The NWT Pipe Band poses for a photo following a Canada Day "pop-up performance" just outside Yellowknife City Hall. Photo by Anson Chappell
The NWT Pipe Band's 2019-2020 season was brought to a close earlier than expected by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the NWTPB is holding optional, outdoor and physically distancing practices on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings throughout the summer for anyone interested in taking part — weather permitting of course.
We have not yet determined when our 2020-2021 season will begin, where indoor practices will be held throughout the fall, winter and spring, and when, where and how our Annual General Meeting will be held. That info will be posted on this website and on our Facebook page as soon as it's available.
NWT Pipe Band performs outside Avens: A Community for Seniors. Photo courtesy of Avens.
Although Yellowknife's Canada Day parade was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns, the NWT Pipe Band took part in a mini parade held at Avens: A Community for Seniors. After the parade, the band made three surprise "pop-up" performances at locations throughout the city, and then retired for social-distancing cold beverages and pizza.
The NWT Pipe Band's annual Robert Burns Dinner & Dance at the Elks Hall on Saturday, January 25, 2020 was a huge success. Thanks to our host, the Yellowknife Elks Lodge, and to Northern Chicks Catering for amazing, traditional Burns Night meal with plenty of food to spare: neeps, tatties, roast beef, gravy, haggis and fresh baked buns!
The NWT Pipe Band held a weekend workshop on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2019 at Weledeh Catholic School. We're grateful for a weekend of great instruction with three members of the six-time world champions Simon Fraser Pipe Band: Grant Maxwell (snare drums), Jessica Reid (bass and tenor drums) and Andrew Lee (bagpipes). The NWT Pipe Band gratefully acknowledges the financial contribution of the NWT Arts Council in making this workshop possible!
The NWT Pipe Band held its 2019 Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Weledeh Catholic School music room. Along with adopting revised bylaws and other business, the band elected its executive for the 2019-2020 season:
Pipe Major & President: Brad Heath
Drum Sergeant & Vice President: Kelly Fischer
Secretary-Treasurer: Ian Rennie
Quartermaster: Jeff Phillips
Public Relations Officer: Lori Clark
Pipe Sergeants: Floyd Adlem & Lorie Crawford
The NWTPB is always looking for more pipers and drummers, so please come out to the AGM if you're a piper and/or drummer and new to the city - or a former band member ready to dust offer your chanter or drum sticks!
Regular band practices will resume on Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 p..m. at Weledeh Catholic School. In addition to our Tuesday night practices and optional Saturday morning practices (10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) the band will also hold a weekend workshop on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2019.
Our annual Robert Burns Dinner & Dance will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 in the Elks Lodge. Tickets are $65 and will go on sale later this fall.
NWT Pipe Band is a non-profit society established under the NWT Societies Act. Originally formed in 1976 as the Yellowknife Pipe Band Association, in 1978 it changed its name to the Northwest Territorial Pipe Band, to reflect its wider geographic scope.
The Band is a Grade 4 (recreational) highland pipes and drums band. Although we strive to be the best pipe band that we can be -- our emphasis is on having fun! The NWTPB performs at many events during the year including the Canada Day parade, St. Patrick's High School Graduation Mass, Relay for Life and many others. It also engages in a fundraising event each year - the annual Burns Night dinner and dance in January. Our next Robert Burns Dinner & Dance will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020. Fundraising is necessary in order to purchase and maintain instruments (drums in particular) and to provide for kilts. Members may perform at other events on request.
Each fall, the band executive – including the Pipe Major and Drum Major – is elected at the band’s annual general meeting. These are the offices of the President and Vice-President.
There have been many high points over the course of the past 40 years, such as performing for
- Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Yellowknife in 1994;
- Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II, the Queen of Denmark, when Greenland celebrated home rule in 1978;
- His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, at the opening of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife in 1978; and
- Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, during their visit to Yellowknife in 2012.
The Northwest Territorial Pipe Band plays frequently at community events. Although a recreational pipe band, it has played in competitions, most recently in Red Deer and Ellersley, AB in June 2003. Some of its members play in competitions on their own, most recently in Kamloops, British Columbia in 2015.
The Northwest Territorial Pipe Band offers lessons for beginners in piping and in drumming, starting in September or October each year. and running until the end of June. We also welcome people who are already pipers and drummers -- even if you are a bit out of practice!
The following is a link to a YouTube documentary on the NWT Pipe Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTKU-qAvSHM .
The following is a link to another YouTube documentary: They Pipe Among Us.