Terrace Review —— Wednesday, September 18, 1991 15 Drums — 4 Terrace Pipes and Drums. Ontario. When contacted to pro- ‘ 9 Welcome Wagon hostess. i Fund raising has always been a vide some carly history of the Join the chorus at George's Pub! ee covstant part of the band’s activ- Terrace Pipes and Drums, they had | Northern Motor Inn, 3086 Hwy 16 E., ities, onc of the most popular of these comments, "The survival of Te ce ph one 635- 6375 Karen: 638-0707 Material contributed by Keith, Don, and Allan Tutt, Barry English and Audrey Kerr, with Betty Barton The Terrace Pipes and Drums had their first practice of the sea- son on the evening of Sept. 9 with -@ small but enthusiastic group. Drum Sergeant (and Honourary Drum Sergeant in Perpetuity) Barry English explains, "This is a re-growth year, a chance to teach new members, upgrade the skills of current members and get the interest back. We would like to get a bigger group together, do less - functions and have more fun for the band members." This year’s pipe major Audrey - Kerr says the initial interest in playing the pipes or the drums often comes from some family connection in Scotland, but that cerlainly isn’t a prerequisite. In fact, there ate no prerequisites to join the Terrace Pipes and Drums. All lessons are included in the annual membership of $20, assures Audrey. She adds encouragingly that although the pipes are finicky, most beginners become proficient on them within two years, or on the drums within a year. "New-. comers get a lot of encourage- ment," she says. Pipers leam on 4 practice "chanter” before they-go to the full blown pipes. Both Barry and Audrey agree that students have to get into condition to play well. Audrey says playing the chanter on a regular basis (at least three times a week) also keeps the instrument in condition and in tune. If it’s idle for a long period of time it takes some time to make good music again. The Terrace Pipes and Drums have been making music since 1964 when Keith Tutt, former Pipe Major of the Chilliwack Pipe Band, arrived in Terrace. Tutt had come to Terrace 10 serve as news director with the newly formed CFTK radio and television station. His eldest son, Don, was a leading side drummer and youngest son, Allan, a piper. The three were soon called upon to piay as a trio or individually at various cCommun- ity functions. Jim Millar, a CP Air ticket agent and an accomplished piper, joined them and eventually became their Pipe Major. They taught a small group of interested beginners to play the pipes and drums. Mem- bership swelled and then dimin- ished in the early 1970's. The Ter- race Pipe Band officially dis- banded, but Keith Tutt continued meeting on Oct, 3, 1973, four have gone on to become Pipe Majors of which is the annual Robbie Burns dinner. Don Tutt instigated the first Robbie Burns Night; the hall Erracht Tartan with Prince Charlie - glengarries. The official band logo, was packed, and despite some rather traumatic moments, the haggis was served and tradition maintained. The band wears the Cameron of tunics, white Lovatt hose and designed by Vern DesLaurier, is a Kermodei Bear, in Haida style, altered from the original design at the request of the Haida band council, The unofficial logo, also drawn by Vern, is a rather fierce- looking wee highlander, generally purported to be a somewhat unflat- tering caricature of himself. The Terrace Pipes and Drums is presently the only pipe band west of Prince George. They perform about 30 times a year in everything from parades to grand openings and weddings to funerals. Often only a few pipers and drummers are available for each function. Audrey says one or three are best if they don’t have a whole band out. The objective is for all the pipes to sound like one big pipe and play in unison. The Terrace Pipes and Drums meet each Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Kin Hut by Heritage Park for practices, and all members are encouraged to practise regular- ly at home. Each evening practice -begins with a warm-up. Then each of the newcomers is taken, by a more senior member, to a different corner of the room for instruction and to learn "Tunes of Glory", the beginning tunes that must be in every piper’s repertoire, "You have to learn to concentrate with other pipes playing different tunes at the same time," laughs Audrey knowingly. As the evening progresses, the more senior pipers and drummers practise and the newcomer are encouraged to stay, watch and listen. "Piping is all from memory. It’s unlike any other band, so it's important to hear the music often enough to let it sink in and to feel the history of piping," explains Audrey. As long as there have been white men in the north country, there have been pipers. Northern British Columbia was explored by young Scots, employed by the Hudson Bay Company. Many of them stayed to become trappers and traders or factors in the company posts, Many brought their pipes with them. During World War Il, Terrace was used as a training base for allied soldiers. One of the Regi- ments stationed here was the Prince Edward Island Highlanders, forensics identification specialist with the RCMP in London, Terrace Pipes and Drums is a credit to‘ people committed to pipe banding, and the notion thal an ~ Year of renewal for Pipe Traee Audrey Kerr: Newcomers get a lot of encouragement. s and effort should be made to do things at least reasonably well in order to have fun, and to provide the com- munity with the spectacle of a good pipe band ...it continues to march forward, now preceded through the region by its own tradition.” The Terrace Pipes and Drums will hold their annual general meeting Oct. 7. All members of the community interested in keeping the skirl of pipes alive in Terrace are urged to attend. Sing your way to the top of the charts Come out to Karaoke Night and sing along ith the lyrics as they appear on video. Playing with the Kitimat and with their own pipe band. Since Prince Rupert bands. then, there have always been a ag When Don and Allan Tutt pipers in and around ‘Terrace, but Tha Mest Famous Bash athe Wer retumed to Terrace in 1973, they there was no formal organization , ah formed a non-profit society and ynti) the arrival of Keith, Don and ‘ i: organized a new pipe band for Afian Tutt. 3 : Terrace and the Northwest. Ofthe pon Tutt is now a technical blame, On j 20 people attending the inaugural writer in Chilliwack. Allan is a SINCE 1930 “ ras a i eee ‘ Sundays 8 - 12 midnight & Thursdays 9 p.m. - 1:00 a.m It’s time to call your