Strathcona Pipes and Drums

The Strathcona Pipes and Drums is an authorized pipe band in the Canadian Forces and is currently located at CFB Edmonton in Edmonton, Alberta. Although the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR), maintains the only pipes and drums in the regular army, the main difference between the two is that the 2RCR Pipes and Drums is funded directly by the Battalion, while the LdSH (RC) pipes and drums is funded by the regimental society. As such, the pipes and drums is a voluntary band that consists of both members of the regiment and outside volunteers.
History
Brass and Reed Band
The Regiment had an official brass and reed military band consisting of approximately 50 to 70 professional musicians between 1956 and 1968. The band was one of 17 tri-service bands to take part in the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo celebrating in 1967. Allan Rae, a Canadian composer who was known most notably for being a former board member of the Canadian Music Centre and a member of the Canadian League of Composers, was a member of the band in the 70s. Derek Stannard, who later became the director of the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, was also a member of this band. In the wake of the disbandment of the official band, a voluntary bugle band was established under the direction of Warrant Officer Mucker Langan in 1971. The primary duties of its volunteers were with the regiment's Assault Troop. Both of these bands performed in the regimental full dress uniform, which were transferred to the Ceremonial Mounted Troop in 1974.
Modern day pipe band
The Pipes and Drums was created in 1980 through efforts Warrant Officer P.O. Peters, who acted as the unofficial regimental piper. In 1998, when the official Land Force Western Area Band was dissolved, Peters quickly formed a pipe band of seven Strathconas to perform at Regimental functions. Since then, the regiment and the regimental society have been the financial and symbolic sponsors of the Pipes and Drums. In 2000, major international events such as the 100th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother saw the band travel to South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In 2002, the Pipes and Drums Band played for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II celebrations. In 2008, the operational activities of the regiment in Afghanistan resulted in a decision to dissolve the band. It was reconstituted in 2011.
Characteristics
The Pipes and Drums is designed to act as a symbolic representation of the regiment and promote the regiment through its musical activities. The pipe band takes part in the funerals of fallen comrades as well as provincial state funerals in Edmonton. The band utilizes the appointments of drum major, pipe major, drum sergeant and pipe sergeant.
Despite the regiment's cavalry tradition, the pipes and drums does not perform in its full dress uniform due to concerns that it could be associated with the Strathcona Mounted Troop. In light of this, the regiment authorized a hybrid uniform custom designed for a pipe band. The band uniform consists of a midnight blue patrol jacket, kilts (trews were worn 1998-2001) and a glengarry. The MacKenzie tartan is utilized by the regiment as the official tartan. The sporran worn by the band is similar to that of the Royal Tank Regiment Pipes and Drums. A Scottish thistle is worn on the centre facing the sporran.
Pipe Majors
*Warrant Officer Brian Talty (1999-2002)
*Warrant Officer K. Hepburn (2002-2004)
*Warrant Officer R. Stacey (2004-2005)
*Warrant Officer J. Hapgood (2005-2007)
*Warrant Officer A. Batty (2007-2008)
*Disbanded due to Operational Commitment (2008-2011)
*Warrant Officer Marvin MacNeill (2011-2013)
*Warrant Officer Conway Boland (2013-present)

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