First Scottish practice under sunny skies
Weather in Scotland is unpredictable at best, but the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band held its first practice here in Stirling under sunny skies with a cool breeze, conditions that Pipe Sergeant Jack Lee calls “quite bearable.”
“You can never know for sure and you can’t trust the weather reports, so we’ll certainly take it,” says Lee, after organizing pipers in a small parking lot behind the John Fortys Court residences, where the band is staying while preparing for the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow on Aug. 14.
Drummers joined them after first gathering tightly in a small residence kitchen to pound on flat drum pads, refining their beats and weighing elements of speed and timing.
While trains passed by and with the towering National Wallace Monument in the distance, they played to the delight of a large gathering of onlookers, including young members of visiting bands from as far off as Texas and Australia. Locals came armed with cameras and video recorders for a rare chance to see the world’s best pipe band at play.
“From here on, we’ll be at it every day, perfecting what we already know should be perfect,” says Lee, who hopes to set the stage for a third straight championship win.
Tuning and re-tuning continues throughout practice sessions under the constant eyes and ears of Pipe Major Terry Lee and other senior members.
Each time Lee breaks from his own piping to make his rounds, Rob Menzies, who accompanies the band as a ‘standby’ piper, steps in to take his bagpipes and continues playing – all in the name of keeping Lee’s pipes “warm.”
Throughout practice, both Lees walk the pipers’ inner circle and lean over each player’s bagpipe, knowing from experience what tweaks may be necessary. “It’s second nature,” says Terry. “And you can never overdo it.”
Typically the band practices indoors when the weather is too inclement. Cold air can make the pipes flat. There’s no saving grace, however, on competition day if the weather turns foul, notes Jack.
The current forecast for Saturday shows cloudy skies with a bit of afternoon sun. “We won’t know for sure until the day of competition,” notes Terry, “and even then, things can change quickly.”
The band has shipped in a number of large tents for its tuning area and will be prepared should the forecast change to rain.
The band will continue with daily practices and has an afternoon concert to prepare for on Wednesday, as part of Glasgow’s Piping Up event, a week-long celebration of piping culminating with the championships on Saturday at Glasgow Green.
Between practices, the constant drone of pipes and taps of drums can be heard day-long throughout the John Fortys Court residences.
The world championship competition takes place Saturday (Aug. 14.) You can watch it all on a live stream from BBC Scotland, by way of bbc.co.uk/worlds. Glasgow time is eight hours later than Vancouver time.