Organizational Information

Mission Statement

The Brigham Young University Highland Arts Association (BYUHAA) is a non-profit, cultural and educational organization dedicated to preserving, maintaining and providing the highest standard and quality of the Highland and Celtic Art education, instruction, representation and adjudication.  The thrust of this purpose lies in our specific efforts to offer incentives to the commitment of the learning process and making these opportunities more readily available for the students at BYU and the International community; thus involving people in the living tradition and enjoyment of the Highland Arts.

 We further dedicate ourselves to the highest standard of conduct as representatives of BYU and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   As covenant members of the university we will use our talents, skills and the opportunities provided us to further the work of building the Kingdom of God.  We seek to spread the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through sponsorship, cooperation and collaboration with other organizations both on and off the BYU campus.

For many years, its has been the dreamed that one day BYU would have its own bagpipe band.  Until recently, only the solitary vigil of the "Bell Tower Piper" has graced our campus.  The Carillon Bell Tower, located south of the Monte Bean Life Science Museum and north of the Museum of Art, thrusts into the air and daily rings out the time.  From this location, many a passerbyer, especially those students living in the Deseret Towers and Heritage Halls area, have been greeted by the beautiful and enigmatic sound of some hymn or traditional Scottish tune played on the Great Highland Bagpipes.  Nobody really knew who the piper was…some dared to seek the piper and watch him….even fewer talked with him.  One of those few was the founder of the BYU Bagpipe & Drum Club. 

Brent Allen, founder of the BYU Bagpipe & Drum Club, met his future teacher and mentor Gary Hall on the steps of the Carillon Bell Tower soon after returning home from a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Germany.  In the winter of 1995, Brent started taking lessons from Gary.  Brent ate, drank, slept, dreamed, listened to, practiced, talked about, read about bagpipe music.  Within about six months of his initial lesson, Brent was up and playing in public.  The first band he belonged to was a band out of Salt Lake City called the Black Sheep.  This group was made up of a hoge poge of players from all walks of life.  He continued with this group for a while until eventually started playing with the Utah Pipe Band.  He continued on and off with them until founding the BYU Bagpipe & Drum Club. 

Band Archive Picture: Mike--to the left, Brent--to the right.
(Actually it is not us but they look like us)

In the Fall of 1997, Brent decided it was about time BYU had its own bagpipe band.  He approached Mike Nielsen then the BYUSA VP of Campus Organizations, his roommate and fellow adventurer, with the intention of finally organizing the BYU Bagpipe & Drum Club.  Brent wrote up the initial charter and registered with BYUSA.  Together they also tried getting sponsorship through BYU's School of Music but as yet they are not ready to support such a group. 
 

In the first year of the BYU Bagpipe and Drum Club, beginning to experienced pipers and drummers from the university shaped the core of the club.  The club performed in BYU’s Homecoming Parade, being the first bagpipe band to march in that event.  They also participated in many club activities including the Fall Monster Mash sponsored by the clubs and BYUSA.  The opportunities to perform on campus brought great recognition to the club and it's music.  The members began holding weekly clinics for those yearning to learn how to play the pipes and drums.  They topped the year off by performing in the Marriott Center as part of the annual Unforum.

In December of 1997, Brent became engaged to Ms. Julie Smith.  They married in the Hawaiian LDS Temple in April 1998.  Julie and Brent moved to Boston where Julie was accepted to graduate school at Harvard University.  Brent will finish his studies in Linguistics at Harvard.

Due to the demise of Brent, the BYU Bagpipe and Drum Club was in desperate need of a new president.  Mike Nielsen found himself very interested in seeing the club succeed.  Having a great amount of contacts and resources on campus to help it do such, Mike offered and the club members elected him to head up the club efforts for the upcoming year.

The club changed advisors in 1998.  Robert Eyre of the BYU Police Department, and who is also a member of the Pipe Band as the lead snare drummer, superseded Gordon Nichol who was a dedicated and outstanding supporter.  This year the club has already performed in conjunction with the Provo City Freedom Festival activities. 

The Summer of 1998 has been a major reconstruction and transitional period for the club and its members.   The major focus in this period of reconstruction and transition is to better meet the needs of BYU students and accomplish its desire to be involved as much as possible in the Scottish Community.  The first change that has occurred since the summer reconstruction is the organizational structure and name of the club.  The club is now officially named the BYU Highland Arts Association.

The process of reorganizing the Association to better meet our needs as BYU students and accomplish our desire to be involved as much as possible in the Scottish community came to an end on September 23rd when the new Association constitution and bylaws were submitted to BYUSA after much discussion and revision.

The BYU Highland Arts Association is comprised of the following sponsored organizations: the BYU Pipe Band, the Fiddler Club, the BYU Highland Dance Troupe, the BYU Genealogical and Cultural Preservation Society, and Gaelic Classes.  These groups have been meeting and organizing themselves in an effort to further the mission of the Association.