David and I had a chance to visit with the Baddorfs this weekend. We stayed with them Friday night, and then we all went to the Greenville, SC Games on Saturday. David competed in two solo events in the morning, winning second place in both.
The band had two competitions too. (That is unusual; bands usually have just one competition per game). The second competition was for the Southern Branch 2008 championship. The winning southern band gets to go to NY in Sept to compete against the other regional branch champs, all for the rights to a spot in the big Games in Scotland.
The weather didn't cooperate at all: The thermometer allegedly said 107 degrees by noon. The air was suffocating, even for those of us in lightweight shorts and tank tops. Imagine the band members in heavy wool kilts, wool caps, acrylic knee socks, long sleeve shirts, neck ties, and black polyester vests. Warm-ups take a full hour just before they march onto the field to compete. The tune sets are five minutes long, but not a note can be missed; not one error can be made in blowing, fingering, or squeezing the bag. Nine pipers must be playing as one instrument the entire time, and cut off at precisely the same instant. In 107 degrees. With no shade whatever. And water bottles must be left behind.
What seems to be impossible, they accomplished. They won first place! I was sooo proud of them! In talking to them after, one or the other musician pointed out a note error here, a drone noise there, but overall, they gave a fine performance. There were two casualties too; two pipers were overcome by heat at the last moment and couldn't compete (one in each competition).
Playing the winning MSR in the competition circle.
The weather didn't cooperate at all: The thermometer allegedly said 107 degrees by noon. The air was suffocating, even for those of us in lightweight shorts and tank tops. Imagine the band members in heavy wool kilts, wool caps, acrylic knee socks, long sleeve shirts, neck ties, and black polyester vests. Warm-ups take a full hour just before they march onto the field to compete. The tune sets are five minutes long, but not a note can be missed; not one error can be made in blowing, fingering, or squeezing the bag. Nine pipers must be playing as one instrument the entire time, and cut off at precisely the same instant. In 107 degrees. With no shade whatever. And water bottles must be left behind.
What seems to be impossible, they accomplished. They won first place! I was sooo proud of them! In talking to them after, one or the other musician pointed out a note error here, a drone noise there, but overall, they gave a fine performance. There were two casualties too; two pipers were overcome by heat at the last moment and couldn't compete (one in each competition).
Playing the winning MSR in the competition circle.
2 comments:
Does that mean APB is going to NY to compete!?
Yes! The pix make it look so nice, but it was HOT!
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