COME MAKE SOME NOISE!
Whether you’ve been playing for twenty years, are looking to get back into it, or have never held a pair of sticks or picked up a chanter, there’s a place for you here. We welcome experienced musicians and brand-new learners alike who share an interest in piping, drumming, Scottish tradition, and being part of a great team. Come learn, play, perform, compete, and make some noise with us.
WHAT YOU CAN PLAY
BAGPIPES
Learn the great highland bagpipe.
An instrument that’s bold, unmistakable, and absolutely impossible to ignore. From your first notes on the practice chanter to marching with the full band, you’ll learn the technique, tunes, and traditions behind one of Scotland’s most iconic sounds. Fair warning: once you start, quiet hobbies may never feel quite the same.
BASS DRUM
Be the heartbeat of the band—literally.
As a bass drummer, you’ll lay down the powerful pulse that keeps the entire corps moving together, combining rhythm, control, and serious presence. You get the biggest drum, the deepest boom, and the undeniable satisfaction of making people feel the music before they even realize they’re hearing it.
TENOR DRUM
Bring the rhythm and a little flair.
Tenor drumming combines music, movement, and flourishing into one seriously fun role in the drum corps. You’ll learn to keep the beat while mastering eye-catching spins and flourishes that bring the band to life. Basically, you get to play drums, throw sticks around with purpose, and look ridiculously cool doing it.
SNARE DRUM
Bring the crack, precision, and controlled chaos.
Snare drumming is fast, technical, and seriously satisfying—combining intricate rhythms, razor-sharp timing, and teamwork to drive the sound of the drum corps. You’ll learn the technique, rudiments, and musical chops to make it look effortless. Warning: you may start drumming on every available surface.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Joining the Saint John Caledonian Pipe Band means becoming part of a team that learns together, performs together, competes together, and occasionally spends an unreasonable amount of time discussing tuning. Whether you’re brand new or already an experienced player, here’s a little of what band life looks like.
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This is where the magic happens—or at least where we repeatedly play the same eight bars until the magic happens. Regular rehearsals bring the band together to learn tunes, refine technique, build ensemble sound, and prepare for upcoming performances and competitions.
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New to piping or drumming? Perfect. Our experienced players and instructors will help you build your skills from the ground up. You’ll learn at your own pace while working toward playing alongside the band. Experienced player? We’ll help you shake off the rust, sharpen your skills, and get you into the circle.
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Parades, ceremonies, community celebrations, festivals and special events—you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put all that practice to work. There’s nothing quite like hearing the band strike in together in front of a crowd. Trust us. Goosebumps.
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For those ready to take things up a notch, competition season brings focus, teamwork and just the right amount of friendly pressure. We work together to prepare our competition sets and represent Saint John at Highland Games and pipe band competitions throughout the region.
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Sometimes the pipes take us on the road. Performances and competitions can mean travelling throughout New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada, bringing plenty of road trips, early mornings, questionable snack choices, and great memories along the way.
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Looking the part is almost as important as sounding the part. Members are expected to care for their instruments, equipment and band-issued uniform pieces and arrive performance-ready. Don't worry—we'll walk you through what you'll need. Nobody expects you to arrive on Day One with a kilt and a set of bagpipes under your arm.
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Being a member means showing up, putting in the practice, supporting your bandmates, and representing SJCPB proudly both on and off the field. In return, you get to learn an incredible musical tradition, challenge yourself, perform for thousands of people, make some great friends and become part of a team.