Boney Music Memorial Invitational continues with online show for charity

Former Simon Fraser University Pipe Band Pipe-Major Terry Lee will be joined by a list of high-profile piping friends at 18:00 PT, Saturday, February 13th, as the BC Pipers’ Association holds a special online version of the Boney Music Memorial Invitational.

Normally, the event would be held as an invitational solo piping competition-recital to benefit brain cancer research. The competition for the top Open-grade pipers in the BCPA was initiated in 2016 by BCPA Life Member Andrew Bonar. The event continued at Andrew’s request following his passing from brain cancer in October 2017.

“I’m looking forward to the show,” said Lee. “We’ll have a few surprises and lots of variety.  It should be fun.”

Lee will host the Facebook live event along with former SFU piper and raconteur Neil Dickie from Edmonton. The two will review performances from the previous Boney Invitational held at the Seaforth Highlander’s Armoury in Vancouver on February 15, 2020. Following the performances, Lee will interview several of the performers, including Alan Bevan, Jori Chisholm, Gordon Conn, Zephan Knichel and Alastair Lee.

The new program is a collaboration between the BCPA, the BC Cancer Foundation, and Terry Lee’s Tartantown company.

The BCPA is encouraging donations to the BC Cancer Foundation at its Boney Music Memorial Invitational fundraising page for brain cancer research. Links to the live-streamed event can be found on the BCPA website.

Affectionately known to his piping and drumming friends as “Boney,” Andrew Bonar was one of the greatest pipers to emerge from Canada. In addition to his years as a Grade 1 band piper, winning five World Championships along the way, he won myriad awards, including the MacCrimmon Cairn at the BCPA Annual Gathering four times and the Silver Medal at the Northern Meeting in 2010.

Bonar’s young son, Cameron, continues in his father’s footsteps as one of the fastest-rising pipers on the Pacific Northwest circuit.

Nonprofit pipes|drums has made a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation in Andrew Bonar’s memory.

Related

Bevan wins fifth annual Boney Music Memorial Invitational
February 16, 2020

Celebration of Andrew Bonar’s Life Oct. 22
October 17, 2017

Andrew Bonar, 1966-2017
October 13, 2017

Bonar made BCPA Life Member at BC Games
June 21, 2015

Andrew Bonar, in his own words
November 10, 2014