LI band to compete in Olympics of bagpipes

From a pitch-black hall in the Ancient Order of Hibernians building in Babylon Village, sound arises.

In the dark, bleats and taps sprout from a circle of a dozen bagpipe players and drummers, harmonious at first but quickly falling apart in a jumble of scattered notes and beats.

Pipe major Donal Morrissey tells the group to try again.

"If we can play together blind, we can play together in the light," he shouts. "I'm doing this so you can listen to each other and we can qualify."

It was rehearsal night for the Saffron United Pipe Band. If Morrissey seemed a little tense last week, he had reason. Tuesday the band arrives in Glasgow, Scotland, to compete in an event billed as the Olympics of bagpiping, the World Pipe Band Championships.

Some 8,000 musicians from a dozen nations will battle each other. Saffron United is one of 15 U.S. bands competing, and they are up against nations ranging from Scotland and Ireland to Germany and Pakistan.

"It's so exciting," said Maris Redin, 17, of Dix Hills, who played in the championships last year. "I've never seen so many people in kilts in my life."

The band is sending two groups to compete in two of many skill levels. There are 51 bands competing at one level for 12 final spots, 35 in another level for six final spots. Only the bands that nab one of those final spots get to vie for that grade's championship title.

The band began preparing right after last year's trip, where they failed to qualify, said band leader Eric Stein. Many came back more determined, said Stein, 57, of St. James, and the confidence level is up.

"It kind of enlightened me," said tenor drummer Amanda Forster, 19, of Oakdale. "It made me want to practice more and get better and see if we could do what the other bands were doing."

Saffron United, formed in 1962, is considered one of the most accomplished pipe and drum bands on the East Coast. In addition to winning numerous awards -- including more than a dozen for best bagpipe band in the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade -- it has made appearances at the White House, Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden.

It costs more than $150,000 to send the 32 band members and staff, Stein said. Some pay their own way with the rest of the money coming through fundraisers and donations. He said continued appearances in Scotland will help bolster the band's reputation in the region most closely identified with bagpipes.

Although there will be four judges hovering during their performance, Morrissey, 42, of Patchogue, has given his group one piece of advice: Focus, and don't worry about what's going on beyond the circle.

"If I can get their eyes on me, then the outside becomes oblivious," he said. "Then we can be united."

Getting the bagpipes and drums to sound as one can be tough, Morrissey admitted, but added with a grin, "But when you do it's a lot of fun."

The World Pipe Band Championships, in Glasgow, Scotland

Founded: 1930

Bands competing: 230

Countries competing: 12

New York State bands competing: 3

Musicians competing: 8,000

Current highest grade champion: St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band from Ireland

-- DENISE M. BONILLA