Today, we take a peek into The National Piping Centre’s ‘Noting the Tradition’ project. For readers unfamiliar with this project, it is an on-going venture which undertakes oral history interviews with those luminaries that have been involved in piping at all levels and all over Scotland in the past 50 or so years.
The project was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund with the simple aim of creating an important resource telling the story of the Great Highland Bagpipe.
The interviewee we bring to your attention today is George Lumsden. Antonia Bruce conducted the interview in November 2012.
George Lumsden is a Fifer. Born in the former royal burgh Kirkcaldy, George’s piping commenced, age 13, whilst a pupil at at Dollar Academy. Bert Garnock was his instructor. On leaving school, he joined The Black Watch and later joined the Edinburgh City Police. George was a member of that illustrious band in its halcyon years under Pipe Major Donald Shaw Ramsay and went on to become its Pipe Major.
This is a fascinating interview, particularly the second half, with a major piping figure. George lives in Dollar and is in his early 80s. Listen to the interview by clicking here.
