News Archive

Past stories from the news page can be found here, in chronological order. They never go away, they just transfer to this page.

12/17/07: Bagpiping Cruise

Way back in May, my good friend Andrew Adams from the Graham Highlanders found out about this piping and drumming cruise. What better place to spend a long weekend in December than south Florida and the Caribbean? Turns out not very many better places. There wasn't as much piping as I might have liked, but the instruction was very good (thanks to Ken "The Captain" Eller) and we had a good time. Here's a link to the Facebook photo album recording the trip.

11/10/07: The next Grade 1 Pipe Band in the US

While not directly pertaining to my life, I always like to hear of US pipe bands doing well on the world stage. After many successful years in Grade 2, the EUSPBA has moved the Oran Mor Pipe Band of Albany, NY to Grade 1. This is the second Grade 1 band in the EUSPBA, so we're hoping to see some Grade 1 band contests in 2008. Way to go guys and gals!

8/5/07: A new piping place

A few days ago I put together a last minute road trip to the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, Ontario and the Montreal Highland Games in Quebec. I had never driven in Canada before, and found out it's really very similar to driving in the US, except that all the signs in Quebec are in French (don't get me started). I borrowed a uniform and marched in the second massed bands at Montreal, so I can add Quebec to the places I've played. The weekend was a lot of fun and I'm glad I went.

7/21/07: A New State and some hardware

Massachusetts became the most recent state in which I have piped, today at the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival in Northampton, MA. Click here to check on my statewide piping journey. I escaped with 6th place in piobaireachd and 3rd place is MSR from about 12 grade 2 competitors. A great day.

6/30/07: Winchester Piping School

Woo, what a great week of piping. I again attended the National Piping Centre's summer school at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, and had a great time. Met new friends, saw old friends, learned a lot, and heard some of the greatest pipers! It's on the calendar for next year, no doubt.

5/28/07: Website Renovation

The iMac version of my website has been up long enough, and even though I am a Mac user I find I prefer Dreamweaver for doing web sites. Taking advantage of a long weekend on duty, keydetpiper.com has a new look and some new coding, so no more email spam! Let me know how it looks, and don't hesitate to offer any suggestions or advice.

5/19/07: First Solo Medals in Grade 2

I earned my first solo medals in Grade 2 this weekend at the Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival in Richmond, RI. In four competitions on a chilly and rainy morning, I placed in all four events and came home with some hardware: 1st place in 6/8 march (P/M Donald MacLean of Lewis), 2nd in piobaireachd (Lament for Alasdair Dearg McDonnell of Glengarry), 3rd in strathspey/reel (Maggie Cameron/Lexy MacAskill), and 4th in 2/4 march (The Clan MacColl). More practice for the summer!

January 2007: Grade 2!

After a letter of appeal, I have been moved up to Grade 2 for the 2007 competition season. I need to prove to them (and myself) that I belong here, so I'll be working hard.

10/4/06: Website Overhaul

For the first time in the two and a half years that keydetpiper.com has been on the web, it has been completely redesigned. I’ve used Macintosh’s iWeb for this version, and as before it is continually a work in progress. The photo page will be returning as I have time, with some new photos as well as the old ones.

9/23/06: New Hampshire Highland Games Grade 3 Piper of the Day!

At the Loon Mountain Highland Games in Lincoln, NH this weekend, I came away with the trophy for Grade 3 Piper of the Day. This is my first Piper of the Day in Grade 3, and I am quite excited about it.

8/19/06: The Big Move

After living in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US for all of my life, I’ve picked up everything and moved to Fryeburg, a small town in Western Maine. I’m teaching teaching physics at Fryeburg Academy, and very much enjoying it so far. The area is beautiful, the people friendly, and the town remote.

8/12/06: World Pipe Band Championships

I played in the World Pipe Band Championships today with the Macdonald Pipe Band. We played in Grade 4B, and placed 5th in our qualifying round of 12. Although only the top 3 moved on to play in the finals, we had a great time and it was a great experience. The week before the Worlds was spent at at Stirling University practicing and sightseeing in the Stirling area.

6/30/06: Institute of Piping Intermediate Certificate

While attending a piping school at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, I sat for and passed the exam for The College of Piping’s Intermediate Certificate. Here I am with the certificate and examiner Gavin Stoddart, MBE, who was my examiner. The school was a great experience, and it was really neat to meet and learn from some of the best pipers in the world.