What is your all time favorite piping album?

That’s a tough question. There are so many stellar albums to choose from. Solo vs. band? Traditional vs. contemporary? Piobaieachd vs. light music? Pure piping vs. mixed instrumental? I have favorites in all of these genres, but over the years the ones that tend to get the most play time are the live pipe band concert albums. I love the tangible energy that comes across in the recording from the crowd as well as the feel of adrenaline in the music that is a product of live performances.

With so many stellar live concert albums to choose from, narrowing it down to one choice is a difficult order. If I were to base my pick on sentimentality and sheer enjoyment, the clear winner for me is Simon Fraser University’s “Alive in America” album.

Although not as well known or acclaimed as their “Live at Carnegie Hall” album recorded two years later, “Alive in America” captures the band on a high right after their first win at the worlds in 1995 and shortly before repeating in ‘96. The album is almost entirely pure pipe band playing with no tricks or gimmicks. From the opening track the bright tone and extremely musical playing draws you in and holds your interest until the last note is played, leaving you wanting more.

I practically wore out my walkman listening to the cassette tape of this album over and over during the formative years when I was just starting out on the pipes. Listening to the album today is somewhat sentimental because it brings back the feelings I had then, when my sheer excitement to play the pipes and passion for the music was in its formative stages. Whereas I am more prone now to listen with a critical ear, back then I was utterly awestruck with the brilliant and seemingly impossible music which seemed to be flowing so effortlessly.

Part of the reason why I find this album so enjoyable is that it helps me to remember those feelings I had and the passion for the music which is so easily overlooked in the ever obsessive and sometimes frustrating quest that is piping. I certainly don’t expect this album to have the same effect on you as it does on me, but by all means I recommend you pick it up if you can find it. You won’t be disappointed.

What is your favorite piping album and why?

Diligence and Labor...

"Always recollect that excellence of any sort is beyond the reach of indolence. If you allow yourself to believe that it is impossible for you to do what you see others perform, your despair will not allow you to succeed... facility will always come with diligence and labor."

-Lt. John McLennan writing to his pupil and son G.S. McLennan, widely regarded as one of the most talented musical prodigies to ever lift a pipe.

Utah Piobaireachd Club

The Utah piobaireachd club recently had its third meeting. The club was formed in order to "advocate and promote scholarship, instruction and inquiry within the form of Highland Bagpipe music known as Piobaireachd, Pibroch, and Ceol Mor."

The first three meetings have been informal gatherings of local piobaireachd enthusiasts. The strucure has been as follows: learn a new tune together on chanters followed by a recitle of tunes on pipes by those who desire to participate. The results have been most enjoyable and informative. If you are interested in attending, follow the club on facebook and its blog page to learn about the next meeting.

utahpibroch.blogspot.com

Test your knowledge!

Ok Pipers... How well do you know your piping history?

Can you name any of the piping legends in this photo? Several were among the most prominent piping figures of the 20th century. Hint, not all of them are playing...

Staurt Liddell captures the Bratach Gorm

Stuart Liddell continued his stellar competitive 2009 year by winning the Bratach Gorm. Held in London, the Bratach Gorm competition is organized by the Scottish Piping Society of London and is a qualifier for the 2010 Glenfiddich.

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship

Stuart Liddell has long been one of my favorite pipers. His relaxed, yet deadly accurate execution and tasteful musical arrangements and interpretations coupled with a flawless, sweet pipe has always been a standard by which I have only dreamed of aspiring to. Although Stuart has often been better known for his "kitchenpiping" style of playing, his knowlege and ability of the more traditional disciplines of piobaireachd and MSR playing rank up there with the repected masters of our generation.

Stuart accomplished yet another milestone in his stellar piping career by winning the 2009 Glenfiddich Champion at the Glenfiddich Invitational Solo Piping Championships held at Blair Castle. His first time winning the prize, Liddell concluded an amazing year that included the Northern Meeting Clasp and sweeping every grade two event with the Inveraray & District Pipe Band as Pipe-Major, assuring the bands promotion to grade 1.

Roddy MacLeod of Glasgow won the Piobaireachd event for an record eighth time, with Bruce Gandy of Canada as runner up. Willie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland, took home the MSR and narrowly missed winning a ninth overall title.

Great Basin Piping Workshops

This past weekend pipers from Utah and Idaho were treated to two days of insightful instruction from world renowned pipers, composers, adjudicators, and educators Bob Worrall and Ann Gray.

Bob is respected around the piping world for his knowledge of the music and is one of the few North Americans to have judged such competitions as the Northern Meeting, Oban, and the Bratach Gorm. Most recently, pipers may recognise Bob as the voice of the BBC piping commentary during the World Championship broadcast.

Those in attendance were treated with a rare opportunity to gain some insight into a higher level of playing, appreciation, and understanding of the great music we are fortunate to play.

Thanks to the organizers of this great event. I hope there are many similar events in the future.

Deja Vu for SFU!

Just days after playing for a packed house at the Royal Glasgow Concert Hall and recording a live CD, SFU took their masterful playing and wicked tone to the competition circle where they won both events at the World Pipe Band Championships on Saturday. This is the second year in a row that SFU has taken home the title and the 6th time in 14 years.

I immensely enjoyed staying up all night on Friday watching the BBC live broadcast. I am hoping that this becomes a yearly tradition. Or better yet, I hope I can attend! It was also fun chatting live with other piping fiends via facebook and commenting as the competition progressed. What an amazing technological world we live in!

Other highlights included the Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band playing well enough to make it through the qualifier in the morning and play very respectably in the final on their first time out in grade one at the worlds and sentimental favorite Saint Laurence O'Toole from Dublin break into the top 3 after 10 years of gridlock at the worlds. It was very satisfying to watch local talents Justin Howland and Ross Morrill play so well in TSPD! Congratulations and thanks to all the bands who work so hard to set the world standard in piping and help our art progress.

Off to Scotland!

Well, it's that time of year again. A little over a week from now over 8,000 pipers and drummers from all over the world will take the field at Glasgow Green to compete for the title of "world champions".

I would like to take this opportunity to wish good luck to three home grown pipers that will be competing in the grade 1 contest. Marching to the line in the grade 1 arena at the worlds is something many pipers dream of for years and most never realize. Congratulations to Sylvia DeTar of the current world champion SFU Pipe Band and Justin Howland and Ross Morril of Dowco Triumph Street.

Legends of Piping

From left to right:

Pipe Major Willie Ross, G.S. McLennan, John MacDonald of Inverness.

John MacDonald of Inverness was arguably the best piobaireachd player of all time and passed is vast knowledge of the classical music to many pupils, the most famous of whom are Donald MacLeod and the Bobs of Balmoral.

G.S. McLennan may have been the most gifted piping prodigy the world has ever seen, particularly in the light music. From a very young age he wowed audiences (including the Queen) with his unequalled musicality and dexterity. His compositions make up some of the most highly regarded tunes we have in the piping library. Unfortunately, his life was cut much too short. Who knows how many wonderful tunes he took to the grave.

Pipe Major Willie Ross is said to have been the most influential piper of the 20th century. Joining the Scots Guards at age 16, he began an association with military piping that would last for 60 years, including almost 40 years as the piping instructor at the army school of piping at Edinburgh Castle. Among his many students, his most prized pupil was John D. Burgess another piping legend in his own right, winning both gold medals at the age of 16, a feat that has never been equaled.