Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums
Encyclopedia
Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums, one of the oldest pipe bands in the United States
, is dedicated to promoting and preserving the Scottish
Celt
ic cultural and musical arts through piping, drumming and Highland dancing. They have been honored to play at such events as opening for The Black Watch
, Rod Stewart
, playing the half time show for the Cincinnati Bengals
, playing the Cincinnati Celtic Festival since it started in the mid 1990s, and leading the Cincinnati St. Patrick’s Day parade. Their big event each year is the annual Tartan Day Ceilidh
held in conjunction with National Tartan Day
on April 6.
then to Cincinnati. William Nimmo was a Lieutenant in the police force. After moving to Cincinnati, Mr. Nimmo set about putting together a pipe band
, and as he states in his autobiography “I organized a pipe band, assisted by some good businessmen of the Caledonian Society.” When the band was first started, it had some 20 members. During World War I
the band gained much notoriety by leading weekly parades supporting the war effort and Liberty Bond
drives, visiting the training camps, hospitals, Red Cross and other affairs in the interest of building up morale. It was after World War I
when a number of veterans from the Seaforth Highlanders
regiment, now known as The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
, joined the band that it adopted the Mackenzie
tartan and the regimental hat badge (a stag's head with the motto Cuidich n'Righ – Support the King) both of which are still proudly worn today. In the 1930s, some of the members spent considerable time traveling the States in a converted Chevy school bus they referred to as "the Wee Hoose" complete with a grand set of great highland antlers attached to the front grill. In the 1950s, the band was given new life under the direction of pipe major
Alvin Spivak
, and once again support from the Caledonian Society of Cincinnati, which provided money for new uniforms and two sets of bagpipes
. Included in the roster was piper Lomond Nimmo, son of the founder, William. In 1965, the band made 37 appearances including the Ohio State Fair
. In 1968, the band led the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Since then, the band has continuously played various events including an annual Tartan Ball, held in the 1970s and 80s, the St. Andrew's Day
Celebration held by the Caledonian
Society of Cincinnati, and other annual and one time events. At that time, the band changed its name to the Caledonian Pipes, Drums and Dancers, as the band included a thriving dance section which was incorporated into all its performances and marched behind the drummers. The 1980s saw the band begin attending competitions at Highland Games
. In the mid 1990s, the band began re-building a competition unit. Very soon after, they fielded 3 units including a grade 5, grade 4, and grade 5 youth band. After re-grouping in 2000, they fielded a grade 4 competition band, finishing 4th at Glengarry Highland Games (the North American Championships) in Ontario
. In 2001, after some members split to form Mad Anthony Wayne Pipe Band, only a grade 5 band returned. By 2005, the grade 5 band finished 2nd at Stone Mountain Highland Games
resulting in a move up to grade 4 the following year. In 2006, the Mad Anthony Wayne Pipe Band merged and incited a great influx of local and non-local players which created a grade 3 competition band with CCP&D. They competed at such games as Alma
, Fergus
, Ligonier, and Stone Mountain
. The Grade 5 band continues competing up to the present. Achievements in 2008 have been 1st place grade 5 at Kentucky Scottish Weekend, 1st place grade 5 at Glasgow, KY Highland Games, and 1st place grade 5 at Ohio Scottish Games (Ohio Valley Branch Championship).
, a grade one pipe band
).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, is dedicated to promoting and preserving the Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic cultural and musical arts through piping, drumming and Highland dancing. They have been honored to play at such events as opening for The Black Watch
The Black Watch
The Black Watch is a 1929 American early epic adventure drama film directed by John Ford and written by James Kevin McGuinness based on the novel King of the Khyber Rifles by Talbot Mundy. The film starred Victor McLaglen...
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, playing the half time show for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, playing the Cincinnati Celtic Festival since it started in the mid 1990s, and leading the Cincinnati St. Patrick’s Day parade. Their big event each year is the annual Tartan Day Ceilidh
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
held in conjunction with National Tartan Day
Tartan Day
Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish heritage on April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath was signed in 1320. A one-off event was held in New York City in 1982, but the current format originated in Canada in the mid 1980s. It spread to other communities of the Scottish diaspora in...
on April 6.
History
The Cincinnati Caledonian Pipes and Drums was first formed around 1910 by a Scottish immigrant, William Lorne Nimmo, whose family first moved to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
then to Cincinnati. William Nimmo was a Lieutenant in the police force. After moving to Cincinnati, Mr. Nimmo set about putting together a pipe band
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
, and as he states in his autobiography “I organized a pipe band, assisted by some good businessmen of the Caledonian Society.” When the band was first started, it had some 20 members. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the band gained much notoriety by leading weekly parades supporting the war effort and Liberty Bond
Liberty bond
A Liberty Bond was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time. The Act of Congress which...
drives, visiting the training camps, hospitals, Red Cross and other affairs in the interest of building up morale. It was after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when a number of veterans from the Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforth Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
regiment, now known as The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)
The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.Prior to 28 March 2006, the Highlanders was an infantry regiment in its own right; The Highlanders , part of the Scottish Division...
, joined the band that it adopted the Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
tartan and the regimental hat badge (a stag's head with the motto Cuidich n'Righ – Support the King) both of which are still proudly worn today. In the 1930s, some of the members spent considerable time traveling the States in a converted Chevy school bus they referred to as "the Wee Hoose" complete with a grand set of great highland antlers attached to the front grill. In the 1950s, the band was given new life under the direction of pipe major
Pipe Major
The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".Civillian and military...
Alvin Spivak
Alvin Spivak
Alvin "Al" Spivak was the son of Herman and Helen Klein Spivak. As a child, he developed a great fascination for mechanical devices, and grew to love steam locomotives, trolley cars, bicycles, and Scottish Bagpipes...
, and once again support from the Caledonian Society of Cincinnati, which provided money for new uniforms and two sets of bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
. Included in the roster was piper Lomond Nimmo, son of the founder, William. In 1965, the band made 37 appearances including the Ohio State Fair
Ohio State Fair
The Ohio State Fair is one of the largest state fairs in the United States. In 2011 the attendance was 833,000, the fair's highest attendance since 2004. The state fair contributes as much as 280 million dollars to the state economy...
. In 1968, the band led the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Since then, the band has continuously played various events including an annual Tartan Ball, held in the 1970s and 80s, the St. Andrew's Day
St. Andrew's Day
St Andrew's Day is the feast day of Saint Andrew. It is celebrated on 30 November.Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day...
Celebration held by the Caledonian
Caledonian
Caledonian is a geographical term used to refer to places, species, or items in or from Scotland, or particularly the Scottish Highlands. It derives from Caledonia, the Roman name for the area of modern Scotland...
Society of Cincinnati, and other annual and one time events. At that time, the band changed its name to the Caledonian Pipes, Drums and Dancers, as the band included a thriving dance section which was incorporated into all its performances and marched behind the drummers. The 1980s saw the band begin attending competitions at Highland Games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
. In the mid 1990s, the band began re-building a competition unit. Very soon after, they fielded 3 units including a grade 5, grade 4, and grade 5 youth band. After re-grouping in 2000, they fielded a grade 4 competition band, finishing 4th at Glengarry Highland Games (the North American Championships) in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 2001, after some members split to form Mad Anthony Wayne Pipe Band, only a grade 5 band returned. By 2005, the grade 5 band finished 2nd at Stone Mountain Highland Games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
resulting in a move up to grade 4 the following year. In 2006, the Mad Anthony Wayne Pipe Band merged and incited a great influx of local and non-local players which created a grade 3 competition band with CCP&D. They competed at such games as Alma
Alma
- Print media :* Alma , a 1922 novel by Oswald de Andrade* Alma , a drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma Mahler-Werfel* Alma Cogan , a 1991 novel by Gordon Burn...
, Fergus
Fergus
Fergus may refer to:people*Fergus places*Fergus, Ontario, Canada*Fergus, California, United States*Fergus County, Montana, United States*Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States*Fergus Falls Township, Minnesota, United States...
, Ligonier, and Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock in Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet amsl and 825 feet above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain granite extends underground at its longest point into Gwinnett County...
. The Grade 5 band continues competing up to the present. Achievements in 2008 have been 1st place grade 5 at Kentucky Scottish Weekend, 1st place grade 5 at Glasgow, KY Highland Games, and 1st place grade 5 at Ohio Scottish Games (Ohio Valley Branch Championship).
Previous Pipe Majors
Past P/M's include Charles Arch Ott, Russ Spaulding (former P/M for City of Chattanooga Pipe Band), and Peter Kent (now with City of Washington Pipe BandCity of Washington Pipe Band
The City of Washington Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band located in Washington, D.C. City of Washington is one of only four grade one bands in the United States, the others being the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band, the Oran Mor Pipe Band of Albany, NY, and the City of Chicago Pipe...
, a grade one pipe band
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
).