About Feadán Ór

Feadán Ór was founded in 1995 by pipers Eric Albert, Kevin Angus, Peter Cormack and Jim Morse. Their dream was to start a pipeband that focused on education, competition, diverse music and performance venues. This dream began to flourish and take shape into what is now known across the Northeastern United States and beyond as the Feadán Ór Pipe Band.

There are too many things to be said about Feadán Ór, to be summed up by one person; so instead read some of the thoughts of our members on...

“There are no age barriers or lack of encouragement. Friends extend outside the band and share among each other’s lives, milestones, and accomplishments.”

“We are very supportive of each other. We have fun and truly enjoy one another’s company.”

“What caught my attention was an ad in the paper... what got me to join was the openness and friendliness of the band.”

“Feadán Ór is very family friendly. I don’t worry about how my kids will be treated or what they will see or hear at band activities. Everyone is willing to pitch in and helps.”

“Feadán Ór has introduced us to wonderful, warm-hearted and interesting families and has allowed us to enjoy new friendships. It has also exposed our family to a very active and keen interest in music and performing.”

“Pipe bands have always been my passion. My family is supportive and enjoys the outings with the band. There are many other young people for them to socialize with. We are hoping to start a Juvenile band in the near future.”

“I don’t have kids, but the ones I see are all well-behaved, well-mannered, outgoing and friendly. They seem to enjoy the band activities, because it gives them a chance to see and play with friends they’ve grown up with from within the band. My husband loves coming to all the events and helping out how he can. It also gives me the opportunity to travel and see interesting places without having to figure out all the logistics by myself.”

“We get to play fun music, and we really try to stress musicality on an instrument that is very difficult to get dynamics out of.”

“I love everything we do musically! We play traditional and non-traditional music. I have the utmost respect for those who put our music together and teach us.”

“The work ethic of all the individuals towards the common goal is outstanding. I’ve been in higher and lower level bands, but the fact that Feadán Ór members work so hard and encourage each other speaks greater volumes than a band full of outstanding soloists, or a band with a lack of ambition.”

“I like most of the venues we play at. Rochester and the Finger Lakes areas have some of the best concert halls around. I love the concert halls! (Even if the Smith Opera House dressing room wasn’t designed to hold a pipe band!) We do just a couple parades each year and that’s just fine with me. And, competitions at highland games are a gas.”

“I think that they’re a lot of fun. The competitions are a blast, and they’re just so different from the ordinary things that everyone does.”

“My favorite memories include the ‘Beers and Cheers’ competition at Altamont where we brought the house down by playing ‘big band’ music. That was a hoot! The other big one would have to be our little ‘parade’ after the Tunes of Glory parade in NYC for Tartan Day. We marched all over Manhattan and played for all we were worth. We made people smile and tap their foot. But we also marched through a firehouse where they had lost a bunch of firemen from 9/11. These, and being able to touch the heart on so many levels are memories that will last a lifetime!”

“ Our full day in Plattsburgh at Clinton Community College’s Diversity Conference. The early morning autumn view of Lake Champlain (from the hall we played in at 8:00am) with the sun peaking up over the Green Mountains was breathtaking - a lot of people actually showed up at that hour and the playing was pretty good too! The atmosphere was perfect. Shirley and Eric teaching the audience to sing a Piobaireachd using canntaireachd - WOW! The Capital District Scottish Games - it’s always a great weekend! The ‘Big Band Beers & Cheers’ — teaching everyone to play jazz at the Canoe Club and putting it together with three hot horn players! The pig-roast at Ellison Park. The bus ride home from Fairhill, Maryland (the first time!). Although, ‘thanks for coming ...’ is a funny memory now too. Tim and his BillyBob™ teeth ordering Egg McMuffins with ‘cheese on the inside, not against the muffin.’ It showed up against the muffin. Getting the chance to hear CIA Director George Tenet speak at the RIT Convocation. Jake Kwiatkowski playing ‘Bells of Dunblane’ in front of 1000 people. The Ryder Cup...”

“I think Feadán Ór has a positive effect on my life. I bring home that enthusiasm when we have a great practice or gig.”

“Feadán Ór has given me more confidence. I’ve never played in a band before. In the past I would have never performed in front of people, much less in a competition. Now I am and I enjoy it.”

“Learning to put the knowledge I’ve acquired to use in teaching others has been a rewarding experience, as I can not only watch my students grow musically, but I’ve actually watched some grow up (literally) to responsible and mature adults. I’d like to think that some of my influence helped make them the wonderful people they’ve become.”

“The experience has forced me to become a better listener of people, more confident in my musical choices, more expressive of musical thought, and more appreciative of subtleties in the music.”

“It’s definitly a band-aid for ‘empty nest.’ It is nice to set goals on paper and reach them. Our instructor had us write down a goal list and then helped us get there in an expedient way.”

“I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy the band. We work, play, and even struggle together. It’s always encouraging even when you mess up. And that, in this day and age is very uncommon and priceless.”

Feadán Ór, 2000

Feadán Ór, 2005