“The bagpipe sound is often compared to the sound of cats fighting, or dying, but the reality is that when it is played by a professional, it is one of the most beautiful instruments around. It is of little surprise that the bagpipe is used at ceremonies honoring war veterans and those who have died. It has a mournful sound to it that can bring tears to the eyes of individuals who are touched by the raw beauty of the bagpipe sound.”
Archive for May 27th, 2008FROM REUTERS EDINBURGH (Reuters Life!) - Some makers of Scotland’s traditional bagpipes are feeling the squeeze of the credit crunch in the U.S. market, but have found new customers and a growing market in Asia. A rise in demand outside of the United States is just what bagpipe makers such as Edinburgh-based Kilberry Bagpipes had hoped for as it tries to cope with the slowdown in one of its main export markets. “I just think the whole American economy slowed a wee bit, so everybody just feels that pinch”, said Neil Manderson, owner of Kilberry Bagpipes, which sells 250-300 sets of bagpipes a year at an average price range of 600-1,000 pounds. “We are still selling to America, but not in the same numbers that we used to. But we are finding that other countries are coming on board now and making up the shortfall.” INTERNET technology is being used to teach students worldwide how to play the bagpipes. Tutors at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, founded ten years ago to set new standards for the “noble instrument”, are teaching students from Germany to Japan, live on the web. However, the skirl that terrified enemies on the Highland moors, and thrills the crowds at piping band parades, is a little too loud for computers, said the centre’s principal, Roddy MacLeod. |
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