The James D. Randolph Kiltie Band is looking toward its future while also remembering its past.

According to Andrew Heisey, chairperson for the Fine Arts Department and assistant professor of art, and a member of the Kiltie band for four years, the band was created around the 1970s by James D.  “Fuzzy” Randolph.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Randolph was the music director of the university band, which then included the Kiltie Band. The band changed during the 1980s, removing the Scottish style.

About five years ago, the Kiltie Band make a comeback. A student wanted to take bagpipe lessons for credit and soon many others took interest in lessons. Lessons became available and soon there was a class created to teach students how to play the bagpipes.

Jeremy Olisar, instructor of music and director of the Kiltie Band, said the band had 10 new bagpipers in the first small ensemble bagpipe class.

“From there, we started opening it up to faculty members and community members,” Olisar said, “and today we have a pretty balanced mixture of all of that.”

Heisey said that the Kiltie Band has slowly increased in members since then and has really worked on bringing back Randolph’s traditions.

Two years ago, the Waynesburg University Kiltie Band received a large donation for purchasing bagpipes, drums and uniforms. As a condition for the donation, the band was renamed in honor of Randolph. The band was able to purchase the new instruments and uniforms this past summer and will premiere them at the Homecoming football game on the 30th.

“One tradition we want to bring back,” said Heisey, “if we can get it arranged with the local police and security, we are going to lead the fans down to the football game, which is something Fuzzy used to do years and years ago.”

Although the Kiltie Band is bringing back traditions, they are also moving forward and improving the band with new ideas.

“This year, we are actually offering one-on-one instruction for those who are just starting off new,” said Olisar. “In past years, we would have a day to instruct anyone from beginner to intermediate level and it was a little bit chaotic trying to work with a lot of different ability levels at the same time.”

Although Kiltie Band is no longer offered for credit, it is an extra-curricular activity offered at Waynesburg University for anyone who would like to learn.

“Anyone starting drums or pipes for the first time, even if they don’t have musical background, we welcome them in and we will start them off with some one-on-one instruction just to start them off,” said Olisar.

The Kiltie Band practices from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday and performs at various community events and parades, such as a Vietnam memorial service at the Greene County Fairgrounds, Oct. 1, and the Jefferson Veteran Day Parade, Nov. 11.

“There is a lot of history of bagpipes in western Pennsylvania, but it’s neat that we are a part of that too,” said Heisey.