Rhode Island Highlanders Pipe Band
The Rhode Island Highlanders Pipe Band is a bagpipe band in Rhode Island. Founded in 1948, and is the oldest pipe band in the state. The band currently plays for parades, Burns' Nights, Graduations etc., and also competes in Highland Games at the Grade 4 level. The pipe band was the Grade 5 Champions of the Eastern United States in 2007.
History
The Rhode Island Highlanders were formed in 1948 by a group of veterans of World War II in order to preserve the traditional music of Scotland and Ireland.
There have been 4 past pipe majors of the band. The first, John Everett MacLean, led the band to many victories in competitions in the US and Canada.Under Alexander R. Glen, the second P/M, the band became a recreational band focused more on teaching then competing. The third, John Sullivan, transformed the band from a recreational unit into a nationally recognized competitive Pipe Band of some distinction with many trophies and awards to its credit. The fourth and current Pipe Major is Debbie Kane. She has worked valiantly and taken a broken band in threat of disbanding and turned it around for an amazing second season where the band took home the 1st Place prize for its grade in the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. The Grade 4 band is also currently directed by Pipe Sargent Bob Reid and Drum Sargent Brad Livingston. The Grade 5 band is led by Playing Instructors Dan Pisowloski and Joey MacGregor. The Executive Officers are President Wallace Coburn, Secretary Lauren Boyce, and Treasurer Morven Boyce.
List of Jobs
- Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet Burns' Night
- St. Patrick's Day Parades:
- Newport Parade
- West Warwick Parade
- Providence Parade
- Mystic Parade
- West Point Military Tattoo
- Roger Williams University Law School and Undergraduate Graduation
- Brown University Graduation
- Roger Williams University Freshman Convocation
- Island Terrace Nursing Home Concert
- Scots Charitable Society Dinner
Competition
The band is currently competing in Grade 4, in the EUSPBA. In the 2007 season, the band gained a first place at every competition attended except for a second place at Glasgow Lands, MA. The band also won the Northeastern Regional Championship for Grade 5 for 2007 at Altamont, New York. In 2006, the band competed in Grade 3, but did not do so well, and downgraded for the next year. Since moving back to Grade 4, the band has steadily worked through the ranks back to the top of the grade. In addition, the Highlanders added a Grade 5 band in 2013, with a full competition season starting in 2014. The Rhode Island Highlanders currently compete at:
- Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival, Richmond, RI
- Round Hill Highland Games, Norwalk, CT
- Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival, Northampton, MA
- Glengarry Highland Games, North American Pipe Band Championships, Maxville, OT, Canada
- Maine Highland Games, Topsham, ME
- Capital District Scottish Games, Altamont, NY
- New Hampshire Highland Games, Loon Mountain, Lincoln, NH
Uniforms
The band also wears the Clan Macpherson red tartan, with a black doublet, red flashes and a blue tie.