St. Laurence O’ Toole Pipe Band wins 2010 World Pipe Band Championships

“St.Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band has won the Grade 1 competition in the World Pipe Band Championships.

The band was hotly tipped to steal the title from Simon Fraser University after they won the European Championships earlier this year.

For a change at the Worlds, the rain stayed away and approx 55,000 spectators gathered in Glasgow Green for the World Pipe Band Championships 2010, where the Dublin-based band spectacularly triumphed in the top category.

Featuring over 8000 pipers and drummers from 16 nations around the globe, the event has become a highlight of Glasgow’s cultural calendar.

People travel from all over the world to watch the Championships unfold and soak up the Scottish atmosphere in style. 

This year, there truly was something for everyone. As well as the fantastic music on offer, visitors were given the opportunity to sample fantastic Scottish fare in the Taste of Scotland Marquee and the opportunity to pick up a souvenir at the craft fair.”

(Via entertainment.stv.tv – Read Full Article.)

*Patrons Ticket PreSale Has Begun!

Patron tickets for the 2010 Pipes of Christmas concerts are now available for purchase. Any remaining general admission tickets will go on sale later this fall. Our Patrons program not only ensures your ticket to the concert, it also entitles ticket buyers to several classes of recognition via our Friends of the Pipes of Christmas program. Help support our music scholarship program by becoming a Friend of the Pipes of Christmas.

Patrons tickets for all three concerts can be purchased via mail order by completing the ticket order form found on our website at www.pipesofchristmas.com. Credit card purchases for our NYC concert only can be purchased by phone or online with our exclusive credit card ticketing service provider, SmartTix via phone at (212) 868-4444 or by visiting www.smarttix.com.

*Come to a Pre-Christmas Concert aend Ceilidh this September:

Join “Pipes of Christmas” favorites Local Hero, as they perform some of Scotland’s loveliest music in an evening of music, dance, spirits and fun. After the concert, take to the floor with some Scottish country dancing! The pre-Christmas party takes place on Friday, September 24 in the atrium of the Westy self storage facility located at 15 River Road in Chatham NJ. Admission is $20 per person and tickets will be available at the door. RSVP by calling (908) 273-3509.

Concertgoers will also be treated to a complimentary whisky tasting featuring Oban and Cardhu single malt scotch whiskies. As an added bonus there will be a silent auction to help our guests get a jump start on their holiday shopping. Items up for bid include a scotch tasting event at your home hosted by one of the brand ambassadors from the Classic Malts of Scotland, an autographed copy of Sir Sean Connery’s autobiography “Being a Scot,” and your personal bagpiper for a one hour performance at the event of your choice (wedding, religious service, party, etc.). If you have an item you’d care to contribute to add to our silent auction (sporting event or theatre tickets, gift baskets, etc.), please let us know.

Throughout the evening, tickets will be on sale for the 2010 Pipes of Christmas concerts as well. As an added bonus, all guests will be automatically entered into a raffle to win four (4) front row center tickets to one of the three concerts. The popular holiday concert returns to Summit on Saturday, December 18 with performances at 2 and 8PM and to NYC on Sunday, December 19 at 2:30 PM. The 2010 edition of the Pipes of Christmas is made possible by a generous gift from Oban single malt scotch whisky. Visit our website for complete details.

West Seattle Blog video of bagpipe musician Tyrone Heade at Dignity Memorial-Forest Lawn, playing evening music during Memorial Day weekend.

Irish Arts Center:

“Pipes and Piping in Ireland with Bill Ochs
Sunday, June 6 | 3 PM

Join us for a fabulous multi-media presentation that traces the 
development of piping in Ireland from the Middle Ages to the present. 
Master piper Bill Ochs has assembled a fascinating collection of 
woodcuts, lithographs, photos, and rare archival recordings that tell 
the story of the emergence of the uilleann pipes, the world’s most 
sophisticated bagpipe. To be followed by a solo piping concert in 
which Ochs demonstrates the full range and scope of this uniquely 
Irish instrument.

‘A most stimulating, informative, and entertaining presentation.’
—Professor Mick Moloney, NYU

Admission:  $15 general sale/ $12 members and students
To buy click here or call 212 868-4444″

(Via – Read Full Article.)

YouTube – Wedding Processional – Pachebel Canon D Bagpipes:

Wedding Processional in the Mexican Riveria on April 19, 2010 at the Grand Palladium Resort & Spa.

Tune played by Brides sister, 2003 World Bagpipe Junior Winner with the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band.

“GREAT JOB”

““

(Via View in YouTube.)

Pipes Playing in Afghanistan – War On Terror News:

“CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – From remembering people from the past to relaxation and even shaping the war atmosphere, one man has found a way to use bagpipes to fulfill many different needs.

Patrick J. Carroll, the governance and cultural advisor for the I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) Civil Affairs Group, plays the bagpipes for many different reasons, and brings its tunes to all different parts of the world.

Through his experiences he has found something that brings back memories, allows him to give back to his brothers in the Corps and keeps him working toward something better as he immerses himself into learning new songs and other types of bagpipes.

‘Most people say they can’t believe that I bring it with me, but once you remove the bass drum you can actually fit it in a normal-size gun case,’ said Carroll. ‘It fits conveniently in a seabag, so if I can take a seabag somewhere, I can take the pipes with me, and I pretty much take them everywhere I go.’

Carroll retired from the Marine Corps as a lieutenant colonel in September 2009 and has continued working as a civilian contractor. He began as an infantry officer but was also a middle eastern foreign area officer, helping him with the job he is doing working with the civil affairs group as a contractor.

‘I went to certain schooling during my career to become an expert on the history, politics, language and culture of the countries that fall within the Central Command,’ said Carroll.

Speaking mainly Arabic, Carroll also knows some Pashto and farsi after studying the Middle East for over 17 years.

The bagpipes are not an instrument most people would think to pick up. Carroll had a little more motivation than just the personal drive he has had throughout life.”

(Via waronterrornews.typepad.com – Read Full Article.)

Age no bar to genius as piper Potts goes solo at 80 -
:

“Traditional music legend Sean Potts has proven that age is no barrier to productivity by releasing his first solo recording of music on the tin whistle entitled, Number Six, months before his 80th birthday.

Mr Potts, who will receive the TG4 Gradam Ceoil lifetime achievement award at a ceremony in Wexford next week, is celebrating the launch of his CD, which is a fundraiser for uilleann pipes organisation Na Piobairi Uilleann.

The founder member of The Chieftains and Ceoltoiri Chualann was joined by fellow Dubliners — film star and keen trad musician Brendan Gleeson and singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey — to mark the launch of the record, which he hopes will generate much-needed funds to help promote the manufacture of the uilleann pipes and the further development of the piping headquarters in historic Henrietta Street.

Since retiring from touring as a professional musician, Mr Potts has dedicated over 30 years of his life to the promotion of the uilleann pipes in his role as chairman and now honorary president of NPU.

However, it is Mr Potts’ whistle playing, described by his former Chieftains colleague Paddy Moloney as ‘the greatest he as ever heard’, that made him famous all over the world and Number Six is a celebration of his rich musical legacy.

Number Six refers to the house of Sean’s grandfather John Potts, situated in the Coombe in Dublin’s Liberties. John Potts was a prominent piper and his house was an important centre forIrish music.”

(Via Music, Entertainment – Independent.ie – Read Full Article.)

Bagpipes: You either love them or hate them | Standard-Examiner – Ogden, Layton, Brigham, Weber, Davis, Top of Utah News:

“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.’

“

(Via www.standard.net – Read Full Article.)

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.”

(Via morpeth.journallive.co.uk – Read Full Article.)

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

http://www.thepipingcentre.co.uk

http://www.pipingfestival.co.uk

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 vPipes Project Team

(Via www.vpipes.com – Read Full Article.)

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.

FLYER (PDF FORMAT) of EVENT

“The Redlands Community Music Association will present ‘A Celtic Christmas’ featuring Highland Way and the >Kevin R. Blandford Memorial Pipe Band.

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.”

(Via www.newsmirror.net – Read Full Article.)

“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.

(Via Soundbytes – Read Full Article.)

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.

View Larger Map

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!

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!