Simon Fraser University Pipe Band

The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band (SFUPB) is a grade one pipe band affiliated with Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada (a suburb located just east of Vancouver, British Columbia). The band has consistently placed in the top three in world competition and has won the Grade One World Pipe Band Championships six times: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2008, and 2009.^[1][2][3] SFUPB is one of only four bands located outside of the United Kingdom that have won a World Pipe Band Championship (the other three being the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, the Victoria Police Pipe Band and the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band. In addition, the band has placed second eight times—finishing in the top two in the world in 14 of its 25 years. As of 2011, it has placed in the top three at the World Championships for 13 consecutive years.

SFUPB regularly competes in Highland Games competitions sanctioned by the British Columbia Pipers Association in the northwestern United States and southwestern British Columbia before traveling to Scotland in August for the World Pipe Band Championships. The band wears the Ancient Fraser tartan.

Since 1994, the SFUPB has led an extensive family of pipe bands which each compete in their own grades. This organization is called the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band.

The band has produced nine recordings, two concert/documentary videos, and appeared on four BBC Radio Scotland broadcasts. In 2002, the band gave three sold-out concerts in Vancouver, Belfast, and Glasgow, making it one of the busiest winters ever. In April 2001 the band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall, New York City. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. The debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as Simon Fraser University Pipe Band - Live at Carnegie Hall. In June 1996, the band released its first live album Alive in America, the first live, in concert recording in the United States of a pipe band. Both these concerts are captured in the band's videos The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond and Alive in America - The Concert.[1]

The band performed twice for Queen Elizabeth during her 1983 Vancouver visit and opened for rock star Rod Stewart at his 1989 and 1991 Vancouver concerts. In addition, the band has been profiled internationally on CNN and BBC, nationally on CBC Newsworld, CBC Radio, and CTV, and has been featured several times on Vancouver television and radio stations.[2]

History of the Band

The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band was formed in 1966 during the university’s inaugural year. Over the years it has become a respected institution in the community and has brought fame to BC with its capture of national and international prizes.

Led by Pipe Major Terry Lee and Lead Drummer J. Reid Maxwell and wearing the Ancient Clan Fraser tartan, the band consists of a talented core of over forty players. In 1982, the band won the Grade 1 North American Championship, the top prize on the continent. In August 1995 at Glasgow, Scotland, the band captured the ultimate prize on the globe, the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championship. A year later, the band returned to Scotland and captured the title again, becoming the first pipe band from outside the United Kingdom to win the World Championship more than once.

In 1999, the band regained the World Championship title, winning the World Drum Corps Championship in the process, and followed that up with another Worlds win 2 years later in 2001. In 2001, SFU also won the Australian Pipe Band Championship during a tour to New Zealand and Australia.

After a bit of a drought, and many close calls, the band has had perhaps its greatest success in the past 2 years. In both 2008 and 2009 the band won not only the World Pipe Band Championships but also the World Drum Corps Championship, quite a feat. During its trip to Scotland in August, 2009 the band recorded its latest album, “Affirmation”, at a sold-out, standing room only, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

In all, the band has produced eleven recordings and two concert/documentary videos, with another video documenting its 2009 Scotland trip soon to be released. In June 1996, the band released its first live album, “Alive in America”. On February 20, 1998, the band performed in concert at Carnegie Hall, New York City. This concert marked the first time a pipe band has performed a concert at this prestigious venue. This debut performance was recorded and released in June 1998 as “Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – Live at Carnegie Hall”. Both these concerts are captured in the band’s videos “The Legacy: The Road to Carnegie Hall and Beyond” and “Alive in America – The Concert”.

In April 2001 the SFU Pipe Band recorded a CD live at the Sydney Opera House in Australia, “Down Under”. After this string of 3 live recordings in different parts of the world, the band decided to do things closer to home and produced two recordings both in studio and in front of a live audience at SFU in 2005. These were released as “On Home Ground, Volumes I and II” in 2005 and 2006.

Throughout its history, the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band has done its best to bring the University, British Columbia and Canada the best of pipe band performances to the world stage. The university motto truly indicates this determination: Nous Sommes Prêts (We are Ready).

Notable SFUPB personalities

• Terry Lee - Pipe Major
• Jack Lee - Pipe Sergeant
• J. Reid Maxwell - Lead Drummer
• Robert MacNeil
• Alan Bevan - 2009 Master’s Invitational Solo Winner
• Jori Chisholm

British Columbia Piper’s Association

These are the Highland Games that the SFU Pipe Band travels to and competes at before traveling overseas to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships

Recordings

On Home Ground

A High Cut Above

Nous Sommes Prêts

References

External links

• Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
• A video of the SFU Pipe Band.
• Tartantown.com - Official supplier to the SFU Family of Bands
• Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band - The SFU Youth band