The Montana Highlanders Bagpipe Band, October 2000, at their first Ceilidh.
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The Montana Highlanders Bagpipe Band, October 2000, at their first Ceilidh.
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On a Spring evening in April, 1998, the Montana Highlanders Association was born. It had been over 20 years since a bagpipe band existed in the Flathead Valley of Montana. Here was a chance to preserve Celtic traditions, both Irish and Scottish, particularly in an area filled with both Scots and Irish. Hence, the Montana Highlanders.
That's how this group got started. Today, with a few personnel changes and retirements, the Montana Highlanders consist of six pipers and three drummers. Not the largest band you'll see, but unique, with varying degrees of playing ability.
Our group of pipers are award winners. Five of our six pipers competed
in competition in 1999 with all medaling, two aggregate championships,
by P/M Jay Johnson in Spokane and by Josh Spencer in Missoula and a
Special Piobaireachd plaque for P/M Jay Johnson. Finally, a total of
nine first place medals and huge amounts of pride! Competition season in 2000 found us preparing for the Millennium march and saving our travel dollars for that trip. However, just a few days after returning from Scotland, several of our members attended the Missoula Highland Games. Three of our pipers medalled - Josh Spencer, Caleb Hutchins and our youngest piper, Emmette Atkins, won the aggregate under 18 medal! We're hoping to compete as a band in 2002, so we all continue to work toward competitive levels and better playing.
In the 2001 season so far, Caleb Hutchins picked up a fourth place finish at the Penticton Highland Games in July. Caleb won the medal in the Piobaireachd competition.
The Highlanders have put on at least one big show every year. We've featured P/M Bill Thomas of the Angus Scott Pipe Band as special guest, then didgeridoo player, Michael Marsolek of the Drum Brothers, helped the pipe band unveil our new Australian set in concert. Pipes and didgeridoo together! It's not something most Montanans have ever seen. October 2000 saw our first Ceilidh, a huge success with lots of dancing - both biguns & littleuns. Our next show is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, 2001. Our featured performer will be percussionist Jeff McMurtery, from Spokane. The Irish Minstrels will round out the program.
The band is now part of a world record with our participation in the Millennium March down Princes Street in Edinburgh, Scotland on Saturday, August 5, 2000. An unbelievable experience with the Largest Pipe Band Ever Assembled on Earth - 10,000 pipers and drummers! We wish the best of luck to those who will try to break our record in New York City in April 2002.
We meet weekly on Monday evenings for band practice and have infrequent meetings called for as necessary. This summer most of our members will be attending Piping Hot Summer Drummer in Vernon, BC, a full week of bagpipe and drumming instruction put on by Simon Fraser University Pipe Band.
Please enjoy our march toward more of the Celtic heritage we want to
learn about and practice. We hope you'll stop by again!