On Saturday 21 May 2023, the Northwest Territorial Pipe Band conducted a piping maintenance workshop.  Bagpipes were disassembled, bags tested and adjusted, pipes inspected and re-hemped and so forth.  Three new pipers carried out maintenance on three sets of band bagpipes under the instruction of Andrew Bruce and Lorie Crawford.  At the end of the workshop these three pipers then blew their first notes on the bagpipes.  The Band welcomes them and looks forward to them getting up to speed and playing with the Band.  

 

The Northwest Territorial Pipe Band continues with its training in preparation for a very busy summer.  Here band members are at chanter table with our instructor from Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, Andrew Lee.  Chanter table is a time where pipers take turns going through a tune and identify and resolving problem areas and flaws in technique.  We have also been working on the beat and timing.  In this image we see Lorie, Lori, Alex and Ian.  Brad is taking the picture.

The summer promises to be a busy summer.  To see the schedule of events check out the Calendar.

 

For the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the "Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacon Tart" has been concocted.  It includes:

  • cheddar cheese (to represent England);
  • smoked salmon (to represent Scotland);
  • potatoes (to represent Northern Ireland);
  • leeks (to represent Wales).

 

Three pipers of the Northwest Territorial Pipe Band (NTPB) had the honour of piping for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall in Yellowknife on 19 May 2022. The royal couple greeted Yellowknifers at the dedication ceremony for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Garden, located between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Headquarters and Joint Task Force North buildings. 

The pipers were Pipe Major Lori Clark and pipers Brad Heath and Ryan Gordon. Pipe Major Lori Clark and piper Brad Heath met the Prince who spoke to them briefly about the pipe band and NWT tartan. Unfortunately piper Ryan Gordon was still in the room set aside for us to warm up and tune our pipes. 

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is the heir to the throne.  He will eventually become King and the Duchess will eventually become the Queen Consort.  Canada is a constitutional monarchy and the Sovereign is the constitutional head of state of Canada and a number of other countries of the Commonwealth including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Top Photo: Piper Brad Heath shakes hands with His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales in the Joint Task Force North (JTFN) lobby.

Bottom Photo: three pipers in a selfie with Major Conrad Schubert as we wait to pipe in front of Joint Task Force North. Conrad is our Master of Ceremonies (MC) extraordinaire for the NTPB's annual Robert Burns Dinner & Dance and also the officer who gave us our cue to pipe on May 19th. Pipers are, from left, Brad Heath, Ryan Gordon and Pipe Major Lori Clark.