Catamount Bagpipe Band to Compete in World Championship in Glasgow

According to Andrew Adams, a member of the Catamount Bagpipe Band, “People seem to either enjoy or really hate bagpipe music; I fall into the former."

http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/catamount-bagpipe-band-compete-world-championship-glasgow

Catamount Bagpipe Band to Compete in World Championship in Glasgow Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 05/28/2013 - 3:57pm By BY JOEL SLUTSKY The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT – According to Andrew Adams, a member of the Catamount Bagpipe Band, “People seem to either enjoy or really hate bagpipe music; I fall into the former. It is the easiest instrument to play poorly and make bad noise but it is the most difficult instrument to play well. ”Andrew, who lives in Springfield Vermont, got involved in the Catamounts when a band was being formed by his best friend, Iain MacHarg. On August 17 and 18, the Catamount Bagpipe Band will play in Glasgow, Scotland to take part in the most prestigious bagpiping event, The World Pipe Band Championship. The band, which competed in this event in 2011 with half the band, was pleased to qualify and finish tenth in their division. According to Andrew, “This year the whole band of 45 players will compete and we expect to qualify. Our goal is to win!” They are one of the only North American teams to compete in this competition. There are 25 countries involved including New Zealand and Australia. The Catamount Bagpipe Band, based in Montpelier, is a serious competition band drawing players from all over including NY, MD, DC, CT, and MA. Some member’s drive four plus hours for practice, some fly up once a month. The band consists of bagpipers and a snare, bass and tenor drum. Andrew’s forte is the snare drum. Andrew’s brother Shawn and his father moved to Alaska after a divorce. Andrew said, “I hardly knew my brother or father since I was only about four when the divorce took place.” Shawn died in his late teens after a motorcycle accident. Andrew did know his brother played the snare drum and when he saw an ad recruiting drum players he took the job. This assisted in helping him reconnect with his father who was a bagpiper. Andrew’s father sent him Shawn’s snare drum that, at some level, rekindled a relationship with his brother. Andrew’s Scottish family lineage goes back on his parent’s side to the 1400’s. His grandfather also played bagpipes. Andrew explained that when the Scots immigrated they settled in Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada. They gradually moved into the Northeast where, according to Andrew, it is the most active part of the country for bagpiping. Caledonia County’s landscape (Caledonia meaning New Scotland) reminded many Scots of their homeland and a great number settled there. Andrew was a drumming instructor at the St. Johnsbury Academy for about five years when the academy had a band. Though he appreciates his job at Burdick’s Chocolate, his first love is teaching and playing the snare drum. The band recently had a raffle to raise funds for the trip. To donate to this undertaking, do so directly via Paypal- http://catamountpipeband.org or send a check made out to the Catamount Pipe Band to Andrew Adams, 143 Lawrence Rd. Springfield, VT 05156. The Catamount Bagpipe Band is also available for events, performances and concerts. They recently participated in the Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade and will perform at the Springfield Alumni Parade on Saturday, June 15. To contact the band, please call band manager James Mulligan at 802-426-3694. BY JOEL SLUTSKY The Shopper