Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
Encyclopedia
The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band (SFUPB) is a grade one pipe band
affiliated with Simon Fraser University
in Burnaby, British Columbia
, Canada
(a suburb located just east of Vancouver
, British Columbia
). The band has consistently placed in the top three in world competition and has won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships
six times: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2008, and 2009. SFUPB is one of only four bands located outside of the United Kingdom
that have won a World Pipe Band Championship (the other three being the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
, the Victoria Police Pipe Band
and the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band
. In addition, the band has placed second eight times—finishing in the top two in the world in 14 of its 25 years. As of 2011, it has placed in the top three at the World Championships for 13 consecutive years.
SFUPB regularly competes in Highland Games
competitions sanctioned by the British Columbia Pipers Association
in the northwestern United States and southwestern British Columbia
before traveling to Scotland
in August for the World Pipe Band Championships. The band wears the Ancient Fraser tartan
.
Since 1994, the SFUPB has led an extensive family of pipe bands which each compete in their own grades. This organization is called the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band
.
The band has produced nine recordings, two concert/documentary videos, and appeared on four BBC Radio Scotland broadcasts. In 2002, the band gave three sold-out concerts in Vancouver
, Belfast
, and Glasgow
, making it one of the busiest winters ever. In April 2001 the band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House
in Australia
. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall
, New York City
. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. The debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as Simon Fraser University Pipe Band - Live at Carnegie Hall. In June 1996, the band released its first live album Alive in America, the first live, in concert recording in the United States
of a pipe band. Both these concerts are captured in the band's videos The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond and Alive in America - The Concert.http://www.sfupipeband.com/html/history.html
The band performed twice for Queen Elizabeth during her 1983 Vancouver visit and opened for rock star Rod Stewart at his 1989 and 1991 Vancouver concerts. In addition, the band has been profiled internationally on CNN and BBC, nationally on CBC Newsworld, CBC Radio, and CTV, and has been featured several times on Vancouver television and radio stations.http://www.sfupipeband.com/html/history.html
Led by Pipe Major Terry Lee and Lead Drummer J. Reid Maxwell and wearing the Ancient Clan Fraser tartan, the band consists of a talented core of over forty players. In 1982, the band won the Grade 1 North American Championship, the top prize on the continent. In August 1995 at Glasgow, Scotland, the band captured the ultimate prize on the globe, the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship. A year later, the band returned to Scotland and captured the title again, becoming the first pipe band from outside the United Kingdom to win the World Championship more than once.
In 1999, the band regained the World Championship title, winning the World Drum Corps Championship in the process, and followed that up with another Worlds win 2 years later in 2001. In 2001, SFU also won the Australian Pipe Band Championship during a tour to New Zealand and Australia.
After a bit of a drought, and many close calls, the band has had perhaps its greatest success in the past 2 years. In both 2008 and 2009 the band won not only the World Pipe Band Championships but also the World Drum Corps Championship, quite a feat. During its trip to Scotland in August, 2009 the band recorded its latest album, “Affirmation”, at a sold-out, standing room only, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
In all, the band has produced eleven recordings and two concert/documentary videos, with another video documenting its 2009 Scotland trip soon to be released. In June 1996, the band released its first live album, “Alive in America”. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall, New York City. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. This debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as “Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – Live at Carnegie Hall”. Both these concerts are captured in the band’s videos “The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond” and “Alive in America – The Concert”.
In April 2001 the SFU Pipe Band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, “Down Under”. After this string of 3 live recordings in different parts of the world, the band decided to do things closer to home and produced two recordings both in studio and in front of a live audience at SFU in 2005. These were released as “On Home Ground, Volumes I and II” in 2005 and 2006.
Throughout its history, the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band has done its best to bring the University, British Columbia and Canada the best of pipe band performances to the world stage. The university motto truly indicates this determination: Nous Sommes Prêts (We are Ready).
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....
affiliated with Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
in Burnaby, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
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...
(a suburb located just east of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
). The band has consistently placed in the top three in world competition and has won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships
World Pipe Band Championships
The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition currently held in Glasgow, Scotland every August. The event has been operating regularly since 1930, when the Scottish Pipe Band Association was formed...
six times: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2008, and 2009. SFUPB is one of only four bands located outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
that have won a World Pipe Band Championship (the other three being the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band
The 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, is a pipe band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 78th Frasers became the first non-Scottish band to win the World Pipe Band Championships, in the summer of 1987...
, the Victoria Police Pipe Band
Victoria Police Pipe Band
The Victoria Police Pipe Band is a past grade one pipe band champion based in Melbourne, Australia. Though the band still exists, it no longer competes after a controversial decision in 2000 to reshape the band....
and the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band
St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band
The St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band is a Grade One pipe band based in Dublin, Ireland. The band was established in 1910. They are the current RSPBA World Pipe Band Champions....
. In addition, the band has placed second eight times—finishing in the top two in the world in 14 of its 25 years. As of 2011, it has placed in the top three at the World Championships for 13 consecutive years.
SFUPB regularly competes in 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...
competitions sanctioned by the British Columbia Pipers Association
British Columbia Pipers Association
The British Columbia Pipers Association is a non-profit organization which sanctions all major bagpipe competitions in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. It frequently partners with Scottish heritage groups and athletic organizations to organize Highland Games in these three states...
in the northwestern United States and southwestern British Columbia
Lower Mainland
The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding and including Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there.While the term Lower Mainland has been...
before traveling to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in August for the World Pipe Band Championships. The band wears the Ancient Fraser tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
.
Since 1994, the SFUPB has led an extensive family of pipe bands which each compete in their own grades. This organization is called the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band
Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band
The Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band is an organization of four bands affiliated with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. Though one primary purpose of the bands is to act as a feeder for the Grade I SFU pipe band, the bands have proven themselves in their own right as highly competitive forces...
.
The band has produced nine recordings, two concert/documentary videos, and appeared on four BBC Radio Scotland broadcasts. In 2002, the band gave three sold-out concerts in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, making it one of the busiest winters ever. In April 2001 the band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. The debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as Simon Fraser University Pipe Band - Live at Carnegie Hall. In June 1996, the band released its first live album Alive in America, the first live, in concert recording in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of a pipe band. Both these concerts are captured in the band's videos The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond and Alive in America - The Concert.http://www.sfupipeband.com/html/history.html
The band performed twice for Queen Elizabeth during her 1983 Vancouver visit and opened for rock star Rod Stewart at his 1989 and 1991 Vancouver concerts. In addition, the band has been profiled internationally on CNN and BBC, nationally on CBC Newsworld, CBC Radio, and CTV, and has been featured several times on Vancouver television and radio stations.http://www.sfupipeband.com/html/history.html
History of the Band
The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band was formed in 1966 during the university’s inaugural year. Over the years it has become a respected institution in the community and has brought fame to BC with its capture of national and international prizes.Led by Pipe Major Terry Lee and Lead Drummer J. Reid Maxwell and wearing the Ancient Clan Fraser tartan, the band consists of a talented core of over forty players. In 1982, the band won the Grade 1 North American Championship, the top prize on the continent. In August 1995 at Glasgow, Scotland, the band captured the ultimate prize on the globe, the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship. A year later, the band returned to Scotland and captured the title again, becoming the first pipe band from outside the United Kingdom to win the World Championship more than once.
In 1999, the band regained the World Championship title, winning the World Drum Corps Championship in the process, and followed that up with another Worlds win 2 years later in 2001. In 2001, SFU also won the Australian Pipe Band Championship during a tour to New Zealand and Australia.
After a bit of a drought, and many close calls, the band has had perhaps its greatest success in the past 2 years. In both 2008 and 2009 the band won not only the World Pipe Band Championships but also the World Drum Corps Championship, quite a feat. During its trip to Scotland in August, 2009 the band recorded its latest album, “Affirmation”, at a sold-out, standing room only, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
In all, the band has produced eleven recordings and two concert/documentary videos, with another video documenting its 2009 Scotland trip soon to be released. In June 1996, the band released its first live album, “Alive in America”. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall, New York City. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. This debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as “Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – Live at Carnegie Hall”. Both these concerts are captured in the band’s videos “The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond” and “Alive in America – The Concert”.
In April 2001 the SFU Pipe Band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, “Down Under”. After this string of 3 live recordings in different parts of the world, the band decided to do things closer to home and produced two recordings both in studio and in front of a live audience at SFU in 2005. These were released as “On Home Ground, Volumes I and II” in 2005 and 2006.
Throughout its history, the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band has done its best to bring the University, British Columbia and Canada the best of pipe band performances to the world stage. The university motto truly indicates this determination: Nous Sommes Prêts (We are Ready).
Notable SFUPB personalities
- Terry Lee - Pipe Major
- Jack LeeJack Lee (bagpiper)Jack Lee is a Canadian bagpiper and the pipe sergeant and co-founder of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. The band has won the World Pipe Band Championships several times....
- Pipe Sergeant - J. Reid Maxwell - Lead Drummer
- Robert MacNeil
- Alan Bevan - 2009 Master’s Invitational Solo Winner
- Jori ChisholmJori ChisholmJori Lance Chisholm is an American professional bagpipe player and teacher who lives in Seattle, Washington. He has played with the six-time Grade One World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band since 1998 and has been a featured solo performer for the band on multiple occasions...
British Columbia Piper’s Association
These are the Highland Games that the SFU Pipe Band travels to and competes at before traveling overseas to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships| Highland Games | Location | Date | Link |
| Annual Gathering | Burnaby, British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
April 2 - 3, 2010 | Annual Gathering Link |
| Instructional Workshops and Affirmation Concert | Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... |
April 10 - 11, 2010 | Edmonton Highland Art’s Festival Link |
| Las Vegas Celtic Gathering & Highland Games | Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester... , Nevada Nevada Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... |
April 17 - 18, 2010 | Las Vegas Highland Games Link |
| Comox Valley Highland Games | Courtenay Courtenay, British Columbia Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the largest city in the area commonly known as the Comox Valley, and it is the seat of the Comox Valley Regional District which replaced the Comox-Strathcona Regional District... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
May 22, 2010 | Comox Valley Highland Games Link |
| Victoria Highland Games | Victoria Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
May 23, 2010 | Victoria Highland Games Link |
| Bellingham Highland Games | Ferndale, Washington Ferndale, Washington -Demographics:As of the census of 2009, there were 11,681 people, 3,901 households, and 2,303 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,409.1 people per square mile . There were 3,292 housing units at an average density of 529.7 per square mile... |
June 5 – 6, 2010 | Bellingham Highland Games Link |
| BC Highland Games | Coquitlam Coquitlam, British Columbia Coquitlam is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Coquitlam is mainly a suburban city, and is one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. According to the 2007 Canadian Census, it is the 5th-largest city in British Columbia... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
June 26, 2010 | BC Highland Games Link |
| Piping Hot Summer Drummer | Vernon Vernon, British Columbia Vernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
July 4 - 9, 11th – 16th, 2010 | PHSD Link |
| Kamloops Highland Games | Kamloops Kamloops, British Columbia Kamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly... , British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
July 10, 2010 | Kamloops Highland Games Link |
| Portland Highland Games | Portland Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... , Oregon Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... |
July 17, 2010 | Portland Highland Games Link |
| Pacific Northwest Highland Games | Enumclaw, Washington Enumclaw, Washington Enumclaw is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,669 at the 2010 census.The Enumclaw Plateau, on which the city resides, was formed by a volcanic mudflow from Mount Rainier approximately 5,700 years ago.... |
July 31, August 1, 2010 | Pacific Northwest Highland Games Link |