By Pipe Major Craig Nelson

           The Jacksonville Pipes and Drums was formed in 1984 as the St. Andrew's Pipes & Drums, with Bill Sloan as our first Pipe Major. In 1994, the name was changed to the First Coast Pipes and Drums. The small group played many events throughout the Jacksonville/ St. Augustine area. In 1997, the name was again changed to the Jacksonville Pipes & Drums (Bill couldn't make up his mind).  As we added personnel, we realized we could be a competition band.

         Though still very small, we began competing in 1998.  We placed 1st at the 2000 Jacksonville games, the 2002 Tallahassee Games, and the 2002 Ocala Games.  In 2002, Bill Sloan chose to step down as PM, and Pipe Sergeant Dave Page took over.  We continued competing, and in 2003, Dave Page stepped down. Pipe Grunt/ Quartermaster/ CBKP (Ceilidh Beer Keg Procurer) Craig Nelson (yours truly) took over.  When I marched the band to the Famous Grouse tent for a performance in Ocala, I was voted Pipe Major for Life, but I think that was the whiskey talking.

          We now have 10 pipers, 4 snares, 1 tenor and 1 bass, ranging in age from 14 to 74.  We also have 17 students at varying levels of Competency ranging from 8 to 82 (age of oldest members are subject to change daily).

          Our 2004-2005 goals are to continue to compete at Ocala, Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Savannah both individually and corporately, as well as other opportunities that may come along.  We traditionally sponsor select students/bandspeople to attend piping school in North Carolina.  We are also planning on attending Pipefest 2005 in Edinburgh in August of 2005, where they hope to parade 20,000 pipers.

          We pride ourselves on throwing visiting pipe bands a good pipers' ceilidh, and have had several outstanding musicians perform (after a couple, of course). We look forward to having everyone back in Jacksonville next February.

PLANCTUM  SCHOLA MEDIUS