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Piping Stories: The City of Albany Pipe Band
Today we are delighted to be joined by Matthew Wilson, Pipe Major at the City of Albany Pipe Band. After recently announcing that we’ll be bringing ScotlandShop to Albany, we are very excited to hear the story of our future local Pipe band.
Interview with Matthew Wilson, Pipe Major
So Matthew first of all, have you always lived in Albany?
I've been in Albany since the early 1980s when my family moved here for career purposes. My formative, high school, and undergrad years were spent in the area.
How did you first get into piping and were there any fellow pipers in the family or any musicians that inspired you?
The band that first inspired me was the Battlefield Band. I saw a concert of theirs in Albany in the mid-90s that just floored me. I've played guitar since college, and a little bit of trumpet in grade school, but not much else. From then, after that concert and some digging around, I came across the band in the early 2000s and started taking lessons.
I read that the band was formed in 1984 and was formerly known as the Albany Police Pipes and Drums, originally founded by members of the Albany Police Department, today the band is made of Civilians. Are you a member of the Police Department?
I am not a member of the Police Department, we do have one active-duty officer on the roster now who is a really good piper and doubles as our drum major.
How did you first become involved with the City of Albany Pipe Band?
I was looking for a place to take some lessons and at the time they were free and on a night that worked for me. Once I was in the band, those stopped, however, I still considered myself in need of some instruction, and so I continue to take lessons to this day. Once I became a piper I kept working and trying to improve the musical level of the band.
What does the role of Pipe Major involve and when did you take on this position?
I've been Pipe Major for just about 10 years now. I'm in charge of the musical direction of the band, leading instruction, picking new music, tuning, and working with my fellow pipers and our band instructor on getting things done. Our main goal is continuous improvement and playing well.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being part of the Band?
Easily, the best part of this is seeing players, and the band as a whole improve. Sometimes you see that on the competition field, sometimes with a single piper as you're working on tuning, or sometimes in a performance where we just sound good.
The band competes in Grade V of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, can you tell us about some of the competitions you’ve taken part in? Are all of the competitions held during Highland Games & Scottish Festivals?
For the most part, the competitions happen during games weekends, however, one of the other bands in the area puts on a few competitions during the year that are stand-alone events, so we're certain to attend those for band and solo events. I think the most important part of competitions is to cast a wide net, as the goal is to use the event as a checkpoint on your development. You're getting good feedback from knowledgeable people, and it's best to use that to get specific directions on how to improve. We've been as far as the games in Dunedin Florida, and up to Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, Canada.
Do you have a favourite Highland Games or Event to attend? I appreciate over the last few years you may not have had many opportunities to compete but are there any Highland Games you are really looking forward to now that events are returning?
Actually, both the Dunedin games in Florida and the Glengarry games at Maxville Ontario are a real blast. It's a day full of music and in the latter case, poutine. Our hometown games over labor day weekend, the Capital District Scottish Games, is also a really good time for the band as it's usually our last competition of the year and we have a cookout or food catered to treat everyone for the work they have put in over the course of the year.
We share Matthew's love for both Maxville & Dunedin after being lucky enough to attend Glengarry Highland Games in 2019 and to host a pop-up store with the Scottish American Society of Dunedin just before lockdown began last year.
Are there any other local events in the Albany Area that the band performs at?
We perform at the usual spate of parades in the area. I'm looking forward to getting the band, or some mini bands out to some bar gigs as people always comment on how fun those are...hopefully those things will open up again soon.
What would you say to encourage anyone thinking of taking up the pipes?
I'd say patience can be your greatest ally. It's not an easy instrument to play and it does take a fair amount of exertion. However, if you have a goal in mind and can commit to a small amount of practice daily, you'll eventually become proficient enough to make it.
How can people get involved with the band and do they need to have any experience to join?
There's certainly no experience necessary. We do offer lessons to beginners both on pipes and drums with our instructors. Experienced players are also always welcome. It should be pretty easy to contact us over the usual social media channels as well as by phone or email. We practice at the Celtic Hall in Colonie on Thursday nights from 7-9. Really, just make the decision, set the time aside, and start the process. Sometimes people feel that one must be of Scottish descent to join a band, and that's not at all the truth. We welcome anyone with an interest in the music.
Which tartan does the band wear and is there a particular reason for this?
Since the band started we've been wearing the MacKenzie tartan. My understanding is that this was the tartan of the Seaforth Highlanders which was the Duke of Albany's regiment.
Matthew is spot on, The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) infantry regiment was formed during the 1881 Army reforms when the 72nd (Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders) Regiment of Foot and the 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot (The Ross-shire Buffs) were merged. The regiment was named after Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth, and his cousin Francis Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth. I recently explored the fascinating history of the Duke of Albany and the Duke's links to the City of Albany, read the blog to find out more.
Being so passionate about Piping, are there any other aspects of Scottish Culture & Tradition you love too?
I've got ancestors in the Chisholm clan, but I haven't done much more than a cursory genealogical exploration. Certainly, the music is the strongest draw for me.
As we look forward to moving into the Albany area, is there anywhere you’d recommend we explore?
This is is a great area for more reasons than I can enumerate here, but I think there's something for everyone. We have a well-defined change of seasons, so seasonal activities are many, there's great hiking and biking both locally and a few hours away. Boston, New York, and Montreal are just a few hours away. There are vibrant musical, cultural and culinary scenes here too. Really, it's all about what you want to pursue, there are many possibilities awaiting. Personally, I enjoy hiking as the seasons change both in some local parks as well as in the Berkshires.
Thank you to Matthew for taking the time to tell us all about the City of Albany Pipe Band and how he first got involved. We loved hearing all about the band and can’t wait to hear the band in person soon!
