“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.”

Read the Entire Article

FROM 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.”

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE – CLICK HERE

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. 

Read the Entire Article on The Scotsman.Com Website

The Pipers’ Gathering is a musical convention that features “alternative bagpipes” of all types.  Our event features many of the other bagpipe types found in the British Isles and Europe, including Northumbrian Smallpipes, Scottish Smallpipes, Irish uilleann pipes, Border pipes and the many different varieties of English bagpipes. Participants are exposed to the broad range of these fascinating instruments and the people who play and make them.

The Pipers’ Gathering is frequented by some of the finest pipemakers in the world. It is the one place to go in North America if you want to try out and order one of these musical instruments. Nationally recognized music vendors offer hard-to-find items related to this type of piping, such as CD’s, cassette tapes, music books and supplies.

The Gathering begins on Friday evening with an informal ceilidh. The mornings are dedicated to hands-on piping classes. Saturday and Sunday afternoons feature mini-concerts, lecture-demonstrations, special workshops, and discussions designed to emphasize the linkages between the varying bagpipe types. There are ongoing traditional Irish sessions and plenty of spontaneous jamming. A highlight of the event is the ability to meet and play with musicians of many backgrounds, in groups which constantly form and reform throughout the grounds.

Saturday and Sunday evenings feature concerts by of some of the best pipers in the world. Come treat yourself and the whole family to a new world of traditional music.

THE PIPERS GATHERING

Lyons College Scottish Arts Summer School

INSTRUCTORS

• PM Jimmy Bell
• Matt Pantaleoni
• More to be announced

June 23-28, 2008

Students will receive instruction each day in a first class environment on the beautiful campus of Lyon College. Every effort will be made to conduct classes out of doors when possible. Classes consist of 4 separate meetings each day, each for 1.5 hours. Class size will be limited, based on level of ability, and age. EUSPBA Certification tests will once again be offered at the conclusion of each week.

WHAT TO BRING: pipes, practice chanters, recording devices. Some items available for purchase at the school on a limited basis. All chanter reeds for the pipe set up class provided free of charge by the school. 

Also bring comfortable clothing. Kilts are encouraged.

Come prepared to work hard.

• Bagpipe set up and maintenance

• Preparing for competition

• Self analysis

• Learn loads of new tunes

• Fun

  More info on website

This will be a specatuclar evening of piping with two of the world’s foremost soloists taking to the stage:

Angus MacColl and Gordon Walker.

 DATE: Thursday 22nd May 
TIME: 7.30pm 
LOCATION: The National Piping Centre Auditorium 
TICKETS: £8 adult & £6 concession and are available from The National Piping Centre Shop in person or on 0141 353 0220. 

ARMY musicians will travel 470 miles through Scotland on a bagpiping marathon.

The Pipers’ Trail will start in Shetland and end in Edinburgh.

The Army are hoping that thousands of people will join in by marching part of the route with them and even have a shot at the pipes themselves.

Brigadier David Allfrey, commander of 51 Scottish Brigade, announced the event in Glasgow yesterday.

He said: “This is the first time the Army have staged anything on this scale in Scotland.

“It provides local battalions with a unique opportunity to meet communities in a fun and expressive way.

“The Army in Scotland have a long relationship with pipe and drum music and, through various events this summer, we will encourage more people to play, learn, listen to and enjoy traditional music.

“There will be piping and drumming workshops, with a professionally staged performance at the end of every week.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

 11×14 Oil on Stretched Canvas

By Eve Wheeler 2008

Thanks to McCallum Bagpipes for allowing me to

use their photograph as inspiration for this unique

painting!

Owner: Gordon Black

      Member of Paris Port Dover Pipe Band

 Ontario, Canada

GALLERY LINK 

IMAGE LINK

EDITOR’S NOTE – THE BELOW IS A PARODY

A Scotsman wielding a set of bagpipes was arrested by police in Manchester last night after fans of Glasgow Rangers rampaged through the city centre singing andwaving to passers-by.

The drunken fans, whose heroes had lost 2-0 to some Russian team, proceeded to accelerate the drinking process which resulted in enthusiastic singing and ‘high jinks’. It was at this point that the familiar drone of Scottish bagpipes could be heard, and police officersswiftly moved in.

Sergeant Alf Bogg of Greater Manchester CID told reporters:

“We wern avin that! I ate those bleedin pipes! They’re shite!”

READ MORE AT THESPOOF.COM

I have the Garvie Session Pipes, they are half the size of GHB’s and about half the sound. Excellent for inside and outside playing. Yes, they are made in Scotland. They are crafted from African Blackweed and have chromed tuning slides. I have two chanter reeds. I bought them while in Iraq in 2007 and will be returning shortly. I have more bagpipes than time.

They are in excellent shape and beautifully made. They sound amazing. Feel free to check out the maker’s site at: search garvie bagpipes. $2200 or obo.

LINK – CLICK HERE

K. Pettigrew drones circa 1999. Great tone! No warps or cracks in wood. A few chips in the ring caps as shown in the photos. Comes with a new set of Ezdrone reeds, never played. Chanter, bag, bagcover and cords are not included.

LINK – CLICK HERE

Tags: Bagpipes, Video

Complementing the Duda (Hungarian Bagpipe) playing on this CD release is some fine singing and other traditional folk music instruments.
Boosting members such as Sándor Csoóri (ex-Muzsikás, now with Ifjú Muzsikás) and György Lányi (Téka Ensemble) this bag-pipe project was always going to produce something interesting. Formed in 1989 they have learnt their folk music from the undisputed masters of the Hungarian Duda: Imre Seres (Közeptúr, Hont region ,Transylvania), János Szikora (Palást, Hont region, Transylvania), and István Pál (Tereske, Nógrád region, Transylvania). The work of these master live on in the recording by the Hungarian Bagpipe Band.
On their concerts they show the leather bagpipe and the bagpipers tunes and make the public aquainted with the traditions and legends which connected with this mistycal instrument. Their first album compilated 15’th years performances.

István Adorján – bagpipe, chained staff
Botond Bese – bagpipe, voice
Sándor Csoóri Jr. – bagpipe
Balázs Istvánfi – bagpipe, koboz
Zoltán Karakas – kanásztülök, voice
József Kozák – bagpipe, flute, drum, bass bagpipe
György Lányi – bagpipe, voice, drum, bzugony
Dongó Szokolay – bagpipe
Végh Andor – bagpipe, turkish whistle
Károly Vladár – bagpipe, voice
Szilvia Bognár – voice
Boglárka Csonka – voice
Orsolya Strack – voice

Tags: Bagpipes, cd

May 24th, 2008 The St. Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg Pipe Bands will be hosting an 18 hole Texas Scramble Tournament on May 24th. Tee-off is at 9am at the Southside Golf Course.

All are welcome to participate. The entry fee of $75 includes power cart rental and lunch. There will be prizes for longest drive, closest to the pin, as well as a putting contest, and prize for “best kilted golfer”.

For more information on this event, please contact Dave Bihun atDaveBihun@SASPB.com or any member of the pipe band.

Click HERE for Tournament Registration form.

NATIONAL PIPING CENTRE WEBSITE

Here is a home video of a Bagpiper in Edinburgh. If you have any videos please send them in.

 You don’t have to be very good to get people’s attention.

IN less than two years of playing the bagpipes, Laurencekirk Primary pupil Andrew Clark has ammassed a tremendous amount of silverware.

Eleven-year-old Andrew, who is in P7 and lives at Gallery Lodge, Logie Pert, began chanter lessons with Brechin Pipe Band in February 2005. He was fifth in his first chanter competition at Edzell in the November, then won his next at Pitlochry two months later.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE 

There are plenty of bagpipers out there, but how many jazz musicians make the bagpipe a part of their repertoire? James Rivers was playing his heart out at the WWOZ Jazz Tent this afternoon. WWOZ is with you for all seven days of Jazz Fest 2008.