Rainy in Richmond ... Again

The 2009 season has drawn to a close. The final Scottish Games for the MacMillan Pipe Bands took place in Richmond, Virginia on Saturday. It was windy with frequent showers all day long. This was the third year in a row for a rainy day in Richmond. I'm starting to consider it a part of the event - like a water hazard or sand trap out on the links. I guess all Scottish Games have their own characteristics stemming from the time of year and the location. The choking dust bowl at the Devon Horse Show grounds in June and the searing heat of the Episcopal High School in Alexandria every July are two that immediately come to mind. Even though those events vanished long ago, their memories linger on. Somehow, successful bands learn to compensate for the venue.

There were successes and failures throughout the season; I won't bother to elaborate. Now is the time to begin planning for the new year: the Annual General Meeting, the election of officers, music selection ... and all the practicing to prepare for 2010. Even though I've been doing this pipe band shtick for more than 30 years, it's still impossible to predict how a new season will shape up - there are just too many variables. You try to account for them all, but you can't control your personnel. This is a volunteer activity, and musicians are an unpredictable lot by nature - think cat herding. They join, they leave, they practice ... or maybe they don't. We all memorize music at different speeds, and sometimes players lack the technical ability to perform a piece of music. Even when you think you've taken all of that into account, there is still a weird dynamic that takes place when you throw a group of musicians together and tell them all to play a piece of music as one. Sometimes the sum is more than the parts ... sometimes not.

For the MacMillan-Birtles Memorial Drum Corps in 2009, the sum was surely more than the parts. During the band's first season in Grade 4, the corps placed well in all it's competitions - even garnering a much coveted Best Drum Corps award at one event. If any of you read this, I'd just like to say, "Congrats on a successful first year in Grade 4." I know you all worked hard this season, and it showed when we stood in the circle together. It was a pleasure serving as your instructor, and I'm certain the corps will enjoy many successes in the upcoming year.

Last Saturday - after all the practicing, hiding under the tents, stomping through the mud, and the performance - we formed up for the final massed bands. The drizzle continued as the first wave headed out onto the field. Our band was in the second wave. As the Drum Major prepared to march us in, all hell broke loose. The rain came down in buckets. With half the massed bands out on the field, the Drum Major had two choices: he could dismiss the bands and run for cover, or call "By the Center! Quick March!" As the drums began to roll, a cheer came up from the crowds. We had thumbed our collective noses at the weather, and we marched proudly out onto the field. My kilt is still drying and my car smells like wet sheep, but it was the right thing to do. Nice call Drum Major Ricklis.