Pipe Major
Barry Roth
I started taking piping lessons from P/M George Reid in 1982. I bought my first set of pipes in 1983 and played with the Wainwright Legion Pipe & Drum band until 1989. I moved my family to Red Deer and spent three years with the Red Deer Legion Pipe Band. During that time we competed in Red Deer, Moose Jaw, Calgary and Edmonton and played at many summer parades throughout central Alberta. Being a serving member with the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves I was requested to assist in forming an Army Cadet Pipe & Drum Band. That turned out to be very successful and soon we had a 14 member band performing at mess dinners, Cadet graduations and summer camps. I returned to the Vermilion area in 1998 and continued piping with George Reid and other local pipers and soon we had enough interest from other pipers & drummers to form a new band called Lakeland Pipe & Drum Band. This band was formed in 2000 and continues to do well.
A History of Pipe & Drum bands in eastern Alberta dating back to 1928 is compiled in my book titled Pipers & Drummers Of East-Central Alberta. If you wish to obtain a copy you can contact me at [email protected].
A History of Pipe & Drum bands in eastern Alberta dating back to 1928 is compiled in my book titled Pipers & Drummers Of East-Central Alberta. If you wish to obtain a copy you can contact me at [email protected].
Pipers
Shaun Donald
I joined the band in late 2011, shortly after moving to Lloydminster from Ontario. I have played with bands in Sudbury and Midland ON, as well as Christchurch and Dunedin, New Zealand. While in high school, I played in several Rock and Jazz bands as a drummer. In 2010 while living in New Zealand, I took up bass drumming and loved it. My dad plays the pipes and when I was in grade 10 I started learning the chanter, playing on and off for about 10 years. 2009 is when I first took up the pipes, playing on and off since then. Over the years I have played all the instruments in the band, but love solo piping and bass drumming the most.
Bill McIldoon
I grew up in Victoria B.C. and, as a young boy in the early sixties, played the snare drum for the Esquimalt Legion Boy's Pipe Band. I didn't play the snare drum again until moving to Vermilion in 1986 where I met Barry Roth and George Reid, who dropped off a drum and a kilt at my house and I was now part of the local Vermilion Band which was later to become our present band, the Lakeland Pipe & Drum Band. Having played the snare drum for several years, I always had a desire to play the pipes, and in about 2006 I started taking lessons from George Reid. After George's passing, I started taking lessons from our pipe major Shelly MacDonald, and I am still continuing to do so at the present time.
Cliff Brown
Sometimes blowing the bagpipes just isn’t all that easy.
Fortunately I have been surrounded by many talented musicians and interesting people in my never ending learning of the Beast. I started the practice chanter in 1979 with Military Piper Murdock Jardine as my instructor and I played my first Remembrance Day Ceremony in 1980. Next was Don Glover from Lloydminster. How could one not learn from such an accomplished piper? Don was also the one that taught me how to steal hubcaps so I could buy my first set of pipes – a set of ivory mounted Gilanders from the Alberta Caledonia PM David Saul.
Probably the most influential person in my pipe learning pursuit has been PM George Reid, who was one of my instructors in Calgary at the Irene Hawes School of Piping. George became one of my best friends, but when sitting down to a lesson, he pulled no punches. East central Alberta piping was so fortunate when George and Betty moved from Calgary to Vermilion.
In more recent years it has been our band’s good fortune to have Shelly MacDonald move into our area. Through her gentle criticism and instruction, she has introduced the band to the very fine sounds of a very ancient form of music; the genesis of much of the modern music of today.
It is safe to say that the Lakeland Pipe and Drum Band would not exist if it were not for the organizational skills and leadership of Barry Roth, also a very fine piper. I also have him to thank for honing my hubcap stealing skills so I could buy a new set of pipes; a fine set of cast sterling silver and moose ivory mounted pipes built by Mark Cushing of New York.
The two greatest honours that the world of piping has granted me are: for the past 32 years, on Remembrance Day, I have been fortunate to pipe in front of one of Canada’s most impressive war memorials (Wainwright’s clock tower) in honour of those who served or served and gave up their young lives, and having the honour to have piped for Tommy Douglas, Canada’s Person of the (last) Century.
Fortunately I have been surrounded by many talented musicians and interesting people in my never ending learning of the Beast. I started the practice chanter in 1979 with Military Piper Murdock Jardine as my instructor and I played my first Remembrance Day Ceremony in 1980. Next was Don Glover from Lloydminster. How could one not learn from such an accomplished piper? Don was also the one that taught me how to steal hubcaps so I could buy my first set of pipes – a set of ivory mounted Gilanders from the Alberta Caledonia PM David Saul.
Probably the most influential person in my pipe learning pursuit has been PM George Reid, who was one of my instructors in Calgary at the Irene Hawes School of Piping. George became one of my best friends, but when sitting down to a lesson, he pulled no punches. East central Alberta piping was so fortunate when George and Betty moved from Calgary to Vermilion.
In more recent years it has been our band’s good fortune to have Shelly MacDonald move into our area. Through her gentle criticism and instruction, she has introduced the band to the very fine sounds of a very ancient form of music; the genesis of much of the modern music of today.
It is safe to say that the Lakeland Pipe and Drum Band would not exist if it were not for the organizational skills and leadership of Barry Roth, also a very fine piper. I also have him to thank for honing my hubcap stealing skills so I could buy a new set of pipes; a fine set of cast sterling silver and moose ivory mounted pipes built by Mark Cushing of New York.
The two greatest honours that the world of piping has granted me are: for the past 32 years, on Remembrance Day, I have been fortunate to pipe in front of one of Canada’s most impressive war memorials (Wainwright’s clock tower) in honour of those who served or served and gave up their young lives, and having the honour to have piped for Tommy Douglas, Canada’s Person of the (last) Century.
Doug Oliphant
Evan Whitfield
"Evan Whitfield began his piping career after becoming interested in taking an Air Cadet Bagpipe course. To prepare, Evan began taking chanter lessons from Shelly MacDonald in 2009. The year afterwards, Evan began on a full set of pipes with the Lakeland Pipes and Drums. Evan has been with the band ever since. When not playing the pipes; Evan is playing the guitar or piano, working on the family farm, or studying Biology at the U of A."
Brett Rowan
My name is Brett Rowan & I got started with Lakeland Pipes & Drums after taking lessons for about a year. I wanted to play the bagpipes because my sisters' Highland dance and I wanted to play the songs that they danced to on the pipes.
I have spent 15 weeks at Cadet camp over three years and achieved the highest level for musicianship, participating in performance band and completing the Advanced Musician Program. I was also one of 12 Cadets chosen from Western Canada to perform in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, one of the largest performances in Canada.
I look forward to many more adventures playing the pipes & meeting amazing people.
My name is Brett Rowan & I got started with Lakeland Pipes & Drums after taking lessons for about a year. I wanted to play the bagpipes because my sisters' Highland dance and I wanted to play the songs that they danced to on the pipes.
I have spent 15 weeks at Cadet camp over three years and achieved the highest level for musicianship, participating in performance band and completing the Advanced Musician Program. I was also one of 12 Cadets chosen from Western Canada to perform in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, one of the largest performances in Canada.
I look forward to many more adventures playing the pipes & meeting amazing people.
Lisa Beveridge
I grew up listening to pipe music and always loved it. My Grandpa, George Reid, was always piping, whether teaching a new student or playing with his cronies. I tried to learn a few times when I was younger but at that time was not a very good student, lacking very much in the "practicing" gene. When my daughters were young I became involved with the Mannville/Vermilion Highland Dance group, so I was able to fuel my passion for all things Scottish through them. Once dancing was done and my kids were all grown, I felt a little lost for a while until one day about 4 years ago Barry Roth called in desperate need of a bass drummer for the Clandonald parade. I had no drum training but had the benefit of knowing all of the tunes, having listened to them all of my life. I joined the band that day and drummed for 3 years. Since my Grandpa passed away in 2008, there had been no one able to blow his pipes, so last fall(2015) I decided to take the opportunity to learn to play and switched from the drumming section to the piping section. The switch is not quite complete yet but I am happy to say that I have discovered my "practicing" gene and I am on my way to playing with the band! Much thanks to Barry and everybody for their patience!!
Kerri Sinclair
I was born and raised in Conquest, Saskatchewan. Learning to play the bagpipes was my mother's idea, my grandparents were from the Orkney Islands in Scotland so it was pretty much expected that I learn to play them. I became a member of the Bonnie Bluebells Pipe Band in Saskatoon when I was 13 years old. My mother was more dedicated than I was because she would drive me one hour each way to the city three days per week. It was her commitment that kept me going and her savings account that bought me my first and only set of bagpipes that I still play today. I attended the Saskatchewan School of Arts in Fort Qu'Appelle during the summer months to improve my own piping skills and our band's competition sets. Our band competed in various competed in various competitions in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario. I was also fortunate to pipe at various eventsin my local communities for many years. I was a member of the all-girls pipe band up until my high school graduation in 1988; from there I moved to Vermilion in 1989 to attend Lakeland College. One of my instructors from the Saskatchewan School of the Arts was George Reid from Vermilion who convinced me to join the Lakeland Pipes and Drums.
I was born and raised in Conquest, Saskatchewan. Learning to play the bagpipes was my mother's idea, my grandparents were from the Orkney Islands in Scotland so it was pretty much expected that I learn to play them. I became a member of the Bonnie Bluebells Pipe Band in Saskatoon when I was 13 years old. My mother was more dedicated than I was because she would drive me one hour each way to the city three days per week. It was her commitment that kept me going and her savings account that bought me my first and only set of bagpipes that I still play today. I attended the Saskatchewan School of Arts in Fort Qu'Appelle during the summer months to improve my own piping skills and our band's competition sets. Our band competed in various competed in various competitions in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario. I was also fortunate to pipe at various eventsin my local communities for many years. I was a member of the all-girls pipe band up until my high school graduation in 1988; from there I moved to Vermilion in 1989 to attend Lakeland College. One of my instructors from the Saskatchewan School of the Arts was George Reid from Vermilion who convinced me to join the Lakeland Pipes and Drums.
Cliff Myroniuk
It had been a dream of mine to become a bagpiper. My granddaughter was taking Highland dance lessons so I took her and her family to Mannville's Robbie Burns night 2016. I told them I had always wanted to play bagpipes and my family encouraged me to contact Barry Roth and my piping career began. Since I had just retired from the oilfield and farming, I had the time to commit to learning the pipes. I even went to Diefenbaker Lake Bagpipe Camp in Saskatoon. With the excellent tutoring and mentorship of Barry Roth and Susan Stefanuk and endless hours of practice, I was able to play in the Vermilion Fair parade July. I am proud to be a member of the Lakeland Pipes and Drum Bands.
It had been a dream of mine to become a bagpiper. My granddaughter was taking Highland dance lessons so I took her and her family to Mannville's Robbie Burns night 2016. I told them I had always wanted to play bagpipes and my family encouraged me to contact Barry Roth and my piping career began. Since I had just retired from the oilfield and farming, I had the time to commit to learning the pipes. I even went to Diefenbaker Lake Bagpipe Camp in Saskatoon. With the excellent tutoring and mentorship of Barry Roth and Susan Stefanuk and endless hours of practice, I was able to play in the Vermilion Fair parade July. I am proud to be a member of the Lakeland Pipes and Drum Bands.
John Thompson
Welcome back John!!! Bio in the works.....
Welcome back John!!! Bio in the works.....
Nathan Masse-Foster
Kayla Rowan
My name is Kayla & I'm a piper with the Lakeland Pipes & Drums.
When I join the band, I started off as a tenor drummer and slowly was drawn to the pipes. I have attended the Sound Advice Camp in Regina and have studied under many amazing instructors.
I am currently piping with Lakeland Pipes & Drums as well as the 186 Lloydminster Air Cadets Pipes & Drums.
In my free time, I enjoy playing hockey, volleyball & softball.
My name is Kayla & I'm a piper with the Lakeland Pipes & Drums.
When I join the band, I started off as a tenor drummer and slowly was drawn to the pipes. I have attended the Sound Advice Camp in Regina and have studied under many amazing instructors.
I am currently piping with Lakeland Pipes & Drums as well as the 186 Lloydminster Air Cadets Pipes & Drums.
In my free time, I enjoy playing hockey, volleyball & softball.
