There are plenty of drummers in the Summerland Pipes and Drums, but bagpipers are in short supply.
David Cain, pipe major with the band, said there are five to six regular pipers in the band at present.
“I would rather have double that,” he said. “You can never go wrong with a big band.”
Cain said one of the older pipers cannot march anymore and as a result, is not able to participate in band parades.
Another member has had health problems, two younger players have now finished high school and are not able to continue and several of the members go south each winter.
While Cain is willing to teach young players how to perform on the bagpipes, he said the teaching is a time-consuming project and at the end, there is no guarantee that a young bagpiper will stay with the band.
Rod McIntosh, another member of the band, said the band has been working to keep its membership numbers constant.
Recently, two good pipers joined but McIntosh said more are needed.
He said the instrument is a challenge for musicians.
“It’s an extremely difficult and extremely expensive instrument,” he said. “It takes a lot of dedication. You have to have an ear for music.”
A new set of good bagpipes can cost up to $10,000 while a good used set comes with a $2,000 price tag.
While the numbers are lower than Cain and McIntosh would prefer, they said the band is not in danger of folding.
He said bagpipes remain popular and talented players are still participating at various high-level bands across the country.