Celtic Bagpipe Music – The Piper’s Welcome
Bagpipes: You either love them or hate them
“Ron Rowe says that people either love or hate the sound of bagpipes.
Rowe, who manages and plays for the Galloway Highlanders Pipes and Drums, a group founded in the Top of Utah by his father, is one of the lovers.
So is Clinton Tibbitts, a 17-year-old senior at Ben Lomond High School, home of the proud Scots. A bagpipe player for the school, he first became interested in the instrument when it was used as an alarm clock at summer camp when he was a preteen in Virginia.
‘For some reason, something that was really annoying, and related to waking up no less, caught my attention,’ said Tibbitts. ‘And then we moved to Utah, where it so happens that the high school I was attending offered it.’
For Rowe, of Clearfield, the pipes are a family affair. His father, Albert Rowe, started Galloway in 1992 as a way for family and friends to play together. Albert’s father also played.
‘It’s in the blood, I think,’ said Rowe. ‘Three of my four grandparents were from Scotland. My dad quit after his dad died — too many emotional ties for him. But after my mom died in 1992, we talked him into taking it up again and teaching, to give him something to do. The next thing we knew, we had enough people for a band.’
“
Item from Morpeth museum in North East historic list
Item from Morpeth museum in North East historic list – Northumberland communities – Morpeth:
“An artifact from the Chantry Bagpipe Museum in Morpeth has been picked as one of the top man-made objects which sum up the North East, its past and its impact on the world.
The regional objects are part of the History of the World project between the BBC, the British Museum and a further 350 museums and institutions across the country.
Musette de cour from the Chantry Bagpipe Museum is a rare example of a bagpipe played at the French court, which some believe to be the forerunner of the Northumbrian pipes.
The regional lists complement a series A History Of The World In 100 Objects, which began yesterday on BBC Radio 4.
The series dips into the British Museum’s world collection. Ten objects have been chosen from each of Wearside and County Durham, Tyneside and Northumberland, the Tees and Cumbria.”
New York School – February 15th – 19th 2010
Dear Student,
It is now only a few weeks until our annual New York Piping and Drumming school to be held in St Josephs school, Babylon, Long Island. This year we have 5 excellent teachers giving instruction and we have given things a little shake up in terms of the piping options – a change which we hope will provide greater flexibility and choice.
This year we are offering 3 options:
Five day school with group classes rotating around instructors Mon – Fri
Half week workshop sessions. Mon – Wed for Novice/ Intermediate Levels and Wed-Fri for Intermediate/Advanced Levels.
The workshop programme and descriptors can be found in the PDFs at the bottom of this website page – http://www.thepipingcentre.co.uk/schools/new-york/workshops-individual-tuition/
Individual workshops can be signed up for as required at $40 per session
Those taking the group classes for the week will also be able to select workshops as they please through the week.
Each day will conclude with an Instructor recital. Also to round the week off the Invitational Metro Cup Solo Piping Competition is held in Newark which is a short train ride away from Babylon.
For more information and booking visit http://www.thepipingcentre.co.uk/schools/new-york/
Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to enjoy a great week of piping and drumming with instruction from world class teachers.
Best wishes
Roddy
30-34 McPhater Street
Glasgow
G4 0HW
Tel: 0141 353 0220
Fax: 0141 353 1570
vPipes – Hyper-realistic Electronic Bagpipes
vPipes – Hyper-realistic Electronic Bagpipes:
“vPipes-Uilleann is a unique electronic uilleann bagpipes emulator that uses revolutionary technology resulting in a hyper-realistic experience in terms of sound quality, fingering and ornamentations. It thus affords the possibility of practising accurately in a variety of situations that would prove impractical or impossible with a real set of pipes.”
ORDERING CLOSES JAN 15 for FIRST RUN
We are pleased to announce that the vPipes-Uilleann is now available to order.
Many thanks to all for having demonstrated a ‘saintly’ patience.
You are finally able to enter the realm of hyper-realism with the vPipes-Uilleann.
The market price for the vPipes-Uilleann is 1,290 Euros (net of local taxes and delivery).
The special launch price has been maintained at 980 Euros (net of local taxes and delivery).
In order to be included in this launch, orders must placed before the 15th January 2010. Limited to 1 unit per person.
The period during which the vPipes can be reserved opens on 21/12/2009 and closes on 15/01/2010.
The Pipes of Christmas Concerts Dec 19-20 NY/NJ
The Pipes of Christmas
Dec. 19-20, 2009
Tickets are now on sale for the 2009 edition of “The Pipes of Christmas.” The Celtic Christmas classic will celebrate its eleventh season with performances in New York and New Jersey this December.
NEW JERSEY CONCERT – SAT. DEC 19
Two concerts are scheduled for 2PM and 8PM on Saturday, December 19 at Central Presbyterian Church located at 70 Maple Street in Summit, NJ.
NYC CONCERT – SUN. DEC 20
The “Pipes” will also return to New York City on Sunday, December 20 at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, located at 921 Madison Avenue (at 73rd Street). The Manhattan concert begins at 2:30 PM.
The concert presents the music of Christmas accompanied by a selection of readings taken from Scripture and the Celtic literature of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Featured performers include Andrew Weir from the film “Braveheart,” uilleann piper Christopher Layer, three-time New Englad fiddle champion Paul Woodiel, the Solid Brass ensemble, Scottish harpist Jennifer Port, and the Grade III Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Pipe Band of Redlands, CA.
Order Tickets Now
General admission tickets for the NJ concert are $50. Tickets for the NYC concert are $60.
Tickets for all performances are available via mail order. A downloadable ticket order form can be found on the concert’s website at www.pipesofchristmas.com.
Tickets for the NY concert may also be purchased online at www.smarttix.com or by phone at (212) 868-4444 or by mail order.
Premium VIP seats are available at both venues through membership in the “Friends of the Pipes of Christmas.”
About “The Pipes of Christmas”
Since making its debut in 1999, “The Pipes of Christmas” has played to standing room only audiences. Given the popularity of the program, a second concert was added in 2001 to accommodate the high-demand for tickets.
That same year, the concert began an award-winning partnership with HomeTowne Television by broadcasting concert highlights on Christmas Eve to an estimated 40,000 cable subscribers. Four productions have received the prestigious Telly Award for television production excellence.
Now a cherished holiday institution, the concert has provided audiences with a stirring and reverent celebration of the Christmas season and the Celtic spirit. Audience-goers return year after year to experience the program, many reporting that the Pipes of Christmas has become part of their family’s annual holiday traditions.
Piping Scholarships
Proceeds from the concert help fund three annual music scholarships. The Alex Currie Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe was created in honor of the famed Canadian piper and is administered by the Gaelic College in Nova Scotia. An additional piping scholarship – The Pipe Major Kevin Ray Blandford Scholarship – is awarded annually by the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.
A Celtic Christmas – Dec 12 – Redlands, CA
“The Redlands Community Music Association will present ‘A Celtic Christmas’ featuring Highland Way and the
This third Celtic Christmas event will focus on the music of Scotland and will also pay tribute to Scotland’s beloved poet Robert Burns.
Celtic music and dance will ring in the joy of the season for an evening performance at Redlands High School Clock Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. and for a matinee performance on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.
Scotland native Brian Caldwell of Glasgow leads a musical journey through traditional and modern Celtic melodies.
Rounding out the evening will be the Kevin R. Blandford Memorial Pipe Band rousing the audience with soul stirring sounds of the Scottish bagpipes.
Preferred seating is $40 and general seating is $20. Children 12 and under will be admitted free with adults in general seating.
To purchase tickets please visit the RCMA website at www.redlandsbowl.org or call the Bowl Office at 793-7316.”
Soundbytes – Bagpipe and Hurdy Gurdy Plugs
“Soundbytes has announced that version 1.1 updates are available for the entire Soundbytes VST plug-in range. The Update brings major improvements and stability to the VST synthesizers BagPipes, HurdyGurdy and HurdyGurdyLE as well as to the VST effect plugins Sympathizer and StringVerb.
Bagpipe Plugin:
The Soundbytes BagPipes is a sample based VST plugin instrument for the windows platform. Its elaborately crafted control engine makes it easy to play authentic sounding bagpipe styles and techniques.
This can be done using nothing but a simple MIDI keyboard with just basic modulator input through pitch bender and modulation wheel.
Use the BagPipes to play authentic parts with convincingly sounding ornaments, cuts, taps and staccato runs. A specially designed pipe filter adds yet another layer of realism to vibrato, fades and pitch slides.
Hurdy Gurdy Plugins:
The Soundbytes HurdyGurdy is a sample based VST synthesizer for the windows platform.
It recreates the sound and playing technique of the Hurdy Gurdy.
The very special character of the ancient Hurdy Gurdy sound was until now very difficult to emulate. Many of the instruments peculiarities are not well known and using a sampler it is rather difficult to reproduce the Hurdy Gurdy in a convincing way even to those who are familiar with the instrument.
NPC New York School – FEB 2010
This year’s New York Piping and Drumming School will take place 15th – 19th February at St Joseph’s School, 39 North Carll Avenue and The Hibernian Hall, 27 Locust Avenue, Babylon NY.
It is a fantastic opportunity to receive tuition from some of the world’s top pipers and drummers. Tutors on this school include: Pipe Major Chris Armstrong, Glenn Brown, Ryan Canning, Callum Beaumont and drumming instructor Graham Brown.
This year the school offers more tuition packages to suit everyones needs.
- Five day School for Pipers and Drummers (run as normal starting on Monday 9am – Finishes Friday 3pm)
- Two and a half day series – This is a series of workshops held from Monday 9am – Wednesday 1pm. The other option is to start on Wednesday at 2pm until Friday 4pm.
- Single workshop options - This is an option for pipers to attend workshop(s) of their choice.
For full details about the school, the different workshops and the content as well as an online booking form please go to The New York School page on our website – http://www.thepipingcentre.co.uk/schools/new-york/
This school links with the Metro Cup, one of the most prestigious invitational solo piping competitions in North America. This year it takes place on Saturday 20th February and features a number of the world’s top solo pipers, including some of the teaching staff above. Why not come for the school and stay for this wonderful event too!
Bagpipe Tuner HBT1 – Calibration & detection
The HBT1 Highland Bagpipe tuner is the most comprehensive bagpipe tuner available. Featuring 5 modes, including a metronome, the HBT1 tuner correctly displays the pitch of the chanter notes to harmonise with the drones while also displaying the note, frequency, calibration frequency and pitch position on a large LCD screen. It’s easy to use and fit’s in your sporran!
Officially the best Pipe Band
Officially the best – News – Haddington – Articles – East Lothian Courier:
“HADDINGTON Pipe Band was on Sunday named the best pipe band in Scotland, after receiving huge support from all over the world.
The county favourites won various heats and then an online public poll to claim the title of ‘Scottish Pipe Band of the Year’ at the coveted Scottish Traditional Music Awards 2009 in Dumfries.
The band, who took to the streets of Haddington last month to drum up support, beat fellow finalists Boghall & Bathgate, Strathclyde Police, and Inveraray Pipe Bands following the public vote.
re impressive as their final rivals are all ‘competition’ bands while Haddington exists solely to benefit the community.
Pipe Major David Leckie said of the win: ‘This is unbelievable.
‘Just to be nominated alongside such wonderful bands was an honour for us, and to come away with the award really is beyond anything we could have hoped for.”
(Via – Read Full Article.)
Chicago Celtic Pipe band looks for new members
Chicago Celtic Pipe band looks for new members:
“About 12 bagpipers gathered inside the Estelle Sieb Community Center in Norridge Nov. 23 to practice with Pipe Major Chris Boyle.
The Chicago Celtic Pipe Band meets at the Sieb Center at 7:30 p.m. every Monday (except holidays).
The Chicago Celtic Pipe Band had an open house for Ridgewood High School band students at the Sieb Center Nov. 23. Neil Hansen (left) and Paul McHugh play the bagpipes.
The Chicago Celtic Pipe Band had an open house for Ridgewood High School band students at the Sieb Center Nov. 23. Instructor Charles Reece (mirror, right) helps students with a traditional drum rhythm.
The Chicago Celtic Pipe Band had an open house for Ridgewood High School band students at the Sieb Center Nov. 23. Instructor Charles Reece (middle) helps students with a traditional drum rhythm.
‘We just sit at the table, we start walking through all the new tunes, breaking them down, working on it, building them up,’ Boyle said. ‘As we get further and further in the year we spend more time on pipes. We’re working on the technique of playing, blowing, keeping a steady tone with the bagpipe, and then work on the finger execution so that we get it as tight as we possibly can. That’s the ultimate goal is basically to sound like one.
‘Then the drum corps will be working on their thing,’ he added. ‘They write specific scores to the tunes that we’re playing. So we get a nice integrated balance between the two different corps and that we have a nice solid sound.’
Pipe band manager Jim Enright said Ridgewood High School band members were invited to observe the practice in hopes of becoming new members.
“
Champlain District Bagpipe Band at SUNY Plattsburgh – Dec. 12
SUNY Plattsburgh Hosts Winter Commencement Ceremony Dec. 12:
“An estimated 400 students will walk the dais as SUNY Plattsburgh celebrates Winter Commencement, Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. in the Field House on Rugar Street.
Free and open to the public, the event will feature Kristy Curry as the student speaker. Curry, who is graduating magna cum laude with a degree in marketing, will discuss agents of change in terms of the nation, the college and the individual. She will implore members of the Class of 2009 to become the agent of change that resides within everyone.
SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling will preside over the ceremony, with Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Patricia Higgins presenting the candidates for degrees. College Council Chair Arnold Amell and Vice Chair M. Catherine Hollinshead will present the diplomas.
The event will also feature music performed by the Adirondack Bass, Champlain District Bagpipe Band and Cardinal Singers.
Support from the Student Association helped to make this event possible.”
Hurdy Gurdy
Editor’s Note - I sometimes get a questions about Hurdy Gurdies and how their sound compares to Bagpipes. I found this video that may be of interest if you have never have heard a Hurdy Gurdy being played.
This is a short excerpt from the 8th century epic tale of BEOWULF. The instrument I am using to accompany myself is called a hurdy-gurdy , a popular instrument of medieval Europe. The hurdy-gurdy in this video was made for me by Alden and Cali Hackmann of Olympic Musical Instruments in Indianola, Washington, and is a fully equipped electro-acoustic instrument with a built-in sound console.
Hurdy-gurdy players, like bagpipe players, cannot control the volume of their instruments which makes it difficult to use for accompanying the human voice but the intensity and sheer volume of the instrument also made it ideal for great halls and public places in ancient times. One advantage that it has is that it is a complete instrument, able to play melody, harmony and rhythm.
The hurdy-gurdy in this video is plugged into an RSP Technologies Intelliverb processor which I control with a MIDI Ground Control foot switch. The only other instrument used in this video is a Moog Ethervox theremin.
The original Beowulf epic was written in Old English which is no longer spoken and cannot be understood by English speakers today. I used a modern adaptation of the words for this video. For anyone who is interested, I have posted the text to my website, along with some closeup photos of the hurdy-gurdy. You can also hear a stereo mp3 of the song just as it was performed, without the YouTube distortion.
Found a New Use for Crazy Straws
MEMBRANE PIPE
Musical instruments from recycled/reused materials designs by Chabieraas. Música con instrumentos de materiales reciclados/reutilizados Chabieraas y sus Plastic Fantastic Pipes.
