Friday, August 31, 2007

A new Season


Well, it's been quite a while since I last posted and even being the procrastinator that I am (not by choice)I am now tired of looking at it myself.

It has been a long summer once again with a 3 week trip to Scotland covering most of August to play with the band at the World Championships and then several solo contests after that finishing up with the Cowal Gathering last weekend.

Now, it's back to work getting this season's teaching schedule in order, starting to work on the new set tunes for the major Piob contests next and working to expand my online teaching business. I see this as the way to the future and even the improvement I have seen over the past two years of teaching has been quite remarkable. Very soon we will be "live, real time" all over the world and for someone like me that could be labelled as a "techno peasant" (I borrowed that term from my friend Colin MacLellan, thanks) I find it all quite amazing. I will update you on this as the year goes on.

Lets just start with congratulations to Field Marshal Montgomery on a great win at the Worlds this year!! Why so great you ask? Well, that's easy. Last year my 18 year old son Alex, auditioned and learned a binder full of music to try to make the band and as you can see by the picture, he played this year with one of the best pipe bands and pipe corps I have ever witnessed. 20 years after I was fortunate enough to be part of the 78th Fraser Highlanders when they won, I got to put my hands on that trophy once again. Very cool and a warm reminder of that day which was also raining. Proud parents, you bet!!! Unfortunately for us though, I think this means we are going to have to go over to Scotland to see him in the summers for the next while because I think his plan is to hop on the first plane out after university to rejoin the band once again for 2008.