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• #Looking for a bagpipe player in ocala fl how to

The bagpipe competitions take place at what’s called the Highland Games. “The sets we play are quick march medleys which are sets made up entirely of different march style tunes.” “There are usually different competitions for different kinds of sets,” McKee said. The pipe band must play the compilation to show both the strengths of the pipers and drummers as well as the cooperation between the two. The band makes sure that the compilation, called a set, includes tunes that the band thinks the judges will like. To compete, a pipe band selects several bagpipe tunes (not songs) and forms them into a compilation. Andrew’s Pipe and Drums band took a hiatus of competing over the past couple years but recently started competing again in Grade 4.

The grades range from one to five, Grade 1 being the highest and Grade 5 being the lowest. In the pipe band competitions, each band is ranked in grades to determine their competition.

“ at Chicago, it was either a quarter or a third of the Kansas City Pipe Band was made of McKee’s,” Andy said. There are about 10 snare drummers, two bass drummers and three tenor drummers as well. Andrew’s Pipe Band, pipers make up a little more than half of the musicians in the band. The competition band travels to play against other bagpipe bands.Ī typical pipe band consists of bagpipers, Scottish snare drummers, bass drummers and tenor drummers. Just this last year, Andy started competing as a piper in the St. Andy has competed in many solo competitions throughout the years and has had great success competing at the Junior Novice level. “But if a bagpipe is well tuned and well played, it’s a really beautiful thing.”Īndy continued to learn the bagpipes, even traveling to Ontario, Canada several summers to study at the Ontario School of Piping under the teachings of some of the best pipers. “There’s the traditional stereotype of the bagpipes sounding like a dying pig,” Andy said.

The Great Highland Bagpipe originates from Scotland and consists of a bag, chanter, blowpipe, two tenor drones and one bass drone.

#Looking for a bagpipe player in ocala fl how to

“Sometimes I joke that we’re sort of like the mafia of Kansas City Highland Arts.”Īt age seven when most kids were learning their addition and subtraction, Andy was learning how to play the traditional Great Highland bagpipe from his dad. “It’s really a tradition in my family,” Andy said. Founded in 1962 by Wallace McKee, Andy’s grandfather, the pipe band, as well as the heritage of the McKee’s, has played a prevalent role in the entire McKee family. Need proof? Ask him to play the bagpipes for you.Īndy is a third generation bagpipe player on the Kansas City St.