ABOUT CROW CREEK

Members:

Crow Creek is Alaska’s largest pipe band, at one point consisting of over 110

Performing and Associate members. "Performing Members" are pipers and drummers qualified to play with the band in performances and competitions. "Associate Members" are piping and drumming students, managers, stewards, tuners, drivers, etc. The band is governed by a Board of Directors, made up of the Performing Members, who elect the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Manager and Pipe Major.

Performances:
Crow Creek averages fifty to sixty performances each year, for small and large audiences, at concerts, in parades, arts festivals, picnics, social events, funerals, and graduations. The band has performed throughout Alaska in communities such as Nome, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Seldovia, Seward, Palmer, Talkeetna, Wasilla, Kenai, and Cordova. As a non-profit educational organization, the Band provides many free concerts for non-profit educational and charity organizations and events, where attendees are not charged admission fees; and discounted performance fees where attendees are charged admission fees.

Instruction:
One of Crow Creek Pipes &

Drums' more important functions is to provide free piping and drumming instruction. This is accomplished through weekly instruction and periodic workshops, where professional musicians from Canada, the Lower 48, and Scotland are brought to Anchorage. Practice sessions are held at the First Congregational Church, 2610 E. Northern Lights Blvd., in Anchorage, Saturday mornings, 9:00 am until noon. There is no charge to join and lessons are free. Students are expected to purchase their own practice chanters, drum pads and sticks. There is a limited practice schedule during the summer, so please contact us via email to confirm dates and times.

History:
Crow Creek Pipes and Drums was created in 1979 by a small group of pipers and drummers who wished to form a competition grade pipe band. In 1981, the band became

a non-profit organization under the guidelines of the U. S. Internal Revenue Code.

In 1990, the Band selected "Ramsay Red" as the official Crow Creek Pipes and Drums tartan. In recognition, the Clan Ramsay Association of North America, Inc. has issued a certificate of honorary clan membership to the band.

Since 1992, the band has developed a strong musical foundation under the leadership of Pipe Majors Joe Albrecht and Mike Webster. From 1995 through 1998 Mike Webster, from Aberdeen, Scotland, led the band. The current Pipe Major, Joe Albrecht, is an “Open Grade” competitor who was Pipe Major from 1992 through 1994, and reassumed the position in 1999.

Competitions:
Crow Creek is Alaska's most successful pipe band, winning most of the Alaska Pipe Band Competitions since 1990 in competition against bands from Alaska, Washington and the Yukon Territory. In 2001, the band was promoted to Grade III - the first and only Alaska pipe band to achieve that level of proficiency. Due to the band’s continued growth in membership and performance ability, separate Grade III and IV competition

groups were created in 2002 – a first for an Alaskan pipe band.

Crow Creek entered its first Outside competition in 1991 at the Santa Rosa, California Scottish Games, placing 2nd out of 10 Grade IV bands. Crow Creek has competed at the Pacific Northwest Highland Games in Enumclaw, Washington, against world class bands, winning 3rd place four times and 1st place in quartet and drum corps fanfare competitions.

In 1998, the band won 1st place in open competitions at the Yukon Celtic Festival, in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, against all pipe bands in Alaska, the Yukon and N. W. Territories. Returning in June 2000, the band won all Grade IV Yukon band competitions and took 1st and 3rd in the open quartet, and 2nd and 3rd in open trio competitions.

Traveling to Scotland in August of 2001, the band justified their Grade III evaluation by placing 5th in Inverkeithing and 18th at Bridge of Alan. Competing at Grade III (b) at the World Pipe Band Championships, Crow Creek scored well and beat almost a third of the bands, in spite of having just been promoted to Grade III, being at the World’s for the first time, and playing all performing members in cold, pouring rain.