The following is a guest blog by musician Paul Williams who plays cornet in the Band of the Scots Guards. Paul is currently taking part in the Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch and the Military Band of the Scots Guards 2013 US tour.
The Band of the Scots Guards and the Pipes, Drums and Dancers of 3 Scots (The Black Watch) has now been touring the United States for nearly 7 weeks. So far we have played 33 shows in 32 venues. The mileage is fast reaching 10,000, 31 hotel stays and covering 18 States. Nearly $38,000 has been raised in support of the Scots Guards Colonel’s Fund.
In order to give you a flavour of our show, I thought I would explain a bit about the performance:
Our show, entitled British Isles of Wonder, provides the audience with a musical journey throughout the Home Nations. Music such as the Keel Row, Jerusalem, Men of Harlech and the Piper of Dundee is played. The Finale section (involving all members of both units) starts with a tribute to the Armed Forces which feature the marches of the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force and finally the US Marine Corps. During the performance of the marches, ex-members of the forces are invited to stand and be acknowledged by the remainder of the audience. The volume of the applause, whooping and cheering is symbolic of the respect and thankfulness the American public feel for their Armed Forces.
The finale was composed by previous Director of Music, Major Simon Haw MBE. The finale also includes Amazing Grace (a clear favourite with our audiences), the evening hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, the Last Post, and its American counterpart Taps. These pieces provide a fitting ending to our evening of British military pageantry.
Just last month, we performed at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. On this occasion, our performance of the Finale was particularly moving as it was dedicated to Sgt Shawna Morrison US Army, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, who was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004.
Outside of the performances, we have been really fortunate to fit in some sightseeing as well either during our time off or on journeys between performances. We have been able to visit Graceland (the home of Elvis Presley) as well as the Gateway to the West, a horseshoe shaped building in St. Louis representing the beginning of the West in the US.
During our performances, the quality of the venues and the warmth of the audience has not ceased to amaze us. We count it as a privilege to represent the Scots Guards, the wider British Army and the UK in such a way.
More about the tour: Regimental dancing, flashing red ceremonial dress, and historic music by the Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch and the Military Band of the Scots Guards have entertained American audiences since they first visited the United States in 1872. Beginning in 1955, they have regularly toured the US coast-to-coast. Having played troops into famous battles like Waterloo, these world-renowned musicians have toured the globe, performing at official state functions and engaging many cultures around the world. Organised by CAMI Inc., this 2013 tour combines both historic Regimental bands as they perform 59 shows in over 50 cities over 3 months around the US and Canada.