CALGARY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

PIPE BAND

Drum Major/Band Director Mike Bertin

Favorite Tune: Flying Mike has been a drummer for about 25 years, mainly playing kit drums in various concert and Jazz style bands. He started playing Side Drum (snare drum) with piper Lynn Ost in 1997 and co-founded the airport pipe band.

With instruction from Geoff Macintosh and Geoff Rogers, Mike became lead tip of the Calgary International Airport Pipe Band. In addition to his abilities for snare drumming and planning and organization, Mike learned to compose drum scores for the drum corps. He studied the techniques of the Drum Major and has performed in this role on many occasions, most notably, leading the Alberta Massed Pipes and Drums in the Stampede Parade.

When not working with the Pipe Band, Mike is actively involved as a coach and referee in the sport of Ringette.

Drum Sergeant Bob Caughell

Favorite Tune: The Black Bear Bob served for 39 years in the Canadian Army regular (RCAC). He played snare drum as a young soldier with the Fort Garry Horse Bugle Band. He received snare drum tuition from the military band of the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

While playing with the Fort Garry Horse Bugle Band, he performed at various events and tattoos in Germany.The highlight was playing before Her Majesty the Queen on her initial visit there.

Bob retired from the military and joined the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires at the Calgary International Airport. He joined the Calgary International Airport Pipe Band to learn highland side drumming. He often plays lead tip for our group.

Piper Sharon Dyler

Clan: Simpson, Dyler Favorite Tune: Amazing Grace Sharon's family came from Scotland and England in the 1800's. This Scottish and English heritage may very likely be responsible for her desire to play the pipes.

Sharon is a Border Service Officer at the Calgary International Airport. She began learning to play the bagpipes and made her piping debut with the Calgary International Airport Pipe Band in 2005.

Pipe Major Marjorie Zander

Clan: Kidd Tartan: MacPherson Favorite Tune: In Flanders Fields Marjorie has been intrigued by the bagpipes since she was a child, but career obligations and family commitments did not allow her to consider playing the pipes herself.  That was until a fateful day in early January 1997.

After attending a particularly lively New Year’s Eve Hogmanay, Marjorie was afforded an opportunity to take practice chanter lessons. Thus began her journey into the most interesting (and yes, frustrating) world of learning to pipe as an adult.  She received tuition from Iris-Dawn Naylor and later Pipe Major Lynn Ost. She played with the Glengarry Highlanders before joining the newly formed Airport Pipe Band in 1999.

For the 2001 Airport Remembrance Day ceremony, Marjorie transposed into pipe music a favourite piece of music 'In Flanders Fields' written by a former teaching colleague for choir. She then composed a harmony to it and the band performed it for the ceremony. She has also composed the harmonies for a number of tunes in the band repertoire.

In August 2006, Marjorie and fellow band member Dave Kirk became co-Pipe Majors, and Marjorie assumed sole Pipe Major duties and responsibilities on Dave's retirement from the band in May 2012.

Piper Mike Travers

Mike is a pilot in the airline industry, flying with Air Canada and Sky Service over the last fifteen years. He learned bagpipes from local piping instructor Ken Rogers in the late 1990's and started playing in the Airport Pipe Band in 2000. Mike manages to fit a little playing time into a busy family life and work schedule.

Mike attended the Regina School of Piping in the summer of 2002. During the summer months in 2004, Mike managed a posting in Ireland and played with one of the pipe bands there to increase his experience in piping.

Piper David Atchison

Clan: MacDonald of Ardnamurchan Tartan: MacDonald Favorite Tune: 604 Moose Squadron Air Cadets

David first learned the bagpipes in 1981 with the Canadian military at Edmonton, Alberta . In 1990, he set the pipes aside, only playing for special occasions. David works as a traffic control officer for Canada Post at the airport. It was here that he learned of and joined the Calgary International Airport Pipe Band. He enjoys the camaraderie of a group of friends that play together for the love of the music.

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