news

Tony Competes in Regina and Moose Jaw

Tony Solazzo, a piper with the South Alberta Pipes & Drums ,
competed in the Victoria Day weekend Highland Games in Regina
Moose Jaw and did us proud:

-grade 4 6/8 March in both games (played Glendaruel Highlanders)

In Regina, placed second and Moose Jaw place first

-grade 4 2/4 March in both games (played Walter Douglas)

In Moose Jaw. came in 3rd, in Regina first

In Regina, he was asked to compete in grade 3 Hornpipe and Jig just for fun
because they needed more competitors in the class. For this he played
Duncan Johnstone and Fiddlers Rally and came in first

Meal do naidheachd! (Congratulations!)

Hector Smith, PM, Dies in Eugene OR

Hector E. Smith of Eugene died January 23, 2008, of lung cancer at age 82.
He was born September 9, 1925, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, to Earl and
Josephine Colthorp Smith. He studied the pipes under Alex Hosie from age nine.

He danced the hornpipe atop a flat car when the band played for the king and queen
during the Royal Tour (1939). See photo on history page.
Smith graduated grade school and high school in Alberta, and graduated from
the University of British Columbia. He served in the Canadian ( actually the Royal)
Navy in World War II. Hector moved to Oregon in 1951 and helped start the
Eugene Higlanders Bagpipe Band in 1953. He was the instructor and pipe major
until his recent death. He may have been the longest - standing pipe major
on the continent. He played the pipes for over 70 years and taught over 100 pipers.
Hector continued to play ice hockey into his late seventies. He played for a
Port Coquitlam team in Nanaimo, B.C. which was all guys between 70 and 75.
He practiced law for more than 50 years.

Submitted by Ma'Carry Cairo (one of the last students of Hector Smith)

FORMER BAND MEMBER VISITS
Mike Spencer, formerly with South Alberta Pipe Band, and then with the
South Alberta Pipes and Drums, stirred from his current lair in Maple Ridge, where
he has progressed to Uillean Pipes, and visited the lads during their Friday practice
at the Legion. Mike was warmly welcomed and roundly insulted for not bringing his
pipes to practice!

BAND PLAYS AGAIN FOR CELTIC KITCHEN PARTY
After last year's successful appearance in the Esplanade to open for Rosheen at the
St. Patrick's Day Celtic Kitchen Party, the South Alberta Pipes and Drums was
invited to open for Tiller's Folly at this year's Celtic Kitchen Party (Brewtopia) on
the 17th of March 2007.

SCHOOL RESTARTS 08 JANUARY AT NEW LOCATION AND NEW DAY
The school of piping and drumming restarts on Mondays, 08 January, at the Alexandra
Junior High School band room. This is the same location as Friday evening band practice.
Beginners and experienced players welcome. Students in past years have included adults,
teenagers and children, both with no previous experience or joining us from another city
with association with a previous band. Registration fee is $20. Bring your green tutor,
practice chanter, drum pad and sticks if you have any.

STREETS OF HAVRE SAFE, BAND CALLS OFF ATTACK
Due to bad weather (threats of snow), the annual band trip to Havre was cancelled this
year and the good folk of Havre can rest easy. The parade went off in the end in cold,
windy weather. The band hopes to make an appearance in Havre again next year.

2006 WORLD PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GLASGOW
The Grade 1 World Championship Trophy went to the Field Marshal Montgomery
Pipe Band from Northern Ireland under the leadership of Pipe Major Richard Parkes
MBE (pictured above receiving trophy) and Leading Drummer Keith Orr. Field Marshal
had already won the Scottish and British titles this season before adding the Worlds.

Field Marshal finished with 16 points winning both the MSR and Medley events.
Simon Fraser University from Canada took the runners up place with 23 points
finishing 2nd in the MSR and 3rd in the Medley. The House of Edgar Shotts and
Dykehead (Scotland) finished in 3rd place, Strathclyde Police (Scotland) in 4th place,
Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland) in 5th place and The Scottish Lion -
78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada) in 6th place.

9 pre qualified bands already guaranteed their spot in the final were joined by the
delighted Grade 1 morning qualifiers Alberta Caledonia (Canada), Ballycoan
(Northern Ireland), Dysart and Dundonald (Scotland), Australian Highlanders
(Australia) and The Clan Gregor Society (Scotland).

The Grade 1 final is of course a twin performance final and was judged by Denver
Cardwell (Piping), Jim Campbell (Piping), Willie Dunlop (Drumming) and Trevor
Dear (Ensemble) in the MSR Contest with John Wilson (Piping), Dixie Ingram
(Piping), Gordon Parkes (Drumming) and Joe Noble (Ensemble) judging the
Medley event.

CITY CELEBRATES 100, BAND NOT FAR BEHIND
On a damp, cool evening, Tuesday 9 May, 2006, the City of Medicine Hat celebrated its
100 years of incorporation and renamed Riverside Park as Riverside Veterans Memorial
Park in honour of our veterans...and the South Alberta Pipes and Drums were there to help.
Later on, after the renaming ceremony, there was lantern parade and light show and the
band marched down River Road. A good time was had despite the rainy weather.

CELTIC KITCHEN PARTY
The Band opened for the Celtic Kitchen Party at the Esplanade on Thursday, 16 March.
We played three sets and had two dancers (Janelle and Shannon) from the McConnell
School of Highland Dance dance the Fling. Drew Darley Band followed with guest Celtic
Ezra and the main band Rosheen followed on. There was beer tasting in the lobby.
There was great appreciation of our dramatic curtain raising version of Highland Cathedral.

PIPE BAND STARTING UP IN LETHBRIDGE
At the Coalhurst parade on Saturday, 13 August, we were pleased to meet a band
of pipers and drummers from Lethbridge. They told us they were just starting up
again after the Legion Band disappeared several years ago. We invited them to play
with us afterward and two drummers joined us for a few sets in the park. Welcome
back Lethbridge! They have a website, see out Links page.

HOME | About Us | Album | Band Sets | For Sale | Gaelic | History | Links | News | Schedule | Technical