'Pip' in Euro Championships

'Pip' in Euro Championships, originally uploaded by David Speer.

Heard from Olaf today. Below is his email about seeing 'Pip' at the European indoor percussion contest. Pip's ensemble took 1st Place! Go Colts!

(If any of you Xanga posters are reading this, please put a note in your Xanga or copy this there and let the Colts know who don't visit the old folks blog....Thanks.)

david

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March 20th we had a small Colts reunion in Holland, Carl 'Pip' came to my little country to participate with his corps the 37th Kingswood in a indoor percussion contest held at the same time as the European Winter Guard Finals.

And guess what, they won first place and not in the least of Carl's energetic performance.

During the qualifications (only three best performances were allowed to show up in finals during the evening) there was a small hick-up.

Judges made a 'big' mistake by putting them on 5th place. As recaps showed afterwards they were put on all captions first or second but one by the field judge.

He admitted he made a mistake, he wrote down the wrong points. So instead of being kicked out of finals, they ended up being first.

So they could show us another show at finals night. It turned out that they have been to nervous during the prelims, having all the hassling by jury all tensions fell away.

Their final performance was one full of energy and a lot of showmanship. You should have seen Carl doing his act, challenging the audience while playing his tenor.

I can surely say that Kent would have been proud of his tenor player. Carl just rapt the audience around his 'sticks' playing his heart out, while making his fellow players perform even better. You should have seen him dance like a fully trained dancer.

All in all a great performance, it even quieted the spoiled audience down to absolutely silence.

Even up to a point that the audience even turned against me while I was shouting for them and trying to cheer them as loud as I can.

(OK I now I make a lot of noise, but yeah that is also drumcorps! I have to practice my field voice to cheer in a full stadium.)

The results were this time without mistakes from the jury, they became 1st place with their thrilling, high skilled show.

Afterwards we all had a party downtown to celebrate their victory.

It was great to see Carl and Mark again (his instructor whom visited Colts this Summer as well) I hope to see them during the English drumcorps finals in October.

I hope you will have a great time coming weekend with the Colts. It looks like they have a great training facility.

Having their music book already finished, starting on their show, must be one big thrill to watch the whole process. As I wrote to some of you before I really envy you guys that you can be an active part in the whole picture. Hope to be a small part in it soon, only I might have to wait a whole Summer if my work allows.

But you will never know.



Say high to your wife, kids, Colts, cooks, volunteers.

Till soon



Olaf 'Alf' Nahon