Fundraiser to buy ceremonial mace carrying names of fallen RCMP comrades

We’ve all seen it; a pipe band marching towards you, the skirl of the pipes and drums echoing off the hills or buildings, and leading the band; the drum major carrying the regimental mace and the decorations of the regiment across his or her shoulder.

Drum majors have been a part of the British Army for almost 400 years. It began with a fife and drum corps, under the direction of a drum major, providing signals to various field units during battle. When not directing music during times of war, the DM would often be responsible for delivering justice among the ranks, administering whatever flogging needed to be done. Oh, and he delivered the mail.

By the 18^th century, as Highland piping became more prominent in the British Army, drum majors adapted to leading pipe bands as they marched or played in a performance.

RCMP Pipe Band to perform at West Van’s “Bagpipes by the Beach”

The RCMP Pipe Band played as the sun shines. Photograph by: Russ Samson, for North Shore News

In the world of pipe bands, there are only a few occasions when both competitive and performance pipe bands play together. The June 14 “Bagpipes by the Beach” in West Vancouver is one of those rare occasions.

In the Lower Mainland of BC, we are fortunate to be a hotbed of both competitive and performance pipe bands, with two top-level, competitive Grade I bands (Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band) and a number of bands in Grade II, III & IV divisions.  Along with these competition bands, there are a number of performance bands, including the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band, the Vancouver Police, Delta Police pipe bands, J.P. Fell Pipe Band of North Vancouver and the Irish Regiment, to name a few.

RCMP Tartan Day Concert April 5

The RCMP E. Division Pipe Band and the Buffalo Celtic Music Society are proud to present:

  Tartan Day Concert 2014

          “A Highland Celebration”.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Riverside Palace Banquet Hall, 14431 Knox Way, Richmond, BC V6V 2Z1

Cocktails: 6pm. Dinner: 7pm

Featuring:

• RCMP E. Division Pipe Band
• The Tam O’Shanter Dancers,
• Stave Falls Highland Dancers
• Scotch tasting, silent auction, DJ Pavel and maybe a square set or two.

Dress:  Highland formal, military, Red Serge & tartan.

Cost: $60

Tickets available by calling: 604-308-1424 or 778-838-6366

Getting down to business in 2014: Suppers, concerts and tattoo’s.

The last Christmas lights have been taken down, the plastic Santa Claus and his elves packed away and the tree chipped into mulch. It’s time to get down to the business of 2014.

With the memories of Christmas and New Year starting to fade, it’s band preparation time for a very busy 2014, starting with the traditional Robert Burns Dinner celebrations at the end of January. This year the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band will kick off the new year on January 25 as part of the 2014 Tam O’Shanter Dancers Burns Night celebration at the Star of the Sea Community Hall on Pacific Ave., in White Rock. This is always an entertaining and enjoyable night of music and dancing, and will be the first public event for the E. Division Pipe Band in 2014.

New billion dollar practice facility for RCMP pipe band in BC

RCMP E. Division Headquarters, Surrey, BC

Vancouver – OK, it’s not necessarily built for the E. Division Pipe Band, but we do get to use it.

This spring, the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band has started to practice in the new $975 million headquarters of the RCMP in British Columbia.  The new building consolidates all existing RCMP headquarters throughout Metro Vancouver into a new secure site in the City of Surrey, known as the Green Timbers site.

For years, the RCMP headquarters were scattered around several aging buildings in the Fairmont area of Vancouver, near 37 Ave. and Heather Street. The Fairmont facility was non-purpose built, was significantly overcrowded, poorly located operationally and reaching the end of its useful life. The Green Timbers site provides a central, integrated, purpose-built headquarters facility for E Division while meeting current safety and security standards.

Burgers, beer and bagpipes for a good cause

Join the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band, friends and families (well, those over 19) for a social evening of beer, burgers, music and comradeship at the Cloverdale Legion on Saturday May. 5.  There will be lots of music, conversation and maybe even some dancing. The band will be playing tunes from its recently released first CD “Live in Langley”. Copies of the CD will be available for purchase during the evening.

For information, call Rob Smith, 778-834-5316

This is a fundraiser for the band, so your support is most welcome.

It’s here!. E. Division Pipe Band new C.D.released

It’s here. A live recording of the RCMP E. Division in concert with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir last October.  This is our first C.D. and is available for purchase online or as a C.D. at one of the band events. To purchase online, please click here.

Getting together, feeling the music…and the cold.

Ah, autumn. The leaves are falling, short days of grey clouds and rain, and that creeping feeling of cold in your bones.  Every piper who plays on Remembrance Day, usually the last outdoor performance, knows what I’m talking about.  The warm days of summer are long behind us and it’s indoor practices from now until the spring.  I do admit, however, that we have it easy here in Vancouver. I can remember playing the lament at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Goose Bay, Labrador 10 years ago.  It was -11.  No indoor ceremonies for those hardy Labradorians…or the poor piper.

 On Friday November 11, the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band along with a troupe of RCMP members will march our veterans to the cenotaph at the Cloverdale Legion in Surrey. We look forward to playing, and paying our respects to those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms. Cold hands and fingers are a small price to pay. 

Vancouver piper Darleen Miharija/Milloy passes away

Darleen (Miharija) Milloy, 1963-2011

Members of the RCMP E. Division Pipe Band were saddened on Tuesday by the news from Pipe Sergeant Mike Guillemin that former well-known and respected Vancouver piper Darleen (Miharija) Milloy has passed away.

Darlene was a key member of the SFU Pipe Band and Vancouver piping scene in the 1980’s before she eased out of the competitive scene due to the onset of multiple sclerosis.

Darleen’s passing has been recognized in a number of online sites, including the City of Regina Pipe Band blog and a write-up in Piper & Drummer.  I include the P&D obituary here.

Welcoming our new lead tip; adding to the history of E. Division Pipes and Drums

RCMP E. Division Pipe Band Drum Sgt. Carol Fraser

With the departure of our lead tip Gywn MacGregor, we now welcome our newest Drum Sergeant Carol Fraser, who moves up from Drum Corporal to take Gywn’s position.

Carol is a Burnaby-born musician who has been in the pipe band drumming business since very young. She started at age eight under Scott Robertson and her drumming career has been a steady rise since then. A core member of the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band, she was part of the band in the 1980’s as it took the Grade 3 world championship in Glasgow, Scotland. As the band moved up into Grade 2, Carol moved into the lead tip position and again was at the forefront as the band competed at the World’s in Scotland during their 1990 Scottish tour.