The Antigonish Community Pipe Band also known as the Clan Ranald Pipe Band in 1978. This band was an early version of what eventually became the Antigonish Highland Society Pipe Band in 1981. (Casket file photo)

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by Debbie Johnson
debbiejohnson@thecasket.ca

It’s a question of time. Martin MacDonald, who works with the Antigonish Highland Society Band, notes that getting new pipe players has become a bit of a challenge given the time commitment to becoming a one.
“We are at low ebb in terms of participation with the Highland Society band and it’s unfortunate because ten years ago we had a vigorous and active program,” MacDonald said.
With players moving on to other things and older members retiring, there wasn’t a “mechanism” to attract new members. The area pipe band scenario mirrors what is going on province-wide, he noted.
The exceptions are metro-area piping bands such as Citadel Hill’s 78th Highlanders and the Dartmouth and District Pipe Band, both with many active members.
“We don’t have the depth of leadership here…but we are no different from other bands across the province,” he added.
The Highland Society members have joined with members of the Old Scotia Pipe Band, who are based in Great Village N.S. and together, have been playing as a collaborative pipe and drum corps.
MacDonald said there is a strong group with Stellarton’s Clan Thompson Pipe Band in Pictou County. Its pipe major, Scott Williams from Antigonish, oversees healthy numbers playing in this corps while other bands are experiencing reduced membership.
The story is similar across the Maritimes for pipe corps because it demands time and dedication to learning a reed instrument such as the bag pipes.
“The more reeds you have the more difficult it is to play, the oboe is a double reed instrument and considered difficult to play, bag pipes have five,” he said.
Mastering the instrument is a challenge given the limitations it has when it comes to producing the right sound. The pipes are played with nine notes with a level of intensity that other musical instruments don’t always demand.
“In order to create an interesting and exciting repertoire you have to start playing with times, cutting notes and holding notes,” he said.
To play the music learning the many technical elements is critical to offsetting the limitations of pipes. MacDonald said that with recent announcements by the Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts in St. Ann, Cape Breton to change some of the piping curriculum wishing to integrate more of the “Cape Breton” style of piping he fears that students won’t get the opportunity to build a technical base.
In an interview with the Casket, Rodney MacDonald, college CEO said that contrary to some media reports from last week the Great Highland bag piping will continue at the college and that the school also wants to highlight the Cape Breton style of piping in this discipline.
“It doesn’t mean that we are going to be doing anything that is completely different from the past, we just want our instructors and our students getting the opportunity to be exposed to that style as well as the style that has always been taught here,” MacDonald said.
The absence of a college pipe band has also been a point raised recently and Rodney MacDonald said that even though its not had one in a few years they are working at forming one in 2012.
With growth of an institution change is necessary. Two college instructors, Kenneth MacKenzie and Paul MacNeil, have both played in pipe bands and are proficient at teaching the “Cape Breton style” as well. The college has not made an official announcement regarding major changes or phasing out a program, such as the highland dancing program. The college will continue to offer highland dancing instruction in March as well as summer 2012.
“There are individuals who are spreading false information and that is unfortunate…we want to enhance what it is we are doing, not take away from it,” Rodney MacDonald added. “We need to expand in order to grow and are also adding guitar which is very much part of the culture such as a place like Antigonish.”
Noting that decades ago the guitar wasn’t used as part of a ceilidh performance, Rodney MacDonald said things have changed for Gaelic performances over the years. Musicians like Dave MacIsaac are doing this with a more contemporary Celtic sound.
“Change isn’t always easy but it is necessary…our first priority is and remains the Gaelic language, and we will make sure we incorporate it in every aspect of the college,” he added.