Shortly after our post appeared yesterday regarding information on Pipe Major Roderick John Gillies’ pipes, we have received a query regarding a set made by the great Pipe Major G. S. McLennan.
Rab Brown from Aberdeenshire, the owner of the pipes, tells us he has been playing the pipes for the last 20 years. The pipes were, he says, handed down to him from his grandfather. Says Rab: “He always told me they were a set of McLennan bagpipes that had been purchased not long after the end of the First World War.
“He was gifted them at some point by a friend and played with them for many years before handing them down to me. Being a young loon at the time, I should have asked more questions and now, sadly, my grandfather is no longer with us.”
G. S. had a pipe-making business in Aberdeen from 1923 until his death in 1929. The business was located in Bath Street, just off Bridge Street.
Rab is seeking information on the pipes. We have pointed him to Jeannie Campbell’s excellent book, Bagpipe Makers which has some information but perhaps readers can also help? If so, please contact us in the usual way.
Atholl and Breadalbane Highland Gathering organisers are seeking the whereabouts of the trophy awarded each year to the overall winner of the piping competitions.
The MacDougall Cup was not presented in 2019 at the famous highland games held in Aberfeldy in Perthshire, Scotland so, presumably, it was last awarded in a previous year.
Due to an administration error, the trophy wasn’t signed for.
If anyone can help please contact us in confidence in the usual way in the first instance.
The 15th annual Balmoral Classic, the only junior solo competition for both USA-based pipers and drummers, will be presented on November 13, 2021. This will be a virtual event, with competitors submitting videos entries.
Those invited to compete may sign up for any one of three pre-recording workshops with Sean Patrick Regan, Professor of Bagpiping at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Regan will work with competitors to ensure that they are prepared to submit their best recordings.
The deadline for applications is October 13 with the invitations to compete issued four days later.
“We provided both winter and summer workshops in our second year of online instruction, with classes taught by world-class instructors,” said Balmoral Director, George Balderose. “This fall, we’ll be presenting our second online Balmoral Classic, fulfilling our promise to cultivate musical excellence in young pipers and drummers.”
Last year’s competition, which was also held in this way, saw David Stulpner of Perth, Australia take the Ceòl Mòr with Corrienessan’s Salute David as well as the MSR to be the overall winner.
In response to enquiries regarding when in-person lessons might resume at the National Piping Centre, a spokesman said the organisation is beholden to the guidelines issued by the Scottish Government and it remains difficult to ascertain precisely when in-person tuition may resume.
However, it is hoped the picture may be clearer in the coming weeks.