipers and drummers from the Northwest. Full results from the event will be posted soon at www.bcpipers.org/results.html

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NWJPB 2009 Ceilidh Tickets are SOLD OUT

THANK YOU!  Our Event is now SOLD OUT.  2010 (our 15th anniversary) promises a new location that will seat more people.  We hope to see you then, stay tuned for information

SOLD OUT:  Buy tickets online now by clicking the photo above, or contact us at concert@nwjpb.org or call us at 206-508-1261 for 4 or 8 person table reservations.  Adult tickets are $40.00 each or reserve a table of 8 for $300.00 until April 23rd.  Youth 6 to 18 are $30.00, 5 and under free with paid adult.  Sorry, this event is SOLD OUT

Entertainment: 

• Karen Shelton Highland Dance
• The Bucketmen
• Northwest Junior Pipe Band
• and more!

Lake City Way Elks
14500 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

May 9, 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Help us spread the word by printing your own flier!  Click the thumbnail below:

Party with NWJPB May 9th!

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