Archive for Profiles
Member profile – Pete Topian
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Pete Topian
Age: 74
Where are you from originally? U.S. of A.
Where do you live ? Watervliet
What is your job or major if a student? Retired ACE.
Where did you learn to play? TARA HALL P.B. Troy
Instrument: Bag Pipe
How long have you been playing? 33 Yrs.
What got you interested? Always loved the sound of the pipes.
How did you go about learning/finding – private teacher, class, band, parent or relative? That`s a long story.
Teachers that had a big influence: Don Lindsay
How long did you take lessons? Forever
How long did you play practice chanter/pad before moving to pipes/drum? How long from start to marching with the band? About three mos.
How long does it take you to get to practice? 15 Mins.
Working the grill at Altamont
Favorite bagpipe player or drummer? Lindsay & Joe Leatham.
Favorite bagpipe band? Glasgow Police.
What other music do you like? All kinds ethinic.
What other instruments do/did you play? Violin.
What is the hardest thing about playing? Time for practice.
Do you compete? Did at one time.
What is the one thing you would tell a beginner about learning? Practice practice practice.
Do you play solo events like weddings and funerals? Yes.
What hobbies or other pursuits do you have? Many , woodworking furniture, fishing , hunting and a few others.
Member Profile – Alison Molumby
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Alison Molumby
Age: 40-ish
Where are you from originally?: Scotia, NY
Where do you live: Scotia, NY
What is your job or major if a student? “Retired” graphic designer; currently a stay-at-home mom to two girls
Where did you learn to play? Schenectady Pipe Band and Sacandaga Elementary School
Instrument: Snare
How long have you been playing? Since third grade… too many years to count!
What got you interested? My dad was a drummer and long-time drum major with the Schenectady Pipe Band. I was a highland dancer for a few years, and already a percussion student in school, so I switched to pipe band drumming.
How did you go about learning/finding – private teacher, class, band, parent or relative? Schenectady PB provided “in-house” instruction—I was taught by Dave Haughey Sr. and Bob Munro. Once I discovered the wide world of pipe band drumming, I took lessons from Norman McLeod, Davy Armit, John Murray, Alex Duthart, Hugh Cameron, Tom Kee, Larry Willis, John Kerr, and many others.
Teachers that had a big influence: Alex Duthart and Hugh Cameron were huge influences.
How long did you take lessons? I don’t think I’ve ever stopped. There’s always something new to learn, since the art is always changing.
Getting ready to compete
How long did you play practice chanter/pad before moving to pipes/drum? I probably started playing on the pad in September, and played the newbie’s traditional first parade in Albany for St. Patrick’s Day. I had always played standing in school band, so marching and playing at the same time took a while to master! I still haven’t figured out how to talk, march and play at the same time.
How long does it take you to get to practice? About 30 minutes.
Favorite bagpipe player or drummer? I’d have to say Jim Kilpatrick and Jon Quigg for snare drumming, and I love to watch Stewart Hogg and Bill Tansey play the bass. City of Washington has an awesome tenor section. And of course, our own Steve Donnelly!
Favorite bagpipe band? Shotts & Dykehead or old Dysart & Dundonald. Another favorite is 90s-era Toronto and District. T&DMFDC indeed!
What other music do you like? Too many to list; Celtic rock, Scottish or Irish trad,, show tunes, ska, Elvis Costello, Dixie Chicks, vintage Journey, and Patsy Kline are up there.
What other instruments do/did you play? None, but I can still pull out a Highland Fling when the occasion warrants.
What is the hardest thing about playing? Memorization and focus are big problems. If I see someone I know in the crowd, I’m easily distracted! I have to really concentrate on watching the lead drummer’s sticks.
Do you compete? In solos? Nope. Did enough of that in my younger days. Much happier being a part of the corps.
What is the one thing you would tell a beginner about learning? One thing has stuck with me from a drumming workshop years ago, and it has nothing to do with playing. If you stumble or trip while marching with the band, stay on the ground and let them take you off on a stretcher. You’ll gain the sympathies of the crowd and not look like a klutz! Musically, watch and listen to as many pipe band recordings and performances as possible. Watch the highland dancers too — that’s where you can really get a feel for the music.
Do you play solo events like weddings and funerals? I’d love to. If you need a drummer, call me! I’ve played for graduations, ceildhs, TV commercials, church services and even a 100-year-old woman’s birthday party (where she rode in on an elephant!) The favorite event of my drumming career was playing for Wrestlemania 1 at Madison Square Garden.
What hobbies or other pursuits do you have? Anything creative like drawing, painting, paper crafting, and jewelry making; hiking and camping; all things Mac; reading.
Member Profile – Jim Cutler
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Age: 45
Where are you from originally? Massachusetts
Where do you live ? Corinth, NY
What is your job or major if a student? Carpenter
Instrument: Pipes
How long have you been playing? 10-11 years
What got you interested? Carol met a local pipe band at a parade her high school band was marching in and decided to give it a try. A few month’s later she convinced me to give it a shot.
How did you go about learning/finding – private teacher, class, band, parent or relative? After a few months of trying to learn from the pipe band, Carol and I realized there had to be more. We met Maureen Connor at a games and started taking lessons from her.
Teachers that had a big influence: Maureen, Donald Lindsay, Gordie Peters and any # of instructors at summer camps. I really learned a lot the week I worked with Dr. Jack Taylor.
How long did you take lessons? 8 years
How long did you play practice chanter/pad before moving to pipes/drum? How long from start to marching with the band? 3 months on the chanter before moving to the pipes. Probably 7-8 months before my first parade.
How long does it take you to get to practice? 1 hour
Favorite bagpipe player or drummer? Alasdair Gillies for light music. Piobaireachd is almost tune by tune, but probably Donald MacPherson.
Favorite bagpipe band? Victoria Police when they were winning the World’s some years ago.
What other music do you like? Jazz, blue grass/folk.
What other instruments do/did you play? I was a saxophone major in college, but can play most of the woodwinds to a varying degree.
What is the hardest thing about playing? Finding the time, both for practicing and fitting in all the parades, competitions and rehearsals. Playing in a pipe band can become a very time consuming hobby. Having my whole family involved with the band is probably the main factor in making it all work.
Do you compete? I have competed with the CRC g3 and g4 competition bands. I am currently the resurrected PM of the g4 band. I am a g3 solo piper on what has become a 2 year hiatus from competitions. At the height of my solo competing obsession, I attended 15-20 competitions a year.
What is the one thing you would tell a beginner about learning? Get a good teacher from the very beginning.
Do you play solo events like weddings and funerals? Yes, but not as much as I used to. Generally, Seamus, my son is given all the gigs we get called for these days.
What hobbies or other pursuits do you have? Building furniture and reading. I build post and beam homes for a living, but it would be safe to say that it is a hobby/passion as much as it is a job.
Member Profile – Gail Breen
Posted by: | CommentsAge: 63
Where are you from originally? Amsterdam NY
Where do you live? Schoharie NY
On one of her many trips to Ireland.
What is your job or major if a student? Executive Director, Fulton, Montgomery, and Schoharie Workforce Development Board
Where did you learn to play? Through Jim McQuilkin, MiddleFort Pipe Band
Instrument: Bagpipe, semi-retired.
How long have you been playing? 17 years
What got you interested? When I was 8 or 9, my mother’s cousin who played in Schenectady Pipe Band dropped by with pipes and uniform. After hearing him play, I was sold – but I somehow ended up with piano lessons – after all it was the early 50’s and I was a girl. But I still always liked the sound of the pipes the best! The sound of the piano never raised the hairs on the back of my neck even when my mother who is a fantastic pianist played!
How did you go about learning/finding – private teacher, class, band, parent or relative? Jim McQuilkin had moved up from Kearny NJ and formed a local band. He took my son Pat on as a drumming student, and when I told him how much I had always wanted to play the pipes, he took me on as well. It was a small band with a number of adult learners, so I fit in well. He had a Certificate from the College of Piping so that was also a plus.
Teachers that had a big influence: Jim McQuilkin, particularly for tone and expression, but for perserverance as well. I learned a lot from Donald Lindsay, as well as instructors at pipe camp and workshops. One of the best workshops was a SFU workshop that focused on how to develop medley selections that would keep Granny’s toe tapping while wowing the judges. It was great advice and I’ve applied it to other musical applications as well.
How long did you take lessons? I’ve always taken lessons in one format or other, some private, some group, some with the band, and of course at summer camp and workshops. People might call me a professional student – I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner.
How long did you play practice chanter/pad before moving to pipes/drum? How long from start to marching with the band? I started on the practice chanter in the summer, moved to the pipes in January of that next year, and started going out in parades at St. Patrick’s Day. It was another year before I started competing with MiddleFort’s grade 4 band.
How long does it take you to get to practice? About 50 – 55 minutes.
Gail is still on the CRC governing board but not playing these pipes anymore.
Favorite bagpipe player or drummer? I’ve always been a fan of Ann Grey. It was a big boost for me to go to the Metro Cup and see her competing with all the male pipers. There are many others as well.
Favorite bagpipe band? A number of bands over the years but always including 78th Frasers, SFU, Field Marshall Montgomery, Shotts and Dykehead, Victoria Police and I could go on…
What other music do you like? Cape Breton, most Celtic from trad to rock, and swing.
What other instruments do/did you play? Fiddle, piano (reluctantly), and a very basic bodhran.
What is the hardest thing about playing? I think the hardest thing is to carve out a specific time to practice, and I’ve always tried to practice only on the days that I eat. I think I’ve reached my optimal practice time when I wake up the next morning still playing the tunes in my head.
Do you compete? Not anymore. I started out with grade 4 in MiddleFort, moved to Tara Hall where I played in grade 4 and then in grade 3. When we became CRC, I moved back to grade 4. It was a very comfortable move for me. I retired from competing at the end of the 2008 season. I miss it very much.
What is the one thing you would tell a beginner about learning? Find a good teacher and a good band. If you don’t feel the fit is right, look for a better one. Remember, not only are you a musician in training, you are also a customer. If the fit isn’t right, no matter how hard you work, it may never be satisfying. And I can’t resist giving a second piece of advice – immerse yourself in the style – buy or borrow CDs of good bands, download to your iPod if you have one, listen to them in the car, at home, everywhere. You need to make the music a natural extension of yourself.
Do you play solo events like weddings and funerals? I rarely played solo events – my favorite was the band or a mini-band where I could play the harmonies I love.
What other hobbies or pursuits do you have? For the last five years I’ve been a fiddle student with George Wilson. I absolutely love it. My grandfather played the fiddle, and I still have his fiddle. I have to admit, the fiddle is also easier on my 63 year old infrastructure than the pipes are. Unfortunately, no amount of Recovery Act funds will repair my infrastructure. In addition I read a lot and visit Ireland twice a year, another addiction of mine.
