Pipes Of Spring concert

[OC Richard]

The pipe band I was a founding member of back in the 1980s, now called The Kevin R Blandford Memorial Pipe Band, has for many years put on a concert called The Pipes Of Spring.

I was surprised to see that somebody had put up a fairly rounded coverage of this year's concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRYMKxboO4

It's wonderful, the effect of a load of Highland pipes (tuned to Concert Bb) playing along with the pipe organ has. The organist, Jeff Rickard, along with Kevin Blandford, put out two excellent CDs of bagpipe and organ duets, Amazing Grace (all hymns) and Pipes Of Christmas.

To break up all the high-volume stuff I come out and play a couple tunes on uilleann pipes and whistle.

The concert raises money to support the band's occasional travels to the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, we're going this August.

[Father Bill]

I have often loved the combined sounds of bagpipes and organ pipes. Thanks for the link, Richard!

[OC Richard]

There's nothing like it, especially if you have

1) good pipers who play in tune
2) a good organist
3) a powerful real pipe organ
4) a church with great acoustics

Some of my fondest memories are being one of the pipers playing hymns in Trinity Episcopal Church (in Redlands, California), a 100 year old fieldstone church with a massive pipe organ.

We would have a half-dozen pipers, the organ, timpani, a Baroque piccolo trumpet (for those amazing descants on the final verse), and a choir and congregation singling full voice. You go away with an inkling of what the music in Heaven sounds like.

Here's the hymn tune CANDLER played at the Memorial Chapel of the University of Redlands during a previous Pipes Of Spring concert. The piper is Martha Hall, Pipe Major of the Kevin R Blandford Memorial Pipe Band, the organist is Jeff Rickard. It's magic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfrMEnEdu7M

[Profane James]

Wonderful playing, sir!
I found the duet with Mrs. Keating quite amazing as well.

[Cygnus]

I'm very impressed! Thanks for sharing!

[LetsHitTheRoadJack]

Thanks for sharing my video!
I've seen this band perform several times, at the Pipes of Spring, the Pleasanton Games and also at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.

I love going to these events when my schedule (rarely) allows. I was very excited to include this performance on my YouTube channel, and it's already become one of the highest watched videos I've done so far.

Wonderful performance by all!

[cessna152towser]

Superb.
Here's a rather fuzzy photo of the Kevin R. Bland Memorial Pipe Band which I took when I watched them perform at the Ventura Games in 2009.
I expect to be in Scotland over the 11th and 12th August and hope to be able to attend the Worlds in Glasgow this year.

[OC Richard]

See you there! (On Glasgow Green.)

Here's a less-fuzzy photo I took at the Costa Mesa Highland Games last weekend, showing the band's current lineup (many of the same faces, and some new).



(Roxburgh district tartan from House Of Edgar)