|
|
March 24, 2005
Well gentle reader, I have been somewhat remiss in my duties this month, but if you talked like this you would be too. Just kidding. I hardly EVER say "remiss" probably wouldn't call you "gentle reader" in real life.
We started off the month with Spring Break, so everything was on the quiet side. That first weekend of the month we had a visitor from the west though. The lovely and talented Heidi McMurray came to visit for a few days with her dad, Lynn. We hope Heidi can tear herself away from the wilds of Utah and Idaho and will be joining the band in the fall.
The Remarkable Mr. Dean used Spring Break to go on tour with the choir as their duty piper. We are told he was resplendent in Prince Charlie coatee and white bow tie. No doubt.
The remainder of the band did a return engagement to the Little Rock St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday the 12th and had a splendid time celebrating.
|
|
The only request is that next year we NOT be placed behind the Irish Wolfhounds. And if we do have to walk behind them, don't feed them before the parade. Sheesh!
 |
|
Where's Jimmy? |
 |
|
Oh yes. There he is. |
|
|
After the parade we adjourned to The Underground for fish and chips.
On St. Patrick's Day proper, Jimmy and I once again made the drive to Hot Springs. This year we did a brief appearance for a lovely group of people at a retirement home and then participated for our second consecutive year in the World's Smallest St. Patrick's Day parade. This year's Grand Marshall was George Wendt of Cheers fame. Lots of entries, and we still didn't make it all the way through The Minstrel Boy from the start to the finish of the parade. That's a short parade folks. The ladies from the Red Hat Society who marched behind us were a bit cheeky, but we managed, and had a pretty good time all around.
We spent last weekend making a record over in Brown Chapel. It should be available soon. I think those who had never done any professional sort of recording before very much enjoyed the process.
This next weekend a group of us are headed for Oklahoma City to compete in the first Oklahoma Solo Piping Debate. The contest was organized by our buddy Stew Joslin of Oklahoma Scottish Pipes and Drums and features some outstanding prizes and a good slate of competitors. Judges are Jim Bell and Bruce Robertson. We'll post results and a review of the competition next time around.
For the Band,
Kenton Adler
MARCH 29, 2005
Greetings and salutations partakers of the
Pipe Band Diary,
Over the recently past Easter weekend several members of the Lyon College
Pipe Band competed at the first and hopefully, not the last, Oklahoma Solo
Piping Debate. Six of our lads competed in the debate and dashing Jimmy Bell
judged many of the events. Every grade level but Grade I were represented by
Lyon folk. Starting from the top of the piping food chain we had Kenton "is
my hair alright" Adler taking the 6/8 march, and strathspey/reel categories,
and he also faired well in the slow aire/jig category as well with a third
place. He competed against several Arkansan folk; these included John and
Will Sayre and many other nice acquaintances. Next up was the dapper Tristen
Dean in his Irish linen ghillie shirt and striking diced balmoral. He took
the two march categories: 2/4 and 6/8. He miraculously placed in the
strathspey/reel with a third, but got nae anything in the hornpipe/jig
because of a severe case of brain flatulence. Sergei "Chekhov" Kuzin, Grey "Ubernasty"
Abernathy, Neil McCarthy, and Danny "The Tater" Vaughn all fought it out in
the grade IV arena. Grey took a second in the piobaireachd urlar, while his
compatriot, Neil McCarthy, KO'd him with a first in the same category. Mr.
McCarthy also took third place in the slow aire category. Neil was also
graced with a brand spankin' new set of MacCallum pipes, for he was deemed
the most promising piper of the day. Congratulations and kudos to Neil on
this accomplishment.
The competitors had a great weekend and learned a lot this past weekend and
we hope to go to Oklahoma City again and compete.
Aye Yours,
Ghillie
