Quick March

Wanted to take a second in all the holiday hub bub and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope everyone can spend the day with family, friends and loved ones. We’ve had a very good and productive year here at St. Andrew’s Legion and have even bigger things in store for 2009. From our leaders to our members we’d like to thank everyone that has supported us and continues to support us. We couldn’t do it without you.

Corporate sponsors, big events, and growing membership and more of the same on tap for 09. I’m very grateful to be a member of such a great group of people. So enjoy the season and know that I’ll raise a pint to each and everyone of you guys tomorrow/tonight. (OK maybe not a pint for each of you but at least a few pints for everyone) I am truly blessed to have each of you in my life.

I’ll leave everyone with the link to the 12 Days of Christmas video WTVR did on Virginia this Morning. Hope you enjoy and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2009. 12 Days of Christmas

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First, a bit of history. Andrew Burton, the gentleman who asked us to play for the Kick Out Cancer charity event yesterday evening, is a former coworker and a friend of mine. You may recall that he asked us to perform at the same event around this time last year, but, due to scheduling conflicts, it was not to be.

Andrew’s sister-in-law, Natalie Osborne-Burton, was lost to cancer this past January.

The Kick Out Cancer event lives on, benefitting Connor’s Heroes, a non-profit organization focused on challenging childhood cancer.

After the event last night, I spent a little time walking around the SCOR complex, waiting to meet with Andrew and say thanks for having us out. While there, it was incredible the number of people who approached me to thank us for playing. I was told several times that we were “awesome” and “amazing”. When I finally met with Andrew, he invited me out to Penny Lane Pub to a private party for a pint. While there, I met Andrew’s brothers, and their mum & dad. They were so thankful that we were able to come out and perform in honor of Natalie and in benefit of Connor’s Heroes. It was obviously a very emotional experience for them all, and they told me they were brought to tears when we played.

Given the emotional and visceral impact we have the potential to offer, we should all strive to be the best that we can be in our contributions to the band.

Thank you all again for coming out. We were, in a word, awesome.

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I was skeptical at first, considering we we’re playing in sub freezing temperatures Saturday, for the filming of SALPD putting on their portion of the “12 Days of Christmas” produced by Channel 6 WTVR CBS, but it wasn’t bad at all. Piping in cold weather can be a Pipers’ worst nightmare and theories and ideas on how to deal with the contrast, are always changing. I would also add, the dynamics of tuning greatly change when it is one Piper preparing and staying tuned, versus a group. High A’s and F’  going flat can become a nightmare in the cold. Pinch the box and pray-LOL.

With the filming of St. Andrew’s Legion, the wedding, and the Soccer Tournament on Saturday night, that concluded all the years’ events for the Legion. Last count of events was 66 from the Drum Major.

We wish everyone out there a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year- “Nollaig Chriedhil an Hogmanay”

On New Years Eve all are encouraged to join the bulk of UK folks residing here in the Richmond area at one of their favorite watering holes, complete with piping and fireworks, at Penny Lane Pub. We love ya Terry!

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On behalf of everyone of the SALPD, I want to thank Capstone ISG, Inc.,  for becoming a monthly sponsor for our organization. The finances will immensely help support our continuing efforts. I’m very glad to have someone like George Hobbs on our team. George, again we at the SALPD thank you and Capstone ISG, Inc., for your support. With the support of private persons and corporations such as Capstone ISG, Inc., the mission and goals of St. Andrew’s Legion can be met, and the excellence in performance and education shall continue.

Yes, there may be a second Corporate sponsor soon stepping up. Doug and myself will be going up to Silver Springs Maryland in early January. 

Tim Lewis Batten, President of St. Andrew’s Legion Pipes & Drums

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Before I jump into a recap of the Celtic Christmas Party I wanted to comment quickly on the pep rally at Atlee. I heard back from Atlee and they were amazed and blown away by us as much as we were by them, and looks like we’ll be invited back again. According to those that I’ve talked to who were there it was truly an amazing event. Scott says he couldn’t even hear the pipers over the kids yelling. Just so you know both the Boys and Girls Varsity teams won their games on Friday against Varina:

Boys
Atlee 53
Varina 43

Girls
Atlee 67
Varina 38

The Celtic Christmas party as very cool. More delicious food than you could shake a stick at. Tim played the pipes to start the evening and the Press Gang entertained at the end of the night. Chris Craig the lead singer was sick and we wish him the best in recovering. Jeff and Keith carried on admirably in his absence and were very entertaining. In between there was good fellowship, food and a heck of a silent auction. I managed to lose out on both items I was biding on but hopefully a lot of money was raised for the IAS. The spirit of Hutch Hutcherson was present last night as well. Hutch recently passed away and was a big part of the IAS and the Celtic community in general.

All in all I think the evening was very successful. I hope all three organizations continue to do a joint Christmas party and share in the spirit of things to come. Interesting times ahead with our big performance on the horizon and not one but possibly two corporate sponsors lining up. Hopefully Tim will have an announcement about the first in the next day or so. Don’t forget the Legion Christmas party tomorrow night at our practice location. Bring a dish and be prepared to have a good time. Also look for your favorite pipe band and mine to help a local news channel out in the coming week by getting in the Christmas spirit. That same day look for the Legion to help Kick out Cancer . Again big things on the horizon and we’d like to thank everyone involved for helping out from our families to our ranks to sponsors and most of all the fans of ours and pipes and drum music everywhere. Stay in touch and check the site, the blog and your email for more information about all the upcoming news.

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As anyone who really knows the truth behind tartan and it connections to the clans of Scotland, no clan per say had a tartan truly exclusive, until the last two centuries. Enter the Sobieski-Stuart Brothers.

With the writngs of Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns, in the early 19th century, two men made an appearance on the scene admidst the tartan revival. They claimed to be the grand children of the daunted Prince Charles Edward Stewart, last claimant to the Stewart line of Scottish Kings, though little evidence supported their claims. Needless to say, people still scurried to grab on to anything that could be anchored in Scotland to indentify ones self with his or her clan origins. The Sobieski brothers produced an eloborate book detailing tartans assigned to clans in the highlands. Even after publication, later additions even were made to show lowland families had tartan also. Though so many of these claims were based on myth, rather than fact, they were adopted as gospel, and this launched the romance of the Tartan.

In the Inner &  Outer Hebrides, and also into the western mainland coast of Scotland dwelled one of the most influential and unique Clans of Scotland, the MacLeods. Like their neighbors, the MacDonalds, the MacLeods shared a Norse ancestry, and even to this day, if one visits the Isles of Skye, Raasay or Lewis, many of the place names are actually of Norse origin, not Celtic. To the clan MacLeod, there actually is only one “tartan” that is known to be memtioned prior to the 19th Century, and it is said that the MacCrimmons, the heriditary Pipers to the Chiefs of MacLeod, wore a saffron blue garb, meaning, the great kilts they wore were a solid light blue color. For those who appreciate the sound of the Pipes, many historians agree, had it not been for their island isolation and ignoring the Proscription Act of 1746, we would not been able to continue Piping as we know it today, had it not been for the MacCrimmons and the MaKinnons continuing schools of instruction on the Isles of Skye and Raasay.

A painting of Norman MacLeod of Macleod hangs in Dunvegan castle, and he is portrayed in a red and black tartan. Some would speculate that this then, may be a “true” MacLeod tartan, but in reality, the artist actually used the very same pattern on a Campbell Chief and several others at the that time in the late 18th century. By the time of Sobieski-Stuart book: Tartan Vestorium came out, the MacLeods of MacLeods aka: MacLeods of Harris had what is known today as the Hunting MacLeod designated for them, with its predominant blue and green, with thin lines of red and yellow. Then came to question, what does the MacLeods of Lewis and Raasay wear, and thus, the Loud MacLeod as some humorously call it, entered the scene. My own mother used to call it, with affection, Horse Blanket MacLeod.

There are several tartans today that bare the MacLeod name. Even the MacLeods of Raasay, Gesto, Assynt are out there.

In recent times, the two most dominant MacLeods tartans, that were once called MacLeod of Harris and MacLeod of Lewis, became better known as the Hunting MacLeod and the Dress MacLeod.

What some may make light of, has become a badge of honor among the many badges of honors (speaking of kilts all together). If you go to a Scottish gathering, even from hundreds of yards away, the Dress MacLeod is the most distinguishable and recognizable tartans out there. As someone descended from a race of nordic islanders, who played a major role in the preservation of piping and also, the celtic culture itself, I couldn’t agree more that they have earned their place in history to be called the Loud Proud MacLeods.

MacLeod Dress tartan

MacLeod hunting, aka MacLeod of Harris

MacLeod of Raasay

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Probably the theme to the motion picture Gladiator would have been just as appropriate for the Atlee High School Pep Rally this past Friday. Being announced and receiving the roar of all those young people as we marched into that gymnasium was like the feeling of star gladiators marching into the Coliseum. It was moving and everything down to the last movement, with the music was in perfect synchronicity. The school tour program is now just beginning to grab hold of many officials in the local and state level, and it’s been a long road with a lot of knocking on doors, but alas, it’s beginning to pay off. Walking into a school and hearing a young person exclaim “I’m Clan such and such,” makes me feel good, where a few years ago, you’d be fortunate to even hear them recognize that you’re part of the Scottish culture. It’s even more important that these young people involved in music programs learn that there are continuing music programs in their community beyond school and college.

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Now that I can feel my fingers again I’ll give my recap of the weekend and what a weekend it was! It started bright and early on Saturday as we made our way to Alexandria for the Scottish Christmas Walk. The hospitality by Clan MacLeod was amazing and greatly appreciated. Hot cider, chocolate and coffee with doughnuts and bagels were waiting and available for us at the hospitality house. Meeting and playing with the guys from Shamrock and Thistle was a blast. And those guys could cheer for who ever they want to as several members of their band made both Scott and I look like midgets. The 4/4 version of Amazing Grace was very cool to play. That’s one of those tunes folks want to hear on the pipes and the 4/4 version with the Marine Corp Hymn seemed to really satisfy the crowds. The guys with Shamrock and Thistle are a good group of guys. We won’t even hold the fact that they wear Loud MacLeod against them. Although I have to admit somewhere about half way through the parade it stopped being fun and got just cold and bitter. Massed bands was just friggin cold. I normally look forward to massed bands but I’ve never been in one where I had no feeling in my extremities.

Somehow along the course of the day Scott and I actually met a few members of Clan MacKintosh, one of which was a former president of the Clan. Hopefully next year we can hang with them a little bit but when you’re 50 some units away it’s a little doubtful. Chris, Scott and I passed on the return to the MacLeod house so as to actually sit someplace warm and enjoy something to eat. We apparently missed out on a mean bowl of chili. The really amazing thing to me about the whole day was not only the “Scottishness” of event but the amount of people who turned out to see the parade. Knowing how appreciative the crowd is of this event really makes it special.

The next day we were back at it again in Mechanicsville. The sun may have been out but the wind more than made up for that in spades. Any semblance of defrosting from the day before was lost way before the parade stepped off. I did manage to spot my sister Melaney near the end of the parade so that helped but at that point I felt like a bit of permafrost. In spite of the cold and playing the day before we sounded pretty good to start with but had to tune and adjust as we went. Tom and Tim do a really good job of getting us sounding like one big bagpipe.

So as if it wasn’t official enough now that the “Christmas” parades have come and gone it is officially the Christmas season. Next up is the Atlee High School Pep Rally followed by the big Celtic Christmas event at St. Edwards Church/School, with the IAS, Scottish Society and St. Andrew’s Society, this should be a fun event that will be followed by our own Christmas party at our practice location. I hope everyone slows down some and enjoys the season. I’ll see you all this weekend. Stay tuned for more information including a band sponsor, and a big performance announcement.

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Here are two youtube clips. The first is an edit slide show and the second is was taken by the Cavalier Dog Club and the combined bands of Shamrock & Thistle and St. Andrew’s Legion are in it.

Thanks to John of Shamrock & Thistle!

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