Historical Events
The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band have been participating in events in and around the Ottawa region for its entire 115 year history. This would include trips to Scotland in the 1970's, participating in the Ottawa Highland Games back at that time, and so many more community events. More recently, the band has played at events from Ottawa to Edinburgh, New York to Belfast, and many cities and towns in between. Here are some highlights...
Tartan Week Parade, New York City, NY USA
The band played twice in the Tartan Week Parade in New York City in 2005 and 2006. We enjoyed interesting weather one year, and sunny weather the next! In 2005, the band was the first pipe band ever to perform at the famed CBGB RockClub in the Bowery, at their CBGB Lounge...it was a historic, rock and roll inspired performance... The band shall return one year to play and enjoy the sights and sounds of New York City.
The 65th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion
On June 6, 2009, the band performed at the Canadian War Museum in honour of the 65th Anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy. It meant a lot to Pipe Major Bethany Bisaillion to be able to have the band participate in this event - her own teacher and former Sons of Scotland Pipe Major Morag Jamieson was taught by local piping instructor Sam Scott, who played the pipes pictured at left onto the beach at Normandy on June 6, 1944. It took a great deal of effort and dedication to secure the pipes from the Museum of Civilization and have them put on display for the month of June of 2009, and it was all wonderfully worth it. Members of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and other local pipers also joined members of the Sons at the show held at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Pipe Major Bisaillion and piper Mary MacDonald played in Normandy to mark the 55th Anniversary of the Invasion.
Pipefest 2010 Canada
The Ottawa City Piping College - the school affiliated with the Sons - hosted this wonderful parade attended by people from all over Ontario all in support of Pipefest's Global Piping and Drumming initiative to raise money for cancer charities, and the Canadian parade supported The Canadian Cancer Society. This parade will take place every 5 years in Canada.
National Tartan Day
The band each year helps mark National Tartan Day with a performance on Parliament Hill. Pipers and drummers from all over the region are welcomed to join the band and many highland dance schools and Scottish country dancers and the Gaelic Choir make for a truly wonderful occasion. Tartan Day is April 6, and in 2011, Canada's parliament declared the Maple Leaf Tartan Canada's official tartan.
Here is a link to an article which appeared in the local paper about Tartan Day 2011: http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2010/04/11/13545671.html
Here is a link to an article which appeared in the local paper about Tartan Day 2011: http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2010/04/11/13545671.html
Past Events of Note
New York City Tartan Week Parades, 2006 & 2007.
CBGB Performance, NYC April 6, 2006. First and only pipe band to play at the legendary rock club.
The band has shared the stage with such bands as Rawlins Cross, the Alexander Brothers, John McDermott,
Big Jeezus Truck, Great Scott , The Brigadoons, and The Rookers.
Overseas venues the band have played at include the Palace of HolyroodHouse, Balmoral Castle, Blair Atholl, Stirling Castle, the Royal Mile, Caledonian Brewery of Edinburgh, Glasgow's George Square, Culloden Battlefield, Loch Ness, Belfast City Hall, and Edinburgh Castle.
CBGB Performance, NYC April 6, 2006. First and only pipe band to play at the legendary rock club.
The band has shared the stage with such bands as Rawlins Cross, the Alexander Brothers, John McDermott,
Big Jeezus Truck, Great Scott , The Brigadoons, and The Rookers.
Overseas venues the band have played at include the Palace of HolyroodHouse, Balmoral Castle, Blair Atholl, Stirling Castle, the Royal Mile, Caledonian Brewery of Edinburgh, Glasgow's George Square, Culloden Battlefield, Loch Ness, Belfast City Hall, and Edinburgh Castle.
