As the Shoreline-based Northwest Junior Pipe Band continues to expand, leaders are hoping the annual auction – or “ceilidh,” for gathering – yields its own records on May 8.
The group, celebrating its 15th year, has grown from a half-dozen pipers and drummers to more than 40 students who successfully compete on the international stage. This year, the local favorite is hoping to actually pay its six instructors to meet the increasing demands on their time, and it is seeing its budget grow by two-thirds to $100,000 as a result.
The annual auction typically raises a quarter of the band’s budget. That puts this year’s goal at $25,000 – more than double what was raised last year.
“It’s crazy, because when I started with the program about five years ago, it (the budget) was $15,000 a year because we only had a dozen kids,” says Todd Schiele, the nonprofit’s president.
The band in 2008 was the first youth band from Washington to attend the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland and finished fifth overall, winning first in two other events in Scotland over the two-week trip. It had its most successful season yet last year, winning seven straight competitions in the greater Northwest.
“We’ve been trying to squirrel money aside this year, and hope we can beat our $25,000 goal, to get the kids to Scotland in 2011 for the World Championships,” Schiele says.
Children and teens from age 6 to 18 come from as far as Marysville and Fox Island to participate in two practices a week and travel extensively to various competitions. Band members compete in amateur piping events divided between entry-level grade 5 to near professional grade 1. The group’s grade 4 band is the most competitive. Many students who rank higher often win solo competitions.
Robbie Graham, 11, of Lynnwood, just started to compete individually this year in addition to playing snare drum with the band. He started playing with the pipe band at age 7, and hopes to give bagpipes a try when his hands are a bit bigger and better able to play the instrument.
His father, Bruce Graham, played with the Angus Scott Pipe Band in Spokane and tried teaching Robbie when the boy turned 6.
“It didn’t work out,” Robbie deadpans.
So the family went online, found the Northwest Junior Pipe Band and signed him up.
Robbie says he has fun with the band, particularly competing – and winning. “I feel very happy and I thank my parents and stuff – like they do on commercials.”
His classmates at St. Thomas More School like to watch him perform, too. “They think it’s cool, especially when I do the back sticking on my drum. They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s awesome!’”
Kait Graham, Robbie’s mom, said it’s become a family affair to travel to various Highland Games competitions – camping, cheering and conversing with friends and relatives. Daughter Audrey, who turns 9 this month, dances with the Shelton Highland Dancers, which will be performing at Saturday’s auction.
“It’s a great way to keep that tradition in the kids’ minds and have that part of your upbringing, history and ancestry, without them even really knowing about it,” Graham says.
Besides competing, the Northwest Junior Pipe Band also is a frequent parade participant and was kept extremely busy this past Saint Patrick’s Day and accompanying state Irish Week.
Often, people aren’t sure what they’ll experience when they hear “kids” and “bagpipes” used in the same sentence. Then they hear the band, Schiele says.
“The feedback we get from people in the community is, ‘Wow, this was really fun. What a surprise!’” he says. “They’re really talented kids and play very well.”
Robbie hopes the audience at the fundraiser enjoys the show.
“I just hope that they hear good music and we surprise them,” he says, “because we’re a small band but we have very good music … and stuff.”
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