On Monday, January 7, 2019 the Wake and District Public Safety Pipes and Drums held our annual general meeting to review and plan for 2019 and beyond.
While our fearless leader was unable to be with us - the show went on in the able hands of our Assistant Band Manager, Lindsey Kosydar. Over 40 members were in attendance, with a dozen+ enjoying the live stream on our members BAND app group. A summary of the band’s presentation can be seen below.
Our assistant band manager began the meeting framing some thoughts on this PASSION we are all a part of. Passion is:
is always being eager.
is going the extra mile.
is finding the inner fuel when you thought your tank was dry.
is your positive attitude in a world of negativity.
is being excited without fear of embarrassment.
is doing the unexpected.
is an unwillingness to accept second best or “good enough”.
is ever enthusiastic.
lets you execute when you’re exhausted.
is never afraid to talk to someone you don’t know.
allows strangers to become acquaintances, who then desire to become friends.
influences friends to want to feel the same passion and zeal they see in you...
The business of the band... Elections were held (well, our open positions were unopposed) and we are pleased to announce Joe Brady will continue to serve as band manager, Lindsey Kosydar as assistant band manager, John Schodtler as treasurer, Bridget Englebreston as secretary and Seth Wells as member at large.
The board went on to re-appoint existing NCOs.
The band NCOs for 2019 are as follows:
Jason Lane, drum major
Dalton Marshall, pipe major
Michael Iannuzzi, drum sergeant
Joe Brady, pipe sergeant
Andrew Kosydar, drum corporal
John Schodtler, pipe sergeant
Cameron Brown, warrant sergeant
Competition:
Ken McKeveny, G3 pipe major
Michael Iannuzzi, G3 lead tip
Seth Wells, G3 pipe sergeant
A 2018 year in review was discussed (a detailed description by founding member, Lloyd Johnson, can be found here). We highlighted how very good 2018 was to the band. We watched members rack up solo awards and gain upgrades in competition. The band demonstrated how it has grown greatly - while remaining true to the line of our mission. Some other 2018 highlights included:
New kilts/kit fully implemented
Added some new tunes to our repertoire
Added several new members to our circle
Had a viral presence on the beach in S.C.
Video of us marching has over 1m views!
Class of 2017 pipers and drummers fully integrated into the big band – first playing gig was 4th of July together.
Grade 3 won Dave McKee trophy in Chicago
Grade 5 debut in ScoCo; 3rd place finish
Over the Top concert
“Show Me the Money” citation awarded to Brian Lackey for raising the most money for the band.
Sadly, we were unable to field a Grade 4 competition band in 2018. Thank you to those who stuck with the band through the triumphs and tribulations of another amazing year together.
Finances were discussed. The band earned $33,778.25. Here are a few ways these funds were invested into the band:
Kilts, vests, ties, flashes, cufflinks, tie-bars.
Additional band chanters.
Chanter and drone reeds.
Bag covers and cords.
Cap badges (please don’t lose them).
Drum heads and drum sticks.
Band Christmas Party and Commiserating after events.
Travel.
Swag.
Our conversation switched over to a discussion on music. A few weeks ago, our Pipe Major Dalton Marshall shared these words with the band:
The music we play as a band is the space we all share and one of the only true common denominators among us. It is important we are grounded in our repertoire, as it is part of our culture and our identity (and our mission).
Dalton took time at the meeting to layout musical plans he and our Drum Sergeant Michael Iannuzzi will be putting in place through January 2021. Our updated repertoire can be found on our website here.
Our mission was reiterated -- as it is every year to members new and old alike.
Our mission is to provide a distinguishing tribute for our fallen comrades and to be in service to the family, friends and co-workers of public safety employees of North Carolina. We fulfill this mission through our music.
As part of our State of the Band we discussed where we are with regards to MEMBERSHIP.
Active membership at 60
Several new faces have joined the band including Tommy Madigan, Andrew Wilkinson, Patrick Dunbar and Mark McLean.
Pipers in Waiting at 14 (students and faces we've not seen in several months)
5 year service marks awarded to:
Miranda, Dylan, Seth, Andrew Kerr, Ray Swinton, Brian Wells, Andrew and Lindsey Kosydar, Jessica and STEVE!
Alan Armstrong celebrating 10 years!
While we look forward to kilted members getting back into pipe band life, we will be losing a number of members throughout the 2019 due to real life (University and jobs).
We went on to discuss rehearsal and competition schedules -- as well as upcoming St. Patrick's Day festivities including the North Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island St. Patrick's Day parades. Another discussion was held later in the meeting to address other events we intend to participate in.
A conversation on uniforms designations was discussed by Drum Major Jason Lane and included conversations on:
Uniform Designations of Class A and Class B (everyone needs long sleeve black shirts/ties)
Competition – getting more charcoal vests
Summer
As part of our 2019 planning for events and things to do, we surveyed our band members and received so many common threads in the responses. An underlying theme was heard in playing our music with passion and purpose. With input from our members, we are planning the following...
Events:
Members heading to Winter Storm for solos next week.
Midsection workshop in February.
Start a new bagpipe student class in March, 2019.
If you know people interested have them email learn@raleighpipeband.com
Book signing for Alan Armstrong's book on PM John Grant
Michael Grey workshop in Spring.
NC Fallen Firefighters Memorial
D.C. Police Competition
Tartan Ball in November.
Pub Crawls and public performances.
To do list:
Class of 2018 pipers on instruments and in the circle.
Grow the G3, G4 and G5 bands and compete more.
Continue to reach out to good people who are good players interested in joining and helping our program.
Solo lessons and solo competitions.
Provide Solo chanters for pipers.
Funeral protocol: music, dress and deportment.
Marching (deportment) practices.
Implement musical deadlines to learn/memorize tunes.
Pipe Band Mix-Tape.
Implement tone stabilizers (chanter caps).
Band practice chanters (RG Hardie twist trap).
No more Facebook group.
BAND app and email for messages and events.
Band presence will remain online @ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and website.
Soar onward, and upward, and true to the line.