The Montreal St Patrick's Day parade is taking place on Sunday, March 18.  We have a coach leaving the Fire Department Training Centre at 900 Industrial Avenue at 8:30 am to go to the parade.  We have tickets available for only $15.00 for the return trip which heads back to Ottawa about 5 pm.  The band is in the parade from 12 noon to 1:30 pm and then we head to the Black Watch Armouries for a drink. Dress is full dress and make sure you bring your Inverness capes and gloves!  We stop for a snack on the way down and back.
See the map below for the Training Centre where all cars can be left in their secured parking area.  See Madeleine Thompson at band for tickets or Beth Bisaillion at lesson.

We are going to work on the sound of the pipe corps like never before - every piper is asked to make sure their pipes are going well, and tuned to 478.  If you have issues with your pipes and need assistance, see any of the band officers or pipers in the Grade 4 band who can help you sort out your reeds and drones, or either Pipe Major.  If you need to buy more equipment or are not sure where to get what you need, ask about that too - we sometimes have lines on used items at good prices.  There are links to vendors our band supports here on the Resource page.  Time for the power to come from the pipe corps like never before!  Everyone has their own job to do to make the band sound its best.

Members of the band are asked to sign up for as many parades and shows as they can to support the band.  Money earned at events goes towards many things including our practice hall rental fees, purchase of uniforms and equipment, and more. 
If you are not able to attend practice, please email me at bethany.bagpipes@sympatico.ca  or call me at home at 613 562 4842 or on my cell phone at 613 851 3192 - you can text me on that 2nd number too.  If you fail to get in touch on a regular basis we may need to ask for your uniform back for other members, and there are a lot of new ones coming out.  Only people exempt from this would be the beginner drummers, who should contact Cory if they have attendance concerns.  More information is available in the band handbook posted here in the Members Section.  Thanks everyone for your support and cooperation.

A helpful and interesting article to help all of us who don a kilt at anytime.
  http://www.westcoastkilts.com/kilt-care.php#storingyourkilt

To register as a competitor to be eligible to compete with the band or for solos at sanctioned events in 2012, visit www.ppbso.org and sign up - before December 31 it is $45.20 for renewal.  The form and information is under their 'Form' Module.
Tunes for 2012 for the Grade 5 band are:  Colonel J.A. Campbell, St. George's Pub and Pipe Major Angus MacDonald.
Tunes for the Grade 4 band march set are:  The Festival March, Mucking of Geordie's Byre and Archie McKinley.
Tunes for the Grade 4 band medley are:  The Battle of Waterloo, Campbeltown Kiltie Ball, Song for Mary, Jock Wilson's Ball and the Liverpool Hornpipe. 

If you're thinking of playing with the band in 2012 in the grade 5 pipe band, please have ready to play the grade 5 marches - memorized - on chanter for Pipe Major Lochie Bisaillion in January.  The tunes are on the music page for pipers.  Lochie is seen here at the pub in Stirling being happy with his free beer tickets.