Burns Night at the Legion last night. An excellent evening of food and entertainment.
Highlight of the evening was the White Heather Pipe Band. Highlight of the band was the powerful, beautiful, ringing voice of Amanda Jones. Accompanied by sixteen bagpipes, her voice rang clear and strong above them.
I do not profess to qualifications. I believe I know the difference between alto and soprano but not enough to speak with certainty. But I know what I like and the voice brought tears to my eyes.
She played a drum as well A young black woman, in a kilt and vest, heavy woollen socks,sturdy walking shoes and a Glengarry bonnet.She sang four songs including When the Pipers Play and Amazing Grace. From the first note, we knew we were in the presence of something extraordinary.
The entire band was extraordinary in everything they presented. After the concert, the group from Gengarry County in Eastern Ontario who regularly come down to entertain at the Aurora Legion on Burns Night, kept the dance floor filled and jigging. It was an outstanding evening.
I left wondering. I'm still wondering. Is Amanda Jones like so many others with amazing talent, who get to shine on an occasional week-end. Only her name was on the program. She wasn't introduced separately. She wasn't asked to come forward to take a bow. She could not have known from separate applause how her voice had enthralled us.
If anyone out there wants to fill in on background of Amanda Jones. The White Heather Pipe Band and the Ceilidh group from Glengarry County, I would be glad to publish it here.
The closest I can compare is to the voice of Kiri Jeanette Te Kanawa . The New Zealand Maori opera
soprano who achieved world renown who until now, to my ear, has been incomparable.
Hi Evelyn,
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the show! Here is a bit about each of the acts that you mention.
The White Heather Pipes & Drums is a community pipe band here in Aurora. Started in the early '90s, the initial Pipe Major was Bob Dunsmore, who also addressed the Haggis on Saturday night. He was followed by myself for a few years, and the current Pipe Major is David Veitch. Lead Drummer is Kathleen Daly. The band plays in local parades and concerts and in competitions on the Ontario circuit. Burns' night is the bands biggest event of the year. They practice on Thursday nights in Aurora, are always looking for new members, both young and old, and provide group instruction for free. One on one piping instruction is also available through the Pipe Major or Ellen Mole, drumming instruction by Andy Luck. You can visit their website here http://whiteheather.fateback.com/.
Amanda Jones is a Newmarket resident who, as you might expect, performs as a professional opera singer in Toronto as often as she can, and she also sings Jazz and Soul with various bands, including that of her father. She began performing with the White Heather three years ago, and she was so interested in the pipe band music that she learned to play the tenor drum. Amanda is an immensely talented musician, as you found out on Saturday. I have heard her sing many time in practice and in performances, and she blows me away every time. She was accompanied on piano by Andy Luck, who is an elementary school music teacher, and a very talented multi-instrument musician in his own rite.
The dance band is called Hadrian's Wall, and they do indeed come from Glengarry county in eastern Ontario, a hotbed of Candian/Scottish culture, home of the North American Championship awarding Glengarry Highland Games, and my home county! The band is led and managed by Neil Emberg, and his/their website is here http://neilemberg.com/.
Thanks for the great review Evelyn. The pipe band will be playing at the Legion on St. Patrick's day (March 17, 2012), and Amanda may just sing one or two Irish songs on that night!!
Bill Allison
I guess it is a good thing that the Legion does not have to pay property taxes. Otherwise they would not be able to put on an event like this!
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