The Captain's Corner

It's August once again and us faithful pilgrims make our way to Glasgow Green, the World's and a week of Piping Live. Some of us have been making this trek for more years than we care to remember - how long is a lifetime? 1966 was my initiation - way back when jetplanes were not the medium of travel... we travelled in a turbo-prop - yes a propeller plane - 14 hours each way! Regardless of the time or money spent, this was the beginning of a lifelong love affair - a passion that burns as strong today as ever. But the scene has changed... Piping Live makes it a weekly event with superb entertainment condensed into a short few days. The actual World's Championship is almost anticlimatic... big ticket prices for grandstand seating... over-priced merchandise... inclement weather often... Glasgow Green service amenities like the food concessions and beer tent that need some dire upgrading... and a Grade One Championship that is predictable and even biased in favor of the pre-qual...

I am reading blogs much more while I am on the road teaching this summer. For one, it keeps me in touch with my own reality. Michael Grey touched a superb point on pipe bands and you-tube recordings - well worth the read at http://www.dunaber.com/2009/07/07/pipe-bands-and-youtube/ ... thanks Mike.... the critique aisles are full of those who slag the judges or the bands for what is perceived as a bad call or performance.... I received this from one of my closest friends after the World's qualifier last year. In his opinion, my result was totally out in left field. In hindsight, that is exactly where he sat with his new mp3 recorder - left field. I was perched in right field as my fellow adjudicators had control of the rest of the playing area. Needless to say, I missed some negative stuff over on the other side and had a band higher than I would have, if I had been placed with my compatriot. But, judging is a team sport and it was covered in the summary consensus. The band in ques...

I have had a strange hiatus from this blog...more to do with unusual off shore distractions rather than any other circumstances! But it was good to get back on the scene at the Georgetown Games on the weekend where I had the opportunity to judge the Grade 1 medley contest. I was reminded immediately of my last post here, months ago... shortly after the Obama inauguration... Simple Music from Complex Musicians... yes, I thought, that is a great theme.... and it applies today as well as then. Band medley composition is clever today - themes are integrated - melodic lines are for the entertainment of the audience - rhythms are established that get the feet tapping - tones and harmonic blends are designed to cleverly overlay a pleasing touch to your auditory senses - midsections enhance your visual! All this was present in varying degrees from the four Grade 1 bands that competed. The responsiblity of the adjudicator is vastly different than that of the audience. For one, the audience is ...

When Itzhak Perlman and Yo Yo Mah played for Barack Obama's inaugeration last week, they left a fabulous momento for all aspiring musicians. I was reminded how important it was when a friend's daughter, who happens to play the cello, was over the moon with the fact that they played "her" song. Well, her song just happened to be Simple Gifts, a tune played on many instruments including the pipes. I got to thinking - if the greatest musicians on the face of this planet dare to play the easiest of tunes and more importantly, put so much feeling and enthusiasm into their performance, in front of an audience of a billion, there has to be an obvious message there. Did lightning strike? This thunderbolt revelation is certainly appropriate for all musicians, not just the young and beginner. Music comes in simple forms... it is appreciated for what it is... the player who constantly has to bash through the heaviest of tune or most obscure melodic form just doesn't get it. ...

..... and from my old friend (as in for many years friend, but no way my age friend!), Duncan Bell from the famous Bell Clan, Parlin NJ...... hey flash.........went on you tube .. usually looking for porn (only kidding) ....guitar players.. was going to show my eldest boy a black brother named Tony McAllapin...... hot player....... a video of the clan from the early 80's came up with the stuff because i spelled the cats name wrong.......... it just says clan macfarlane pipe band...someone said in small print ...from the early 80's.... all the chaps were slim.....LOL anyway ,it is an MSR event....... don't know the venue....... the spry chap on tenor........slings his drum down low.......wears his watch face to the inside of his wrist...has his cap on slightly cocked ...as per old school.......a real cool cat!!!!!!!!! this guy is the real deal holyfield!!!! Why is this man NOT giving talks at ensemble seminars!!!!!!!!!!!! or just plain tenor seminars!!!!!!!!!!! this guy has ...

A man sat at a metro station in Washington, DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the...

The fall has passed by quickly - but not without incident. Here we are into the Christmas week and time to reflect on the past, present and future - no, not as ghosts but in truly real life fashion. In the past 4 months our piping community has witnessed too many passings for any season... for me with the untimely deaths of both Scott MacAulay and Duncan Gibson for sure. The Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band family is still grieving the additional losses of Jackie Fair and Isabel Davidson. Piping lost one of the last Robert Reid students in the passing of Willie Connell. For this, I will dedicate the present to an appreciation and thanksgiving for life, friends and family and extend best wishes for the future to all. May our immediate year ahead be full of promise and prosperity, in spite of the doom and gloom brought upon by the current recession. We still have our music making events like Winter Storm and other gatherings more important than ever... hope to see you in the New Year... Merry C...