POINT PLEASANT — In a state like New Jersey, with such a variety of St. Patrick’s Day-related events to attend, bagpipes are ever-prevalent; especially in the month of March, which is the busiest time of year for bands like St. Brendan the Navigator Pipes & Drums.
On Saturday March 8, The Ocean Star caught up with St. Brendan’s band members as they warmed up just before the Ocean County St. Patrick’s Day Parade on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights.
“We’re a Scottish/Irish band that wears Scottish kilts and plays Irish music,” said Pipe Major Rich Harvey, himself a Scot. “If you consider the bagpipes’ history back far enough, you’re talking about the Egyptians. Many cultures have a bagpipe-type instrument; you have Spain, you have France. There are bands in Latin America and throughout the Middle East and Africa. Most people think of it as a UK thing, with Americans adopting it. Honest truth is, it’s all over the world.”
The pipe major, along with the drum major, are appointed to lead their respective sections in marching and music. Harvey explained how the bagpipes themselves work with a demonstration.
“We hang on and try not to let go,” he said, showing how pipers squeeze the bag part of the pipes as it simultaneously inflates with air, causing a constant drone to be played out of the three top pipes. On the bottom, a pipe with finger holes called the “chanter” is used to play pitched notes as the piper continuously blows air through the instrument. “It’s truly a very accepting community of anybody who wants to play the music.”
Instrument-wise, the band consists of bagpipes, bass drums, snare drums and tenor drums. Jenni Hoagland of Point Pleasant, the band’s president, said that the responsibilities of leading the group of bekilted bards is fun, especially with such a diverse membership.
“It’s a fun responsibility,” said Hoagland. Hoagland plays the bass drum, calling it the “heartbeat of the band.” “It’s a great organization; we have couples, we have friends, our youngest member is in early high school and our oldest members are in their 80s. So, I’m proud to lead this organization as best as I can.”
“The bass drum is the largest drum that we have; it’s super fun,” she said. “It’s called the heartbeat of the band, so it’s kind of fitting that the president is also the bass drummer. One of my key roles, as the bass drummer, is to make sure I hit the drum loudly so that everyone in the form can hear when to put their left foot down.”
Hoagland’s father, Walt Hoagland of Brick, is one of two drum majors for St. Brendan’s, and he talked about joining the band roughly seven years ago.
“I retired 12 years ago, and I was looking for something to do,” he said. “My daughter had joined the band, and my wife and I would come to the events. One time, they were standing around and talking about how they needed a new drum major. I said, ‘What’s involved with that?’ They said, ‘We’ll teach you’ and I said I’d give it a try.”
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