Photographs: Italy September 2007

Here’s a stream of photos you can click through to get a sense of the fantastic scenery of the Molise region of central Italy and the good fun at the “Big Italian Gathering“. 

The Gathering, staged by the the Bagpipe Italian Group, in connection with the Associazione Piper Italiani in the Tuscan village of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, is an annual event that includes workshops, a concert and a competition.  All are welcome.      

M.

La Dolce Bagpipes

It may be a freakish 25 degrees in Southern Ontario today but I know summer is well and truly over. The leaves are turning colour (and filling my backyard awaiting my raking pleasure) and days, sadly, are so much shorter.

Time now for a bit of a piping break and time to get back to these pages. There’s so much exciting stuff happening; so much to talk about. First: I must tell you a little about Italy and the world’s most enthusiastic bagpipers.

Last week I returned from 8 days in sunny Italia (I’ve nearly recovered from my “jetlag” – seemingly exacerbated when traveling in wine growing regions).

First, though, I have to say I’ve been fantastically lucky in my life to have traveled all over the world on a good few piping trips but this one? One of the best ever.

OK, sure, Italy has other places at a distinct disadvantage: great food, great wine, exciting history, scenery that would bring a tear to a glass eye (thank you, Billy Connelly) and art and architecture that defies description. It was the people, though, that made this trip (cliche, maybe, but true).

Along with Roddy MacLeod , Alberto Massi and Stevie Kilbride I was invited by the Associazione Piper Italiani to participate in the Bagpipe Italian Group’s (BIG) 5th Gathering. This gathering of around 60 pipers was to occur in Tuscany, in a small village, Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. Sure, that’s no Roseneath (Scotland) or Embro (Ontario), but I figured I would struggle on and do what I could to make the most of it — aand I think I did!

Duilio Vigliotti is the dynamo behind BIG and Associazione Piper Italiani. He is any organization’s dream: smart, energetic, creative, visionary, driven, positive – a real “good guy”. From what I can see it’s his foresight and organization that have brought a focus to much of the good that is happening in Italian piping. Yes, there’s great teaching happening thanks, especially, to the inexhaustible, Alberto Massi (any country or association would be well-advised to invite Alberto for a workshop or learning session – there is no one like him – and I mean that in the very best way) but for me, this time, it was the fresh, almost child-like joie de vivre, that fills the Italian piping scene – and make no mistake, there is a “scene”. It was all a real tonic for me.

Watching Duilio work reminds me how important our organizational volunteers really are for both the preservation and growth of our art. So often we – or me – take that for granted.

For attendees the Tuscany session was at once a weekend away and a learning opportunity – even a competition was included. But more than this: it was a “gathering”. A gathering of like-minded musicians, a gathering of friends. All keenly enthusiastic, all in proverbial “sponge” mode, soaking up all that was to be learned.The atmosphere: relaxed, nurturing , collegial, fun.The focus on the instrument, on the music, on learning: intense, driven – a real thirst to move to the next level.

The Scots have given the world an awful lot. For many it’s David Hume and Adam Smith that spring to mind – or curling, or golf or whisky. But, my God, bagpipes! I just cannot get over the influence and effect of this instrument on people everywhere. What is it? I surely don’t know. But … I’ll aim to write more about Italian piping, Italian pipers and some of what I learned from my visit.

I assure you, I came away from Italy with far more than I left.

M.

Technical Style

When it comes to technique there’s no one single, absolute and correct way to make things happen. By “things“, I mean the effective movement of fingers. “Technique”, simply stated, is the way we move our fingers to allow just the right amount of air to flow out of our melody-making chanter, the right amount of air to make gracenotes sound and appropriately place rhythmic flourishes (also known as embellishments). To me, that’s technique. Dead simple.
Continue reading Technical Style…

Solo Piping on an Edinburgh Stage

OK. It’s July. It’s summer. And I’m a bit lazy. Better to be outside than at the computer, I think. So I havn’t been all that attentive to this spot. My good intentions have been washed away by good weather, among other things. Continue reading Solo Piping on an Edinburgh Stage…

Duncan Johnstone

A photograph from 1983: a party at George Steele’s house [Glasgow Police Pipe Band] in Glasgow.
Continue reading Duncan Johnstone…

Tempo

The other morning I received note from 16 year old piper. He was looking for advice about couple of bagpipe “issues” with his main challenge revolving around tempo. No matter how hard he tried his march playing was always “hurky jerky”. That’s a new phrase for me but I picked up straight away what he meant – I think.
Continue reading Tempo…

“Loch Carron”

Here’s a photo I came across that made me laugh – taken a good few years ago.  On a road trip through Skye and the North we (Bill Livingstone, his wife Lillian, Bruce Gandy and me) drove by Loch Carron.  We had to stop, as you can see the scenery is quite good. 
Continue reading “Loch Carron”…

Building Medleys: 7 Principles

So before we begin this musical adventure – this virtual attempt at creating an interesting competitive selection of music – it might be a good idea to establish a few principles to help move us along.

Consultants and David Letterman love lists: “3 reasons for this” and “top ten” for that; so let’s keep it simple and try a list.
Continue reading Building Medleys: 7 Principles…

Pipe Band Medleys

There might be some serious practical limitations when it comes to creating original and engaging competitive pipe band shows these days but I still have to think we’re being too timid in reaching for the hazy boundary and physical limits of pipe band instrumentation (meaning the bagpipe and the usual competitive instruments of percussion). Continue reading Pipe Band Medleys…

Pipe Bands: How to Breakthrough

The original subject was “breakthrough to win”. I thought that a bit crass, knowing that in making music it’s all about the performance, right?

Like competitive figure skaters (part of a subjectively judged sort of thing that is often compared to competitive solo and band piping) we’re so often heard to say (publicly), “I was happy with that. I did it for me. I got through it. It felt good” – regardless of the outcome.
Continue reading Pipe Bands: How to Breakthrough…