The Journal

Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Colin Dabbs The School of Communication adviser and adjunct professor Linda Williams plays the tenor drums Jan. 24 for St. Louis Caledonia Pipe Band at Schlafly Tap Room in honor of the birthday of 18th century Scottish poet, Robert Burns.

Many broadcasting students and School of Communications advisees know Linda Williams as a full-time academic advisor and adjunct professor in the SOC. What people might not know about her is that she comes from a long line of proud Scottish folks and that her heritage has become very important to her over the years. Williams is a tenor drummer in a bagpipe band.

Williams joined a group of 35 musicians who form the bagpipe band, the St. Louis Caledonian Pipe Band. Caledonia is the original Roman name for Scotland. The band has played at churches, hotel ballrooms, and most recently at Kirkwood Police Officer Tom Ballman's funeral.

Williams became interested in the pipe band when she moved back to the St. Louis area from Tampa, Fla. She can be seen flaring her drumsticks with Caledonian all over St. Louis.

Drumming is more than keeping rhythm - it's also a visual display, Williams said.

"When you swing the drumsticks, it is a visual interpretation of the music," Williams said. "I write music that choreographs the movement of the sticks."

Williams is one of five tenor drummers in the band and is also the mid-section leader, who coordinates the tenor and bass drummers.

Williams said the pipe band is a "generation-to-generation band." One generation of musicians passes their knowledge on to the next.

"I offer free lessons. That's how all of us (in the band) learned, and it's really important to pass the music on," Williams said.

Lucy Bodet is a friend of Williams' and also works as an assistant to Sally Lorino, associate dean of the SOC. Bodet is also of Scottish heritage and plays the bagpipes. Bodet said she is proud of her heritage and family background.

"It's something we (Scots) all come to appreciate," Bodet said.

Bodet and Williams became friends through the pipe band circuit. Bodet's former pipe band, Invera'an, merged with the Caledonian last summer.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools