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Prince Charles Pipe Band News
2007/4/27 The PCPB Grade 1 Band will not Compete in 2007 We regret to inform the pipe band community that the Grade 1 Pipe Band will not compete in the 2007 season. We entered this season hopeful that we could build sufficient momentum to continue competing at a high level. However, a number of members of the band have family, work and personal priorities and commitments that would not allow us to maintain the high standard of playing to which we hold ourselves. PM Colin Berta 2007/4/3 PCPB Grade 3 Band Travels to Queen Mary
The band placed second in the medley contest on the first day. On the following the band took first in the MSR contest despite weather conditions which were producing very low temperatures. As a result, the band took best band honors for the weekend. In the solo competitions, Amanda Gifford was awarded second place in the Grade 2 piobaireachd; Kevin Sweetman won the Grade 3 Strathspey & Reel and Sara Galvez got third in her drumming contest. 2006/11/7 PCPB Grade 1 Band Back After Break
Pipe Major Colin Berta and Drum Sergeant Liza McAdam share a positive outlook on 2007: "Our goal is to compete successfully at the highest levels, and to continue to improve in all aspects. We feel very good about our prospects in 2007." The band is currently formulating more specific plans for competition and travel, and expects to have those in place by the beginning of the year. The band's hiatus did not deter its members from accomplishing their own results, however -- in the past year there have been 3 marriages, 2 babies born, 1 individual elected Chief of the Caledonian Club of San Francisco and numerous solo piping & drumming prizes won in North America and Scotland! 2006/9/4 PCPB Competition Season Comes to a Good End at the 141st Caledonian Club of San Francisco Gathering and Games in Pleasanton, CA Prince Charles Grade 4 Junior Band Fields Largest Competition Band in Sometime Prince Charles Caledonian Club of San Francisco Pipe Band Places Second both days, Drum Corp Judged Best in Grade 3 Many Individual Stories to Tell! Details Coming Soon!
Prince Charles Grade 1 Looks
Forward to Starting Practices, Focus on 2007
 Earlier
this year, P/M
Colin Berta and D/S Liza McAdam announced that the Grade 1 band would be
taking a break after the Dunsmuir Games and would not be compete at in Pleasanton in September. With the late start the band got this year, coupled
with many competing priorities, the band felt it best to set its sights on
2007. In the meantime, Colin, Liza and the band members will be selecting
tunes and developing goals and plans for 2007. The band will re-commence
practices in October.
The
decision was made official following a meeting in which the band
reached consensus on a course of action. There is widespread support in the
band to keep building on the current organization and the band looks forward
to a strong showing in 2007.
GOODBYE ART Art Krapp passed away on Thursday, March 16, 2006.
2005/11/20 The Summer of 2005
Off to Scotland! The Prince Charles Pipe Band sent both their Grade 1 and Grade 3 bands to Scotland last August. Previous to the trip, the bands staying close to home to concentrate on preparing for the World Championships in Glasgow. Many hours were spent practicing including a one week piping and drumming school at the end of June and a two day workout at the Dunsmuir House Scottish Games in Oakland, CA. The Grade 3 went first to Scotland the last week of July to competition in the British Pipe Band Championships. After a short layover in Glasgow, the band headed for Tain, Scotland about 45 minutes north of Inverness on the east coast. Tain is the furthest north that the PCPB has ever gone. This competition gave the band its first reading as to where it stood in the Grade 3A arena. All went well, placing 4th in the competition were only two points separated 2nd place from 4th place. After Tain and the British Championships, the Grade 3 band headed for Northern Ireland via a one night stay in Edinburgh and a two hour ferry trip to Belfast. The visit went quickly with tours up the Antrim Coast and around Belfast. The band was honored by being the guest band for the City of Lisburn. Activities included meeting the mayor, parading down the main street, advertising and competing at the Lagan Valley Pipe Band Competition and enjoying the warm Irish weather and hospitality.
During our stay in Belfast,
P/M Cameron Scott and his father, Steve, embarked on what can be
only described as a “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” through the woods. On a very rare
occasion, Cameron was given permission to leave the band to attend a mid-week
solo competition on the Isle of Skye, but he had to be back as quickly as
possible. The adventure started with a Tuesday morning flight from Belfast to
Inverness then by car from Inverness to Portree on the Isle of Skye arriving
late afternoon. The next morning Cameron competed in Open Piobaireachd and
the Open March, Strathspey and Reel for under 18 year olds at the Isle of Skye
Highland Games in
In the final week in Scotland, it was all business as the Grade 1 and Grade 3 bands meet in Glasgow to prepare to the World Championships. The Grade 1 Band had come a few days earlier to compete in North Berwick and Bridge of Allan. Despite the hard long practices during the days, there was much to do in the city. In recent years the City of Glasgow has been working hard to expand the gathering of over 200 pipe bands from a one day event to a week long festival. The program included recitals at the Piping Centre, performances in George Square and concerts at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. For many band members, the highlight was the St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band concert Wednesday night.
Back
Home! The Grades 1 and 3 were joined by the Prince Charles Grade 4 Band in participating at the annual Caledonian Club of San Francisco's Games in Pleasanton, over the Labor Day weekend. The bands played well, with the Grade 1 band taking second place both days, and the Grade 3 getting a third and a first thereby winning the aggregate award for the weekend. Both the Grade 1 and Grade 3 drum corps were judged best in the band competition events on Sunday. There were numerous awards present to the PCPB soloists highlighted by the Grade 1 piping aggregate going to Cameron Scott and the Grade 3 piping aggregate to Kyle Rothschild. The Prince Charles Pipe Band organization enjoyed visits by many of its long time supporters, friends and Alumni. We would like to thank all of you for stopping by our tent, or should we say encampment! It was great to see you and thank you so much for your support. We were especially delighted to see for the first time Brooke Readshaw, daughter of Neil, and Tina Readshaw, both former PCPB Pipers, who were visiting from Australia and Troy Woodley, son of past PCPB P/M Bruce Woodley and his wife Heidi! It's so wonderful to see the next generation! As usual at the end of the Pleasanton Games some band members announce their intensions to retire from the band. The most common reason in a young group such as ours is the band members need to concentrate on their educational goals. This year we say goodbye for now to Piper Micah Babinski, Tenor Caitlin Harrington and Piper John Sutherland. Our Grade One Bass Drummer John Bigger will be taking a leave-of-absence to take on the duties of the Chieftain of the Caledonian Club of San Francisco. And finally with some emotion by all, Drum Sergeant Liza McAdam has announced her retirement from the Grade 1 band. Fortunately for all, she plans to continue teaching side drumming both in the PCPB and around Northern California. Along with the retirement announcements, there are band members on the move between grades at this time of year. To see the latest on who is where, go to the PCPB Website and click on Roster. We thank Micah, John B, Caitlin, Liza and John S for their many dedicated years of excellent piping drumming and wish them much success in their future endeavors! And good luck to the band members moving up! P/M Ties the Knot
Colin and Laura met at the Dunsmuir Games a while back, and their wedding included the groom and groomsmen in dress kilts and jackets, and the bridesmaids in long dark red gowns. Laura wore a beautiful long satin gown and veil. Ken Sutherland piped the bride and her father down the aisle playing the tunes Mari's Wedding and Lochanside and the ceremony was enjoyed on a warm summer evening by close family and friends. Grade 1 Piper Brian Cooper and his wife Stacy sang the song "Come What May". The first reading "Touched by an Angel" by Maya Angelou was read by Laura's friend Lisa Goodner. The second reading of Romans 12:9-18 from the bible was done by Colin’s cousin Amy Burgin. The Matron of Honor was Laura's sister Sarah Edson and the bridesmaids were Karen Detrick, Kristin Bloom, and Katie Danielson, all friends of Laura's. Colin's Best Man was Stephen Erickson, a long time friend of Colin's. The groomsmen were Chris Bartholomeusz, friend and piper in the G1, Jason Guthrie and Alec Drisoll, both friends of Colin's. The greeter was Amy McAfee, friend of Laura's. The couple exchanged original vows which they had each written. The ceremony was officiated by Colin's father, David Berta, a long time deacon in the Presbyterian Church. Ken Sutherland piped the happy couple and crowd out with "The Highland Wedding". Members from the Grade 1 Band played a few tunes for the crowd on the patio as photos were taken. All enjoyed a wonderful evening to celebrate this happy occasion! We wish Colin and Laura a lifetime of happiness together!
2005/5/29 Bands Shine at the LA
Games
 The
Grade 1 and Grade 3 Bands traveled down to southern California to participate
in the LA Games over the Memorial Day weekend. These games are put on by the
United Scottish Society of Southern California. This year the USS moved the
games from the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa to the Fairplex in
Pomona. We found the Fairplex a great location for a games having air
conditioned buildings for the vendors and lots of trees and lawn area for the
events and spectators! The track was a bit dusty for the massed bands but it
is a horse track after all. The weather also cooperated by not getting
much above 80 degrees and actually being a bit cool on Sunday. The massed
bands put on a great show under the direction of Drum Major Jim Harrington.
The Amazing Grace piping solo was beautifully played by Alan Bevan of the
Simon Fraser Pipe Band from Vancouver, Canada.
The Grade 3 band placed 2nd both days. The
band played very well and welcomed Barry Brownstein and Gabe Galvez back into
the piping ranks! It's great to have them back. We also had the pleasure of
seeing Amara Reddick and Suzan Karayel who are on leave-of-absents while they
adjust to university life.
The Grade 1 band placed 2nd in Saturday's
medley competition and then placed 1st in the MSR on Sunday. They sounded
great, winning piping, drumming, and ensemble! Way to go band!
Soloists in the band also did well with Cameron
Scott winning the Grade 1 Piping aggregate as well as the Silver Chanter award
and to Kyle Rothschild for winning the Grade 3 Piping Aggregate.
Many thanks to the games committee for putting
on such a great event, and to all of the band parents for helping with the
food, travel, and tent set up for the bands.
2005/3/26: PCPB Grade 3 Ventures into SFU Territory For the first in 14 years the PCPB returned to the BC Pipers Association Annual Gathering (BC Indoor) to compete against the top pipe bands in western Canada last Easter weekend. The solo competitions took place on the Simon Fraser University in Burnaby. It started on Friday and went on through Saturday afternoon. PM Cameron Scott competed in Grade 1 Piping coming away with fifth place in all three competitions - MSR, Poibaireachd and Jig. Tammer Barkouki in his Grade 3 Piping competition took a fifth in Strathspey & Reel and a big second place in Piobaireachd.
2005/2/26: Queen Mary Competition
gets season off to a good start!
 The
Grade 3 band traveled south to soggy and wet Southern California for the first
competition of the 2005 season at the Queen Mary Games, in Long Beach.
This was the first Grade 3 competition for many
of the pipers and drummers, and the band was given the honor of marching in
the Mayor of Long Beach for the opening ceremonies both days.
In Saturday's Medley competition, the band
played really well, placing 2nd. The weather though very wet in the morning,
cleared up for the band competition in the afternoon. Sunday's competition
wasn't so lucky, with the rain starting to come down, and the wind blowing in
the next storm, just as the band was going into the competition. Despite the
weather, the band played well, and placed 3rd in the March, Strathspey, and
Reel event.
Many of the PC soloists played very well in
their solo events. Those placing in the piping events were: Micah Babinski,
Cameron Scott, Stevie McElhaney, Tammar Barkouki, and Kyle Rothschild.
Many thanks to Kit, Dan and Ann Galvez, and all
of the parent's who helped out the band over the weekend. Many thanks also to
Bill, Steve Scott, Liza and Davey, Scott, Cyrus, and Micah for helping get the
band tuned and ready for it's competitions!
2004/12/28: PCPB Finishes 2004 in Fine Style
John
Sutherland, PCPB Grade One Band, placed fourth in the piobaireachd, and fifth
overall in the ninth annual George Sherriff invitational amateur piping
competition held in Hamilton, Ontario (near Toronto)
on November 20 . It was a very
close contest, with many excellent performances by the top amateur pipers in
North America. John played The Lament for Donald of Laggan in a pensive,
steady style with good technique. The harmonics off those big ol' Henderson
drones blended beautifully with the chanter and it was overall a
powerful performance.
2004/11/1: Drummers Excel at World
Solo Drumming Championships
Liza McAdam, lead stroke for our Grade 1 band, and Andrew Moore, a young
drummer in our Grade 1 band, traveled to Scotland and competed in the World
Solo Drumming Championships this past weekend.
Andrew is 15 years old and going to Scotland for the Solo Championship was a huge experience for him. He played extremely well, and qualified for the finals in the under 16 class. The contest was so close the top players were very difficult to split. Andrew placed higher in the qualifying round than the boy who finished 2nd overall for the contest. Liza states that she was very proud of Andrew's performances, and that he is a real credit to the Prince Charles Pipe Band. We congratulate Andrew on his excellent performance at this premier competition!
We would also like to congratulate Liza, who competed in the adult section.
She had not competed in a solo contest for 9 years. She was competing
among 75 of the top adult players in the World. She got as far as the
semi-finals (top 24 players) but didn't make it into the final 12. Still,
an excellent showing! Well done Liza!
Liza plans to take a young player across every year to compete at the World
Solo Championships. In January she will be running a solo drum contest and
workshop which will help pay the travel expenses.
We would also like to thank Andante Percussion who sponsors our drum corps,
and who provided a new drum for Liza and Andrew to play at the
championships.
2004/10/18: Three PCPB Pipers Hit Solo Success! In the Nicol-Brown Solo Piping competition, John Sutherland won 2nd place in the piobaireachd event with a beautifully-played "Melbank's Salute" on a top-notch bagpipe. It was an excellent and close competition, with the top Grade 1 competitors from North America demonstrating their skills and musicianship. In the GS McLennan, Ken Sutherland won 3rd place in the MMSSRR (double MSR) competition with inspired renditions of Mrs. John McColl, Miss Elspeth Campbell, Inverary Castle, Arniston Castle, Thompson's Dirk and Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran. Also, in the Grade 1 portion of the Angus MacDonald competition (held the day before the McLennan), playing solid renditions of Clan McColl, Dora MacLeod and Dolina MacKay, Cyrus Luciano won the MSR. The judge noted he had the best-sounding pipe in the Grade 1 events that day. We congratulate these three soloists from our Grade 1 band! Well done! 2004/10/4: The Sutherland's Win Invitations to major Solo Competitions Ken and John Sutherland, the father and son duo in our Grade 1 band, who have also excelled in the local Professional and Grade 1 solo piping competitions all year, have recently been awarded invitations to some prestigious invitational solo events! John has been invited back to both the Nicol-Brown and the George Sherriff (Nov 20) competitions. The Nicol-Brown competition features the top twelve amateur pipers from across North America. This is the 22nd Annual Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Contest and it will take place in Troy, New York, on October 9th, and will be judged by Stuart Liddell from Inveraray, Scotland, and Donald Lindsay from Petersburg, New York. The overall Nicol-Brown champion will win airfare to compete in London in November, 2005. The event is sponsored by the New Hampshire Highland Games and is named in honor of Robert Nicol and Robert Brown, who both spent a good part of their lives encouraging and teaching pipers and passing on the legacy of their music. John has also been invited back to The George Sherriff Memorial Invitational Competition, which will be held on November 20 in Hamilton, Ontario. The format and qualifications for this competition are similar to that of the Nicol-Brown. Twelve to fourteen amateur pipers from North America are invited to compete in three events: 6/8 March, MSR and Piobaireachd. Ken has been invited to play in the GS McLennan Invitational on October 16 in San Diego. The events consist of a piobaireachd (four gold-medal tunes to be submitted) and a "double MSR" (six of each type of tune to be submitted). We wish John and Ken the best of luck at these competitions! 2004/09/07: 2004 Pleasanton Games The bands enjoyed and endured a very hot weekend at the annual Caledonian Club of San Francisco's Highland Games at the Alameda County fairgrounds in Pleasanton this Labor Day weekend. Temperatures were in the high 90's on Saturday and into the low 100's on Sunday, making it a challenge for the bands. Despite the heat, soloists and bands put on some excellent performances! Many thanks to the Caledonian Club of San Francisco, volunteers and organizers for another well run program and successful games. On Saturday, the Grade 4 band played their march medley to an enthusiastic crowd. This group of beginning pipers and drummers have progressed a lot this year, and we enjoyed their performance. The Grade 3 played their energetic medley, taking 3rd place in field of seven bands. The Grade 1 played their MSR and placed 2nd. On Sunday the Grade 3 played their MSR placing first and winning the overall aggregate award for the weekend. The Grade 1 put on another very musical and enjoyable performance, winning 2nd place in MSR competition. The Grade 1 drum corps was awarded first place both Saturday and Sunday. The Grade 1 band was also awarded the new California Cup for having placed the highest in the three major competitions in California during the season (the Queen Mary Games, the Costa Mesa Games, and the Pleasanton Games). On both days the Grade 3 band pulled extra duty playing for the Drum Major's competitions. All three bands participated in the Massed Bands with Ken Sutherland playing the Amazing Grace Solo during the massed bands on Sunday. Soloist highlights were:
Ken Sutherland placed in all three Professional piping events won the
Hornpipe/Jig contest and the overall aggregate As is true with all successful organizations, the Prince Charles Pipe Band has been blessed with many dedicated parents, friends, and an extended family of fantastic supporters. We are so grateful to all of you! It was good to see Trevor and Stuart Atkinson, Jan and Roger Reynolds, Al and Doreen Burgin, Jeannie Merriman and her brother, Ian visiting from Scotland, Grant Johnston and his family, Bruce Maxwell, Bruce and Heidi Woodley, Scotty Fields and his family and others who stopped by our encampment to wish the bands well and enjoy the games. On Saturday at noon, a special thanks was given to Ann and Dan Galvez, with the Grade 1 playing a medley in their honor. Ann and Dan have been a great help to the bands, particularly this season, as they have helped with the set up, lunches, cleanup, pipe case rack set up, etc.... We thank them and all of the parents who put in numerous hours of volunteer work doing set up, transportation, and all of the work that makes the games comfortable and enjoyable for the band members. We also would like to thank Kit Warne for his continued work in setting up the band area and keeping the three bands organized, and to Dave Berta for selling the band shirts both days! You are all AWESOME and we couldn't do it without you. Thank you so much!
2004/07/20: Grade 3 Band
Travels to Portland Both the Grade1 and Grade 3 Bands traveled to Costa Mesa in sunny southern California for the 72nd Annual Scottish Festival put on by the United Scottish Society. The weather was warm, and the games were very well run, with all of the events commencing on time. Congratulations to our Prince Charles Grade 1 band, who played extremely well, putting in two very solid performances, impressing both their long time fans, the audience, and the judges! They placed 2nd to SFU in both the Medley and MSR events, ahead of the LA Scots. There were three Grade 1 bands competing at the games. The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, one of the top Grade 1 bands in the world, attended the games for the first time, and was the guest band for the weekend. The Grade 3 Band also played well, placing 4th in the Medley and 3rd in the MSR, with seven bands competing in the events. Members of the band winning in their solo events were Cameron Scott (Grade 2 Piping) and Steve McElhaney (Grade 3 Piping), who were both presented with trophies at the closing ceremonies on Sunday.
2004/02/16: Queen Mary Games Starts the Competition Season
On Saturday, both bands competed in the Medley competition. The G1 played very well and their musical new medley was very well received by the audience. They placed second to the LA Scots. The Grade 3 placed second to the newly named Kevin Blanford Memorial Pipe Band, in honor of Kevin Blanford, past president of the Western United States Pipe Band Association who died last year. On Sunday, the bands played in their March, Strathspey, and Reel (MSR) competition. The G1 again placed second to the LA Scots. The G3 won the MSR competition and was awarded the Grade 3 aggregate award for the weekend. Colin Berta, the Pipe Major of the G1 lead the massed bands in the playing of Amazing Grace during the opening ceremonies on Sunday. Many of the solo piping and drumming awards were won by our band members. For piping, Cameron Scott won the Grade 2 Piping aggregate and John Sutherland won the Grade 1 Piping aggregate. Also winning first places were Ken Sutherland in the Professional Piping Hornpipe/Jig, Cyrus Luciano in the Grade 1Piping Piobaireachd, Micah Babinski in the Grade 1 Piping MSR and Susan Karayel in the Grade 3 Piping MSR. In the drumming solos, Andrew Moore took first place in the Grade 2 competition while Nadia Krasner came in at second and Sara Galvez took the third.
2004/01/31: Successful Los Gatos Concert
Many friends and family members celebrated the marriage of Dan McNear and Kate Melenyzer, both PC pipers, on a warm October afternoon. The wedding took place outdoors, under the redwood trees in Fairfax, California, with pipe music provided by the Prince Charles Grade One Pipe Band lead by P/M Colin Berta. Officiating the ceremony was Jan Richey, P/M of the MacIntosh Pipe Band, Larkspur, California. Best man was Fritz Hoffman of the LA Scotts Pipe Band. Many of those in attendance were current or past members of various Prince Charles bands over the last 35 years and all present enjoyed this wonderfully happy event. We wish Dan and Kate a very happy life together! 2003/09/14: Very Pleasant weekend at Pleasanton
The entire Prince Charles Pipe Band organization enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the annual Pleasanton Games, put on by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco. The weather was warm with a nice occasional breeze and our large encampment enjoyed visits by some of our long time supporters and friends. On proud display were the many beautiful silver cups and awards won by the Grade 3 band during their Scotland tour last month. All three bands put on good performances, with the Grade 1 placing 3rd in both the Medley and the MSR events. The Grade 3 band won 1st place on Saturday in the Medley, and then 1st again on Sunday in the MSR. The Grade 3 band received the highest honor of the games at the massed bands on Sunday, when they were presented with the Chief's Trophy by Chief Alex Henderson.
Soloists from the bands also excelled...aggregate winners in the piping events were Micah Babinski, Cyrus Luciano, Cameron Scott, Suzan Karayel, and Kyle Rothschild. Michael O'Neil won the professional tenor drumming, Duncan MacPherson was 2nd in the Professional side drumming, Billy McWood was 2nd in the Grade 1 drumming. Other drumming aggregate winners were Nadia Krasner and Sara Galvez.
A very successful games, and a pleasant way to close up the competition season as the bands and soloists start thinking about their music and sets for next season.
Our young Grade Four Bamd has one more competition at the upcoming Dixon Games on Saturday, September 27th, where the Grade 3 Band will be the guest band for the day. 2003/08/22:
Bands Return from Scotland, Grade 3 wins World
Championship in Grade 3B
The Grade 3 Band returned from a wonderful three week tour of Scotland
after winning the World Championship in Grade 3B at Glasgow Green in Glasgow on
Saturday, August 16th. The G3 band started it's tour by placing first in the G3, and second in
the G2 competition at the Inverkeithing Games on August 2nd, and then again
placing first in G3 the next day at the Bridge of Allan Games, and winning first
in Marching and Deportment for Overseas bands. During the week the band toured
Edinburgh, visiting the Edinburgh Castle and shopping on Princess Street. We
enjoyed some of the local entertainment as several performing groups from around
the world got an early start to the Edinburgh Festival. The next week the band, along with parents, friends, and siblings,
toured the highlands, visiting the towns of Inverness, Fort William, and many
sights along the way, meeting up with the Grade 1 Band in Glasgow. Many of the
Grade 1 members accompanied the Grade 3 to the North Berwick games where the
Grade 3 placed first again in G3. The band then played the next day at the Perth
Highland Games, placing 2nd in G3 as well as 2nd in Grade 2. During the week before the World Championships in Glasgow, both bands
stayed at the Murano Street Student Village at the University of Glasgow,
practicing hard everyday, in very warm and unusual weather for Scotland, as most
of Europe was sweltering in a heat wave. The weather must have agreed with us, as both bands put on great
performances at the World Championships at Glasgow Green. The Grade 1 Band
performed in its first G1 competition at the World Championships, playing in the
Grade 1 qualifier just before 11am against sixteen other bands. The band looked
great in their new blue shirts, and they played a very solid MSR set, so well in
fact that most of us expected them to qualify for the finals, unfortunately they
didn't, but we were very proud of their performance and are looking forward to
hearing them on the World's CD. Colin and Scott did their typically excellent job of tuning up the G3
for their competition at around 1:40pm. The band put on another great
performance, playing their medley set against 28 other bands from around the
world. Both the G1 and G3 bands combined for a massed PC band, for both the
final march past, as well as leaving the field, after much celebration with the
G3 winning the G3B Championship! The bands are now gearing up for their next competition at the Caledonian Club Games in Pleasanton over the Labor Day weekend, Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st. The G3 finished up their Scotland tour by attending the Crieff Games on August 17th, placing 2nd in G3 and 3rd in G2. 2003/07/21: Portland Games, Reno, and then onto Scotland!The Grade 1 and Grade 3 bands traveled to a very warm Portland, Oregon for the annual Portland Scottish Highland Games, held at the Mount Hood Community College, Saturday, July 19th. Both Bands played well with the Grade 3 placing 2nd overall in the Medley competition to Simon Fraser's RMM band, with the PC Grade 3 drum corps placing 1st in drumming. The Grade 1 placed 2nd in both the MSR and the Medley events to SFU. The Grade1 also played as the guest "duty band" for the day, piping in the MacTarnahan's Caber and playing for the opening ceremonies and the march past of the clans.
2003/07/02: Bands to Attend Annual Dunsmuir House Scottish GamesThe Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 4 bands will be attending the annual Scottish games held on the grounds of the historical Dunsmuir House in Oakland, on the weekend of July 12th and 13th. The bands will give several performances each day. Please visit the Dunsmuir House Scottish Games website for ticket prices and other information. 2003/5/28: Hot Competition at Costa MesaThe Grade 3 and Grade 4 Bands were greeted at Costa Mesa on Saturday morning by some very Scottish like weather! The drizzle subsided around noon, but the cool weather continued for most of the weekend, with the sun coming out just in time for massed bands on Sunday afternoon. The Grade 4 band competed in the March Medley competition on Saturday, playing quite well to a large and appreciative audience. Good show kids! The Grade 3 band competed in the Medley competition on Saturday and the MSR on Sunday. The band played well, placing second to the St. Thomas Band from Houston, Texas. This was the largest Grade 3 competition of the season so far, with six Grade 3 bands attending. The competition was very closed with the Grade 3 band placing first in piping on Sunday, with St. Thomas winning by ensemble preference. Overall, two very impressive performances. Well done Grade 3! Soloists once again did quite well winning many of the aggregate awards in both piping and drumming. John Sutherland of our Grade 1 band won three first places and was awarded the annual Silver Chanter award for the Grade 1 solo piping competition. Congratulations to John and all of the other winners! Overall a very enjoyable weekend for both bands. 2003/04/29: Bands Enjoy a Weekend at the Sacramento Valley GamesThe Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 4 Bands enjoyed a relaxing weekend at the annual Sacramento Valley Games (4/26 and 4/27), held at the Yolo County fairgrounds in Woodland. The weather was breezy and partly cloudy, with enough sunshine to give most of us our first sunburn of the season! The bands took turns marching and giving performances at various locations throughout the fairgrounds. One highlight was a massed PC Grade 1 and Grade 3 band performance on the center field Sunday afternoon....twenty six pipers and twenty drummers! Lots of fun, and lots of good music! In the Pipe Band competition, the Grade 3 Band took first place in piping, drumming, and ensemble, both days, winning 1st place in the Medley on Saturday and the MSR on Sunday. The band was awarded the Aggregate as well as the "Best Band" award for the weekend. Solo competitors did extremely well with John Sutherland (Grade 1 Piping), Cyrus Luciano (Grade 2 Piping), and Cameron Scott (Grade 3 Piping) winning the piping aggregates. Andrew Moore (Grade 2 Snare), Nadia Krasner (Grade 3 Snare), and Allie Navratil (Grade 1 Tenor) all winning first places in their classes. Overall, a very pleasant weekend, with compliments to Bill and Susan Wilson and the games committee for another well run and enjoyable event! The bands will be competing next at the Costa Mesa Games in Southern California over the Memorial Day Weekend (5/24 and 5/25). 2003/02/16: Great Start to the Season at the Queen Mary GamesThe Caledonian Club of San Francisco's Prince Charles Grade 3 Band got the 2003 competition off to a great start by placing 1st in the Medley competition on Saturday, and placing 1st in the MSR competition on Sunday. The band played well both days, and the tuning of the pipe section was outstanding both days thanks to Colin, Scott, and Chris of our Grade 1 band. Many of the Grade 3 band members competed and placed in the solo competitions, with several winning the aggregate awards for their grade. We all enjoyed the mild Southern California weather, and many of the parents enjoyed the various ship tours on the Queen Mary. The City of Long Beach has done much in recent years to improve the transportation around the city, and the free shuttle service between the hotel and the ship, as well as downtown, made for a very convenient and fun weekend. The games was very well run, with a nice mix of events being held both on and off of the ship, both during the day, as well as the evenings. The band members enjoyed participating in the noon massed bands opening ceremony which was both well run and short. Many thanks to Dan Galvez and Kit who set up the tents on Sunday, giving us our own place to meet and tune up. Overall a very pleasant weekend, and a great start to the season. Way to go Grade 3!! 2003/01/17: First U.S. Silver Medal Competition Won By Ken SutherlandGrade 1 band member and professional soloist Ken Sutherland won the first-ever Midwest Highland Arts Fund & Midwest Pipe Band Association United States Silver Medal Competition this afternoon against a field of 24 other top North American competitors. Ken was followed by Lyric Todkill of Pittsburgh, PA, Jeremy Freeman of Houston, TX, Douglas MacRae of London, ON, and Andrew Bonar of Surrey, BC. "Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach" was the winning piobaireachd Ken played for judges Jack Lee and Mike Cusack. Ken was also invited to play at the "Winter Storm Piping Concert" held on Saturday. 2002/10/14: P/M Angus MacDonald Competition ResultsKen Sutherland, a piper in the Grade 1 band and active solo competitor in the open class circuit, pulled out another win in the professional piobaireachd event at this year's Angus MacDonald Western Regional Piping Competition, held in San Diego on October 12. Ken played the classic "Park Piobaireachd #2," a ceol mor composition with especially pleasant melodies. Adrian Melvin from Chicago won the March, Strathspey and Reel (MSR) event, and edged Ken for the overall championship. Last year Ken won the piobaireachd as well as the overall prize. Winning the Angus MacDonald competition permanently qualifies the player for the United States Piping Foundation championships held in Delaware each June. The winner also receives air fare to the Delaware event. Earlier this year Ken competed in the USPF and placed 5th in the MSR. The USPF is a qualifying event for the Glenfiddich championships in Scotland, one of the premier piping events in the world. 2002/09/03: Piping Hot at PleasantonAll three bands put in great performances both days at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco's annual games in Pleasanton, while the temperatures both days passed the 100 degree mark. Not enough thanks can be given to Kit Warne and all of the band parents who worked in the heat both day, keeping the bands well supplied with food, water, ice, and those wonderful mist sprays! The MacTarnahans's Grade 1 band played some of their best music of the season, topping it off by placing second on both days, and placing first in piping on Sunday in the MSR competition. The Grade 3 band, sponsored by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco, won the Grade 3 band aggregate trophy for the weekend by placing first in the Medley event on Saturday, and second in the MSR event on Sunday. The band placed first in piping both days. Also putting in two very impressive performances, was the new Grade 4 Junior band. Good work kids! The Grade 4 solo piping aggregate was won by Junior band member Cameron Scott. The Grade 2 solo piping aggregate was won by Grade 3 band member Gabe Galvez, and the Grade 2 solo drumming was won by Grade 3 band member Billy McWood. The Grade 3 and Grade 4 bands will be attending the Dixon games on September 28th. After that the band competition season takes a break, but all bands will working harder than ever on new music for next season and in preparation for competitions next summer! Check our website in January for upcoming concerts and fund raising events next spring. The Prince Charles Pipe Band organization would like to thank all of our fans and supporters this year. Next year is going to be a very busy year as we are planning on taking two bands to Scotland for the World Championships, and we look forward to your continuing support. 2002/07/20: Portland Games Report The Grade 3 and Grade 1 bands enjoyed a sunny and warm games in Portland, Oregon last weekend (July
20th). Soloists and bands played well, with the Grade 3 band taking second place in the Medley event
(with a first in ensemble), and the Grade 1 putting on two very impressive shows for the spectators. (There was no Grade 1 contest as PC
was the only Grade 1 band there.) 2002/06/30: United States Piping Federation Selects Glenfiddich RepresentativeThe United States Piping Federation's annual contest was held in Delaware yesterday. The contest draws the premiere piping talent from the professional ranks, and is used as a qualifying event for the Glenfiddich Contest held every year at Blair Castle in Scotland. The overall winner was Mike Cusack from Texas. Band piper Ken Sutherland represented the western region and placed 5th in the MSR event. Well done Ken ! 2002/05/27: Band Finds Good Competition in Costa MesaThe Grade 1 and Grade 3 Bands traveled to Costa Mesa Games over the Memorial Day weekend, finding good weather and good competition. The Grade 1 band put in two solid performances, and placed second in both the MSR and the Medley competitions. The Grade 3 band placed fourth in the Medley, and third in the MSR, with the pipe corps placing 2nd in the MSR event. Overall, it was good competition for both bands, as they continue to play well and improve with each outing. The weather was pleasantly cool in the mornings with the sun coming out at noon, just as the competitions were getting underway. Solo competitors also did well with Alan Struck placing 1st in the Grade 2 MSR event, Barry Brownstein placing 2nd in the Grade 3 Piobaireachd, Gabe Galvez placing 3rd in the Grade 2 Hornpipe/Jig, Duncan MacPherson placing 2nd in the Professional Snare drumming, Sarah Galvez placed 2nd in the Grade 2 snare drumming. 2002/05/02: Success at Woodland gets the 2002 Season off to a great start:The MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Grade 1 Pipe Band, and the Caledonian Club of San Francisco's Grade 3 Pipe Bands got the competition season off to a great start by taking best Pipe Band awards in both the Grade 1 and the Grade 3 Band competitions this past weekend at the Sacramento Valley Highland Games. The Grade 1 band, under the direction of PM Colin Berta and DS Liza McAdam, won 1st places in both the MSR and Medley events, over the revamped Los Angeles Scots. The Grade 3 band won 1st place in the MSR and was 2nd in the Medley event, behind the Utah Pipe Band. Also making it's first appearance was the newly formed Grade 4 Junior band. Soloists also excelled placing in many of the solo events, with members Cyrus Luciano winning the Grade 3 Piping, Andrew Moore winning the Grade 2 Snare Drumming, Sara Galvez winning the Grade 3 Snare Drumming and Ben Navratil winning the Grade 2 Tenor Drumming events. Ken Sutherland won the Professional Jig contest, Duncan McPherson won the Professional Snare Drumming, and Michael O'Neil continued to dominate the Professional Tenor Drumming competition. All three bands will continue to work hard over the next month in preparation for their next contest which will be held in Costa Mesa, May 25th and 26th. 2002/03/14: Former Band Member Paul Hamilton Passes AwayFormer Band member and current Caledonian Club member Paul Hamilton passed away on Monday evening. He is the son of Past Chief Jimmy Hamilton of the Caledonian Club. Paul was a member of the Band during the 70s, 80s and early 90s, and traveled to Scotland with the juvenile band in 1978. A memorial service for Paul will be held this Friday, March 15, at 6 pm in South San Francisco at the Nauman Lincoln Roos Mortuary, 322 Maple Street. There will be a reception following at the Caledonian Club. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. 2002/02/14: RSPBA Confers Grade 1 StatusThe MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band are pleased to announce the confirmation of their Grade 1 status by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA). The confirmation of grading was approved at the recent National Council Meeting held in Glasgow. The Band is looking forward to the challenge of playing at the highest standards of competitive piping and drumming in the forthcoming season. 2001/09/15: Band Mourns Loss of Ralph BlackToday is a sad day in the Bay area's Scottish Community. Ralph Black, Chieftain of the Caledonian Club of San Francisco, died of a heart attack in his home this afternoon. He is survived by wife Mary, son (and Club member) Gary Black, a daughter and another son. A funeral service will be held this Thursday at 1:00 PM at Chapel of the Highlands in Millbrae. 2001/09/03: Great Results at PleasantonOur bands and soloists alike have completed a fantastic weekend at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games in Pleasanton, CA. This is one of the largest Scottish gatherings in North America, if not the world. Pleasanton returned to its traditional hot, dry conditions after a couple of milder years, providing havoc to Pipe Majors as they attempted to achieve a stable sound for their performance. For the Grade 1 band, this was the last contest of the season, and the biggest Grade 1 contest outside of the British Isles for the year. The band was pitted against Alberta Caledonia, who finished 7th in the Worlds this year, along with the Los Angeles Scots, New Zealand Police and Celtic Flair from Toronto, CA. In a close contest, the band finished second to Alberta Caledonia on both days. Congratulations to Liza and the drum corps for winning best drum corps both days. The junior organization within the band had solid performances also. The band's junior ranks have swelled to two bands, both competing in grade 4. The Junior "A" band finished 4th on Saturday in the selection of marches, and 3rd on Sunday in the medley. In solo piping events, Ken Sutherland won the Professional Jigs and Megan Harrington won the overall Grade 1 prize. Colin Berta, John Sutherland, Gabe Galvez, Barry Brownstein, Erik Leiken, Alan Struck and Ian Sciford all placed in events in their grades. In solo drumming, Duncan MacPherson placed second the Professional MSR. Michael O'Neil rewrites the history books with his fifth straight Professional Tenor Drumming win at Pleasanton. Caitlin Harrington placed second in the same event, while Alison MacDonald placed fourth. Davy's basic section tuition also resulted in Ben Navratil winning the Grade 2 tenor competition. Most of us drink whisky that is older than Ben ! For the second year running, John Biggar won the prize for the best bass drummer in all grades. That prize is named in honor of former band member, the late Clutch Sutton. Bridget Mooney also placed in her event. 2001/08/21: Band Returns Home from the WorldsAs the rigors of everyday life beckon stronger, members of the Grade 1 band returned home from Scotland after the World Pipe Band Championships. Requested to play in Grade 2 by the RSPBA, the Band managed 4th place after drawing 4th on out of 32 bands. 2001/08/05: Monterey Highland Games - Straight Firsts for the Grade 1 BandThe MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band completed their domestic preparations for Scotland this weekend with outstanding performances at the Monterey Highland Games. The Band received straight firsts from the judges in the Medley and MSR competitions. The LA Scots finished in second place. Not to be outdone, the pocket dynamos in the junior band completed their campaign with first place in the Selection of Marches, and second place in the Medley. The Grade 1 band departs for Scotland on Tuesday, while the junior band continue to hone their skills for the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games, in Pleasanton on Labor Day. 2001/07/22: Back from PortlandThe Grade 1 band arrived home today after the Portland Highland Games. The band finished second behind Simon Fraser University in the MSR and Medley competitions. Members of our Grade 4 band also attended to compete in solos, and had great results. Ben Navratil finished first in the Grade 2 tenor competition, and Gabriel Galvez swept the boards in the Grade 3 solo piping. Members of the band also participated in the pre-Games activities with the Portland Brewing Company, brewer of MacTarnahan's Amber Ale and other hops-based treats. Among other things, this included the Keg Toss, Ceilidh and a spot on morning television. 2001/06/03: Tough Competition in BellinghamThe Grade 1 band returned home from Bellingham, WA, after competing in their annual Highland Games yesterday. Simon Fraser University were victorious on the day, and Alberta Caledonia also delivered a strong performance. The competitive highlight for the band on the weekend was achieving second place in drumming behind SFU in the medley contest. Liza and her corps have risen to the challenge. Weather conditions were changing constantly throughout the day, which was a challenge for competitors and spectators alike. The Grade 1 band has a mid-season break from competition until Portland in mid-July. 2001/05/28: Success All Round at Costa MesaThe Prince Charles family of pipe bands has completed an extremely successful weekend ever at the Costa Mesa Highland Games over the Memorial Day long weekend. The Grade 1 band won the medley event on Saturday, recording their first win since being promoted at the end of last year. The drummers also won both days. While we were happy with these performances, the show was stolen on Sunday by the Grade 4 band, who won the medley competition from a field of twelve bands. The continued improvement in these young players is tremendous, and the result was a fine reward for their efforts. The Grade 1 has no time to rest, traveling to Bellingham, WA this coming weekend for their annual games. The Grade 4 band has a couple of weeks to hone their skills before their next contest in Campbell, CA on June 16. 2001/05/20: Band Returns from Callander CeltfestThe MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band arrived home today from the
Callander CeltFest, held in northern Ontario, Canada. A concert was
presented on the Friday night, in conjunction with the Kael Mor highland dance
team. Saturday saw two contest elements. The first, a traditional
pipe band medley, was won by Toronto Metro Police Pipe Band, with us finished in
second place, and Celtic Flair Pipe Band third. The second event was an
"Anything Goes" contest, with an open format. This allowed all
bands to integrate different features into their show, including drum fanfares,
other instruments, dancers, drum major, etc. Toronto Metro were victorious
again, followed by Celtic Flair and Prince Charles. 05/04/2001: Band Performs Well at WoodlandBoth Prince Charles bands turned in solid performances in their first competitive outing for 2001. The senior band competed in Grade 1 for the first time, finishing second in the MSR and Medley events to the Los Angeles Scots Pipe Band. The junior band finished fifth out of ten bands in one of the strongest Grade 4 fields seen in California for some time. A fine effort considering the average age of the band is between 10 and 11 years, and that some of the members were competing for the first time with the band. A highlight for both bands was the strong ensemble results, rewarding the focus we place on this discipline. Members of the band also finished strongly in solos. Michael O'Neil (Professional Tenor), Erik Leiken (Grade 3 Piping), Billy McWood (Grade 2 Drumming), Ben Navratil (Grade 2 Tenor) and Bridget Mooney (Grade 4 Drumming) all won their divisions. Fritz Hoffman (Professional Piping), Harvey Yaw (Grade 2 Piping), Gabriel Galvez (Grade 3 Piping), Barry Brownstein (Grade 4 Piping), Duncan McPherson (Professional Drumming), Caitlin Harrington (Professional Tenor) , Allison MacDonald (Professional Tenor), Ian MacDonald (Grade 3 Drumming), Conor Sciford (Grade 4 Drumming) and Sarah Galvez (Grade 4 Drumming) were all placed. The Grade 1 band travels to North Bay, Ontario, for the "Battle of the Bands" on May 17, and then both bands prepare for the Costa Mesa Games on Memorial Day. 2000/12/04 - MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band Upgraded by WUSPBAFollowing outstanding success in Scotland and North America in the 2000 season, the MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band has been upgraded to Grade 1 for the 2001 season. Only two other bands in the United States currently hold Grade 1 status. Upon receiving formal confirmation of the decision of the WUSPBA executive, Pipe Major Bruce Woodley stated "Moving to Grade 1 provides us with a new set of challenges, and is already proving to be a great recruiting and motivational tool. The band as a whole is excited by the move, and are dedicated to continuing the growth and improvement seen over the last four years in Scotland and the USA. Our nucleus of core pipers and drummers has been together for over three seasons now, and I attribute much of our success to the stability of the organization as a whole.". The band plans to compete in Scotland and Canada in the coming season, as well as compete and perform at various locations in the western United States.2000/11/27: MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band to Appear at North Bay's Celtic Arts CelebrationThe Band has been invited to participate in the North Bay Celtic Arts Celebration, May 18/19, 2001. Located in North Bay, Ontario, the weekend includes a concert featuring the MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band and Celtic Flair Pipe Band from Ontario, as well as a number of other events - pipe band competition, highland dancing, solo piping and drumming, athletic events and an array of vendors.2000/10/20: MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band Announces Formation of Grade 3 BandWith the recent success of the Grade 2 MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band at the World Championships in Glasgow this summer, the Grade 2 Band anticipates moving up to the Grade 1 level for the 2001 season. In addition, the Prince Charles Pipe Band organization continues its focus as a non-profit educational organization by supporting the teaching and training of the many children in the Prince Charles Junior Pipe Band under the direction of Bill Merriman. Due to the number of new and younger players, the 2001 season will see two PCPB Junior bands!The gap between the Junior bands and the Grade 2 has widened, creating an opportunity for an adult Grade 3 band within the PCPB family of pipe bands. We are pleased to announce the formation of the Prince Charles Grade 3 Pipe Band, with the following express goals:
Since there are no Grade 3 bands in the San Francisco Bay Area, we feel that this organization can fill a gap in the piping community in the Northern California. The PCPB Grade 3 will not be recruiting members from existing pipe bands. Those who join the new Grade 3 band will have the support and benefit of joining an established organization that has been in existence since 1968, and which has consistently exhibited its ability to produce excellent bands at all grade levels. Instruction will be available on a rotating basis from the Grade 1 band members. The goals for 2001 for the new Grade 3 band are to:
The provisional dates for the 2001 season are as follows (note - games date are estimates based on when games are typically held, and may change):
If you are a piper or drummer of Grade 3 or better solo level, and are interested in being a part of the new PCPB Grade 3 band, please contact Erin Berta (415) 892-1510. 2000/09/12: Marin County Honors World ChampionsOn Tuesday, September 12, the Board of Supervisors of Marin County honored the MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band at a regular meeting of the Board. John Kress, supervisor, presented Bill Merriman and Jack Sutherland (founders of the band) with a proclamation honoring the band for winning the Grade II World Championship. Pipers Dan McNear and Colin Berta (Marin residents) piped. Images from the event can be found in the photo gallery.2000/09/05: 2000 Contest Season Finishes on a HighThe MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band completed their undefeated US contest season this past week with a win on both days at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games at Pleasanton. In unseasonably mild weather, the Band carried home the Grade 2 prizes. Individually, John Biggar received the award for the best bass drummer, a trophy donated to remember one of this area's greatest pipe band characters, Clutch Sutton.The junior band placed 5th in the MSR event on Saturday, and 7th in the Medley on Sunday. Considering the number of players in this Band making their competition debut this weekend, this was another fine performance by the rapidly maturing Band. In solo competition, our band members also excelled, with results including Tom Harvey (1st, Grade 1 6/8 March), Michael O'Neil (1st, Professional Tenor), Caitlin Harrington (2nd, Professional Tenor), Alan Struck (1st, Grade 3 Strathspey & Reel; 2nd Grade 3 March), Billy McWood (1st, Grade 3 Drumming). In coming weeks, both Bands take a much needed break before participating at the Dixon Highland Games on September 30. 2000/08/12: Prince Charles Pipe Band Victorious at World Pipe Band ChampionshipsThe Prince Charles Pipe Band achieved their goal today with a win in the Grade 2 competition at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Following on from 6th place in 1999, the Band produced consistent performances in both qualifying and final events to take the prize in front of over 40 other competing bands. Today's victory will move the Band into Grade 1, making us only the third band from the United States to currently be in Grade 1. The Band next plays at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Highland Games at Pleasanton on the Labor Day long weekend. 2000/07/25: Prince Charles Pipe Band becomes MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe BandThe Band is pleased to announce that we have signed an initial sponsorship agreement with the Portland Brewing Company, maker of Scottish style, "MacTarnahan's Ale". The Band will now be known as the "MacTarnahan's Prince Charles Pipe Band", and the new name will be officially unveiled at the Pleasanton Highland Games over the Labor Day long weekend in September. "The opportunity to represent the Portland Brewing Company both at home and abroad gives us great pride," said Band Manager and Founder, Mr. J. W. Merriman, "We believe that our relationship will be mutually beneficial in both the immediate and long term". Eric Starr, Director of Marketing for the Portland Brewing Company, sees things this way: "The Prince Charles Pipe Band is well established in Northern California, and they make an ideal partner for marketing our products to the west coast Scottish community and beyond. We look forward to seeing this relationship flourish, along with the MacTarnahan's brand." The Prince Charles Pipe Band has been in continuous operation for 32 years and during this period of time has established itself as a World Class band and is the most successful and only Grade II pipe band serving the area of Northern California. Over the past 30 years the band has trained over 500 pipers and drummers and, annually, has competed in Highland Games in California, Oregon, Washington and Scotland. The Band exemplifies continuity and has set a high standard for musical quality in the field of piping and drumming. The Band holds 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. 2000/07/15: Another Solid Performance in PortlandFor the second year in a row, the Band has come away from Portland as Grade 2 champions. With the World Championships 4 weeks away, the Band's practice schedule intensifies as the domestic competition season trails off. We now look forward to our next contest on Scottish soil, Bridge of Allan on August 6th.2000/05/30: Another Sweep for the Grade 2 Band at Costa MesaIn blistering weather conditions, the grade 2 band completed their second sweep of the season in Costa Mesa on the weekend. The junior band performed admirably yet again, continuing to get judges' comments that exceed the expectations of their baby-faced appearance.The band gets a short break from competitions now, with the junior band playing at Campbell on Saturday, June 17, and the Grade 2 band waiting until July15 before stepping onto the park again in Portland, OR. 2000/05/15: Band Starts on a Winning Note at MontereyThis past weekend saw the start of the WUSPBA contest season, and for the Prince Charles family of bands, it was a weekend of success and good fun. The Grade 2 band continued their winning way from last year, sweeping the contest in all elements. The real success was the Grade 4 band, who finished second in their grade. Most notable in this performance is the fact that the majority of the band is under 15 years of age. Results like this show who will be continuing to make waves for years to come.The band next travels to Orange County, CA, for the Costa Mesa games over the Memorial Day weekend. 1999/10/10: October Fest in Campbell next WeekendNext weekend, the Band will play at the Campbell October Fest, in downtown Campbell. The Band will be manning their booth during the day on Saturday, October 16, from 10 AM to 5 PM. This is another great opportunity to see the Band play, as well as meet members of the Band, check out the merchandise, and have a great day in Campbell !!1999/09/08: Final Contest - Champion of Champions !!The Band completed the 1999 competition season on the highest possible note - winning the Grade 2 contest at the Pleasanton Highland Games, as well as snatching the WUSPBA Grade 2 Champion of Champions award. The Pleasanton Highland Games are regarded by most as the largest spectator population of any contest in the United States, and every single audience member at the competition circle would not have been disappointed, as the playing standard was as high as it has been for many years, across all grades.1999/08/26: Success in ScotlandThe Band returned from a successful tour of Scotland, placing in the prize list in each contest that the Band participated. Firstly, the Band achieved second place at Bridge of Allan, including first place in drumming.At the World Championships, the Band finished in sixth place in Grade2, representing the Band's best ever result in the Worlds. In 1998, the Band finished in fifth place in Grade 3a. This great improvement is a credit to the dedication of the players in the Band, almost all of which played in the Band last year. The Band now looks forward to their final contest of the year, at Pleasanton over the Labor Day weekend. 1999/08/04: Relationship with Campbell Chamber of CommercePrince Charles Pipe Band has been announced the official pipe band of the Campbell Chamber of Commerce. This relationship has been forged over the past few months, and has included the Band's participation with in the Campbell Highland Games in June each year.1999/07/26: Band Leaves for Scotland on a High NoteThe Prince Charles Pipe Band is preparing to depart for Scotland this week, after competing at the Monterey Games. The Band performed in a Celtic Concert on Friday night, and played in two contest elements on the weekend, resulting in a second place and a first place. This result was sufficient to be the outright winner over the two days.Soloists from the Band shone once again, with Colin Berta, Megan Harrington and John Sutherland being named 'Piper of the Day' in their respective grades. The junior band also competed and performed admirably on the weekend. Players in this Band have often been playing for less than a year, and they continue to impress listeners of all ages. 1999/06/01: Band Delivers the Goods in Costa MesaThe Memorial Day weekend saw the Prince Charles Pipe Band debut in the Grade 2 contest arena, at the Costa Mesa Highland Games. A touch of nerves on the Saturday saw the Band receive second in the March, Strathspey &Reel competition. Sunday's medley event was a different story, with greater control being displayed throughout the ranks. The Band took first place in the Medley, and first place overall. The drums corps once again swept their competition on both days. Band members were also successful in solo events on the weekend, with Colin Berta (Grade I Piping), Megan Harrington Grade II Piping), Duncan McPherson (Professional Drumming) and Anjali Kapur (Grade I Drumming) all receiving prizes. While the weekend's results are encouraging, it is recognized that continual improvement will be required to be competitive in Grade 2 in Scotland, and all efforts remain focused on that goal. The Band's next contest is in Portland, Oregon on July 17and 18.1999/05/04: Band Prepares for Costa MesaThe band is currently preparing for its first contest of the 1999 season, to be held in Costa Mesa, CA, over the weekend of May 29-30. Promoted to Grade 2 this year, Prince Charles Pipe Band will be pitted against a different set of adversaries, and will have to be at the top of its game to maintain its high quality results of 1998. Keep an eye on this page for results at the end of the month.1999/01/06: Grade 2 in Our Sights !After monumental success in Grade 3 in 1998, Prince Charles Pipe Band has-been upgraded to Grade 2 by the Western United States Pipe Band Association (WUSPBA). Bolstered by some recent acquisitions, combined with the solid foundation of the 1997 Juvenile Band, the Band has added a great deal of depth. Band Manager Bill Merriman, upon confirmation of the news, said," We look forward to success in California and Scotland this year, and are confident this can be achieved through continued hard work and diligence."1998/11/08: Prince Charles are WUSPBA Grade 3 ChampionsAs a result of consistent performances throughout the year, Prince Charles Pipe Band has finished at the top of the Grade 3 bands for 1998. P/M Bruce Woodley, on hearing the news, said that "this was an excellent reward for the hard work put in by all members of the Band during the season, both in California and Scotland. We look forward to pushing even harder in Grade2 next year with a new repertoire and new members."In the WUSPBA solo championships, members of the Prince Charles Pipe Band also shone. Ryan Parker (1st - Grade 3 Piping), Megan Harrington(3rd - Grade 3 Piping), Anjali Kapur (3rd - Grade 1 Side Drumming), Duncan McPherson (1st - Professional Side Drumming) and Michael O'Neil (1st -Professional Tenor Drumming) all received places. Congratulations on the fine effort ! 1998/10/26: Leaving Reno a WinnerIn the final competition for the season, held last weekend in Reno, NV, the Band completed a successful year with a clean sweep in the Grade 3competition. In challenging conditions, due to the temperature and altitude, pipe and drum corps both produced a great sound.The Band's post-season regime now starts, but the intensity doesn't drop too much, as we focus on our ultimate goal in Scotland next August. 1998/09/07: Great Results and Huge Crowds at PleasantonBand remembers returned to their homes today after an intense weekend of competition at the 133rd Pleasanton Highland Games. Touted as the biggest pipe band event in North America, the Band played with new found control and demonstrated why it is a popular member of the Greater Bay Area's Scottish community.The Band were overall winners in the Grade 3 competition, and won drumming in Grade 3. Another great results was from the basic section, who was awarded second prize in the "Best Basic Section", an event which spanned all grades. We were only beaten by Strathclyde Police. For us though, the highlight was certainly the end-of-day display in front of 20,000 enthusiastic fan sat the traditional massed bands. The Band shared center stage with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, one of the World's most successful in modern times, and the Los Angeles Scottish, a recent promotion to Grade 1. The Band now looks forward to the final competition of the year in Reno, NV. Let's hope we don't leave empty handed like many of the gambling town's other visitors ! 1998/09/02: Bring on Pleasanton !The Band is now strongly focused on the upcoming contest in Pleasanton, California. As the state's biggest contest, all eyes will be on the Band as they endeavor to repeat their recent successes in the USA. The contest is at the Alameda County Fairgrounds on the 5th and 6th of this month.1998/08/17: Band Returns from Scotland with SuccessPrince Charles Pipe Band today returned from Scotland after a successful tour of the competition circuit, winning at Crieff, placing 3rd at NorthBerwick, and 5th at the Worlds. The Band played above expectation and Pipe Major Bruce Woodley and Drum Sgt. Liza McAdam were both pleased with the results. |
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The PCPB Grade 3 Band
completed a very good showing at this year’s Queen Mary Scottish Festival and
Games in 
Portree.
He later learned that he had placed first in both competitions and took the
Harlosh Trophy for best overall junior player. At a ceremony that afternoon
Cameron was awarded the Clan Donald Quaich for his win in the piobaireachd
competition, a second quaich (silver bowl) for his 1st place in the
March, Strathspey and Reel and a copy of the Kiberry Book for best overall
junior player. After the ceremony, it was off to Dunvegan Castle on the west
coast of the isle to take in the Silver Chanter Recital. After the recital
and reception, Cameron and Steve jumped into their car and Steve drove all the
way to Glasgow to catch an early morning flight to Belfast. They rejoined the
band Thursday morning just in time for the day’s band practice.
Finally,
the day of the World Championships came with a couple of light showers in the
morning but mostly sunny the rest of the day. In a nutshell, both bands
played exceptionally well, with the Grade 1 band placing as the top Grade 1
band in the United States during the qualifying round and the Grade 3 band
placing 4th in the Grade 3A event. The goal of the Grade 1 was and continues
to be to qualify for the final competition held in the afternoon. This
competition is restricted to only the very top bands in the world. For an
overseas pipe band, the only way into the finals is to qualify by placing high
in the MSR competition held in the morning. It was disappointing not making
the cut but it was only the band’s second time out as a Grade 1 band. The
playing and the sound were better than in 2003. The band placed 10th
making it the best performance by a USA band and a step closer to that cut
line. From PM Berta, “We’ll be back!” The Grade 3 band was just plain
pleased placing 4th in a field of 28 bands. They were under a lot
of pressure after coming off of winning the Grade 3B World Championship in
2003. After that win the band was moved up to Grade 3A so the pressure was
on!
P/M
Colin Berta
The
highlight of the weekend was the Mini-Band Competition, Grades 2 through 5,
Saturday night at the Seaquam Secondary School in Delta. Each mini-band was
made up of six pipers, two side drummers, a tenor and a bass. The Grade Three
competition had eight mini-bands including two from the RMM Pipe Band. The PCPB
Grade Three Band was the last to play in a parade of good sounding bands in the
school’s theater. At the end of the Grade Two competition, the results where
announced and to the joy of twenty people in the PCPB entourage the band took
first in the Grade 3 competition. Led by PM Cameron Scott and DS Bill McWood,
it was an impressive achievement for our Grade 3 Band .
Former PCPB Pipers Tina and
Neil Readshaw announced the arrival of Brooke Elizabeth on November 29th in
Australia. Brooke Elizabeth came in at 6 lbs 7oz and measured 18.5". No word on
leg strength or finger length. Tina started young as a Bay Area highland dancer
and then moved on to piping. She played in a number of west coast pipe bands
including PCPB. Neil just appeared out of a blue box from Australia one day. He
went on to being a strong force in PCPB's 2000 Grade Two World Championship and
the upgrade to Grade One 
The final public appearance
for the band in 2004 occurred on December 4th at the Los Gatos Christmas
Parade. A combined Grade Three and Grade Four band marched through downtown
along with some 250 other parade entries. After a holiday break the bands will
be back to tackle 2005.
