Pop-up Pipers 2020 

Our Pop-up Pipers are back! In order to bring some joy to Montrealers during this difficult time, the St. Andrew’s Society is reinstituting the Pop-up Pipers—surprise appearances by pipers at different locations around the city. We hope these presentations bring smiles to the faces of passers-by, and invite you to check out the videos below! New instalments will be posted weekly.
Many thanks to Society Past Presidents Ian Aitken and Brian MacKenzie for organizing this program, and to our talented videographer, Youth Committee member Angus Aitken, for making these splendid films!

Pop-up Pipers in the news!
CBC Radio: On May 23, Ian Aitken and Brian MacKenzie were interviewed by Ainslie MacLellan for "All in a Weekend" on CBC Radio.
​Global News: On June 25, Dan Spector interviewed Ian Aitken, Angus Aitken and piper Nolan-Patrick Cunningham as they filmed a future episode in front of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

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Maison Forget
LCol Bruce Bolton, one of our past presidents, performs "Pibroch o' Donald Dhu" and "Skye Boat Song" on the steps of the Maison Forget on Sherbrooke Street West. This historic building in the heart of Montreal’s Golden Square Mile is home not just to our Society offices but also to the Macdonald Stewart Foundation, the Black Watch of Canada Foundation and the 78th Fraser Highlanders. ​

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Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul
Gabriel Harris, Pipe Major, Black Watch Cadet Band and Dan O’Connor, Past President of the St. Andrew’s Society, perform "Cosmos Cascade" and "Scotland the Brave" on the steps of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul. Built in 1932, this cathedral-style church is the result of the merger of two Presbyterian congregations in the previous century. It is the spiritual home of many Scots and their descendants in the city.

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Robert Burns Memorial
Pipe Major Cameron Stevens plays “A Man's a Man for A' That” and "Auld Lang Syne" at the Robert Burns Monument in Dominion Square. Erected in 1930 in memory of the Bard of Ayrshire, the plinth displays an inspirational quote from the poet: "It's comin' yet for a' that that man to man the world o'er shall brithers be for a' that."

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Douglas Hospital grounds
Pipe Major and Society Past President Brian MacKenzie performs "Hector the Hero," "MacDonald's Away to the War" and "Midlothian Pipe Band" on the scenic grounds of the Douglas Hospital in Verdun—site of the Montreal Highland Games. We look forward to the return of the Games in 2021!

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Mount Royal Cemetery
Jordon Anderson of the Montreal Pipes and Drums performs "Atholl Highlanders," "Geese in the Bog" and "Jig o' Slurs" at the Mount Royal Cemetery, a historic site that features sweeping views across the city. Mount Royal Cemetery was the first cemetery to be located on Mount Royal. The St. Andrew's Society has its own section on the grounds, where it has laid to rest Scots and their descendants since 1857.

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Harbour Board Commissioners' Building, Old Port
Jeff McCarthy of the Black Watch Pipes and Drums performs "Cockney Jocks" and "Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie" in front of the Harbour Board Commissioners' Building in the Old Port of Montreal. Finished in 1876, this historic, towered edifice was owned by H. & A. Allan shipping agents, part of the prominent Scottish-Canadian Allan family shipping empire. Nearby stands a monument in honour of John Young, the first Chairman of the Port Commission—and president (1864–1866) of the St. Andrew's Society!

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Redpath Museum, McGill University
Jenna Dennison of the Montreal Pipes and Drums plays "Hail, Alma Mater" (McGill University's school song) and "Cabar Feidh" on the steps of the Redpath Museum on the university campus. Completed in 1882, Redpath Museum was the gift of prominent businessman Peter Redpath, the son of a Scottish immigrant, and is the oldest building in Canada that was built as a museum. It houses extensive collections in the field of natural history.

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McCall MacBain Arts Building, McGill University
Kenneth MacKenzie, who is a faculty lecturer in the Department of Economics at McGill University, plays "The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home," "The Rose Among the Heather" and "Jenny Dang the Weaver" in front of the McCall MacBain Arts Building on the university campus. Founded in 1821 by a bequest of Scotsman James McGill, McGill University has deep, historic connections to the Scottish community in Montreal.
Kenneth has been known to play the bagpipes during his lectures!

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Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
Piper Jordon Anderson of the Canada Border Services Agency plays "The Inverness Gathering," "Corn Rigs" and "Faldenny" at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. Opened in 1941, the airport served as a hub for thousands of Allied aircraft en route to England during World War II. Since those days it has been expanded and modernized, and now handles 20 million passengers a year—except this year, which has seen a massive reduction in the number of flights due to current travel restrictions. The video includes rare views of quiet tarmacs and empty concourses as we await better times.

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Royal Montreal Curling Club
Jeff McCarthy of the Black Watch Pipes and Drums plays "Walter Douglas MBE" in front of the Royal Montreal Curling Club. Established in 1807 by a group of local merchants and a chaplain who used to curl on the frozen St. Lawrence River, this club is the oldest established sports club still active in North America. It moved to an indoor rink in 1860, and then in 1889 to its current location just outside the Golden Square Mile—the historic heart of the Scottish community in Montreal. The club received its Royal Warrant in 1924.

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Montreal Masonic Memorial Temple
Pipe Major Cameron Stevens plays "When the Battle's Over" and "Highland Brigade at Magersfontein" on the steps of the Montreal Masonic Memorial Temple. Opened in 1930 to commemorate the Freemasons who gave their lives in World War I, this Beaux-Arts style building has been designated as a National Historic Site. The architect, John Smith Archibald, was born in Scotland, and went on to work on other Canadian landmarks such as the Windsor Hotel, Chateau Laurier, and the Montreal Forum. He was himself a Freemason and was active in the Scottish Rite.

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Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Piper Nolan-Patrick Cunningham plays on the steps of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The museum was founded in 1860, making it the oldest museum in Canada. It moved to its current location in the heart of the historic Golden Square Mile in 1912, thanks to the support and generosity of many prominent Montrealers including Scotsmen Senator Robert Mackay (who owned the building site on Sherbrooke Street West), and railway tycoons James Ross and Richard B. Angus. Today the museum houses a wide collection of art ranging from works by Old Masters to creations by contemporary artists, spread across five pavilions.

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Château Ramezay
Pipe Major Olivier Rommelaere plays "Lord Lovat's Lament" and "Kildonan" at the historic Château Ramezay in Old Montreal. Built in 1705 by Claude de Ramezay, the Governor of Montreal, this graceful residence was surrounded by extensive gardens and orchards. In 1775, it served as the Canadian headquarters for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War; Benjamin Franklin was an overnight guest here in 1776. Following the war, it once again became the governor's residence, and is now open to the public as a historical museum and portrait gallery. Its substantial collection includes manuscripts, books, paintings, coins and furniture.