Proud
Pittsburgh Pipers
The prestigious Seton Hill University Pipe Band
brings the culture of Scotland to Greensburg. By Pamela Palongue
A
t first glance, we might not seem to have that much in common
with Scotland. There are no ancient castles here, no heathershrouded moors and no rocky cliffs overlooking a restless sea.
Still – the Scots who first settled in our area must have seen some
resemblance in the hilly terrain, the cool, sometimes wet weather and
the meandering rivers that slice through the landscape.
But perhaps the strongest link to the land of the Picts is the culture
of bagpiping. The famous Black Watch Regiment of Scotland (formed
in 1725 of Highlanders to prevent fighting amongst the clans) fought
in the French and Indian War in our area. And their pipers were there
in battle with them, bringing their unique and patriot-stirring music
to what was then a remote outpost of civilization. The first Bagpipe
Society in the U.S. was also established in Pittsburgh in 1899. More
recently, world-renowned piper James H. McIntosh helped to establish
a bagpipe degree program at Carnegie Mellon University in 1985,
which was the first of its kind in the world.
This ancient instrument has found its way into Greensburg as well.
The Seton Hill University Pipe Band plays at pipe band contests all
over the United States and Canada, as well as several local events,
festivals and parades. They are likely to turn up at any local function
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involving Scottish heritage, including the annual Ligonier Highland
Games held in September where men hurl telephone poles (known as
the caber toss) among several other events, accompanied by Scottish
music, dance and cuisine. The band has won several awards, most
recently taking first place at the Ithaca Celtic Festival in New York.
The band was formed in 1993 from two separate bands, the Black
Thistle Pipe and the Grove City Highland Bands, which were led by
A.G. Lee, Jr. and David Thompson respectively. They were called the
Allegheny & District Pipe Band. But in 2007, it was announced that
Seton Hill University would partner with the band, thus renaming
them the Seton Hill University Pipe Band.
The current pipe major is Josh Dobbins. (A pipe major serves as a
director for a pipe band.) Dobbins began playing at the age of eight,
and now at 32, he is a seasoned performer, having played with the
MacDonald Pipe Band in Bethel Park and a band in Cleveland before
coming to the Seton Hill pipers. Dobbins’ wife, JoElla, also plays the
pipes in the band. In fact, they met and married while playing in a band
together.