The Captain's Corner

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Tuesday, February 7, 2006

Just in from Alaska...17 hours in transit...6 hours in Seattle airport during the Super Bowl...GO STEELERS GO....ouch...I was a minority of one! No..really of two. My friend Alasdair was also in Seattle pulling for his Steelers. When you are a supporter, the environment doesn't matter and so it was to be. A non piping lady came up to me and asked me why I was cheering for the away team (she wasn't quite that polite). I tried to think quickly....how about 1998, cheering for the Vic Police...yep...there was an analogy in the piping world....so I says, " Lady, gotta do what you think is the best"...and yep, 1998 was the best! What do you think was the best pipe band performance you have heard on CD, tape, or live. I played in one....can you identify it ?...hint .....on the World's CD?

From Pete MacKenzie, former P/S Clan MacFarlane, Niagara Regional Police

Ken, look back further to an '86 MSR of the 'polis' or even further to the City of Victoria on their best day at the Worlds. Although tame by todays standard they still rank among the best ever.

Petermac
Niagara Falls

From Jeff Kruske, President, Winter Storm

78th, Walking the Plank, 1998! Other top performances: Vic Police 1993, 1994, 1998; SFU 1999; FMM 2004

Right on Jeff..... the 1998 Walking the Plank medley will stay with me forever. Thank you Eric Rigler for giving us such a wonderful tune !

Comments on the blog

February 2, 2006

I came across the most fascinating article last night on music and the learning process. I have to share this with you as it is at the very foundation of my teaching philosophy on learning and playing music. Amazing that I had to read it in the preface to Scottish Songs edited by Helen Hopekirk in 1905. I will quote her lament on music at the turn of the century and invite your thoughts and input on this.

" I have often wondered if the introduction of the cheap piano has anything to do with the decline of song as a means of expression amongst the people. Before the era of universal piano-playing, the people used to THINK music; and from THINKING to EXPRESSING is but a step. They improvised little strains over their work, and by repetition and addition the little song grew unconsciously. Now, their ambition is to have a piano and have their children learn to play. "Learning music" to them means lerning to play the piano and so, that unfortunate instrument has become to them a substitute for music in the BRAIN. "

Ms. Hopekirk continues to impress us of the roots of Gaelic song and of course piping in the Western Isles, where for centuries little was known of the piano. Canned music does not make a musician. In many respects, playing pipes and playing music are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Music is a cerebral endeavor where the mere playing of an instrument is physical. Where do you stand.... do you play from the musical score on the table in front of you or do you really play music from the head!

From Bill Peters in Thunder Bay, Ontario:

Hello Ken. As for comments on your quote from the woman in 1905 and your
statement on "Canned Music", here are my thoughts on it. I agree with your
statement about the music...when i'm trying to impress upon other pipers that
need help understanding light music, I explain to them that everything will fall
into place if you play it on the beat and maintain the proper tempo either by
tapping their foot to it to keep them on track, or when they're playing with the
band to follow the beat of the bass drum. Some people in leadership positions
in lower grade bands have this notion of getting pipers to watch their fingers
when they're leading the pipers. They don't seem to realize that the beat rules
the roost as far as integration. I played piano and other instruments for a few
years prior to playing pipes and because I consider myself to be more of a
musically oriented piper than just a back-rank band piper, I really enjoy
piobaireachd playing as it's a way to breathe some of yourself into the music.

From Pete Cormack, Rochester, NY:

Captain- Like so many things that you say during lessons, the comments about how
playing pipes is physical and making music is cerebral is a blinding glimplse of
the obvious yet the glimpse is of a portion of the obvious that many rarely see!
Another thing that I found fascinating about what you wrote is that although
you were talking about music, the concept that it is the meaning that we give to
things rather than their obvious attributes that can bring richness and
excitement to life, is basic to much of dynamic psychology and those schools of
philosophy that are based in the phenomenological tradition. Maybe all things
really do have a unity and hang together. You are bringing out the academic in
me!! Slainte, Pete

Monday, January 16, 2006

Recovery MODE !!!!!! Winter Storm was closer to the Great Winter Blizzard! What a weekend...music, people, competitions, parties, networking...food, fun....and the long trip home was worth every minute as Duncan (Gibson), my travelling partner and I savored the great 4 days.

Now to some important things as the weekend details unfold! I promised to post the winning performances of the Silver and Gold Medals in piping. Congratulations go out to both Lyric Todkill of Houston, Texas for his Silver Medal performance playing The Duke of Athole's Salute and to Iain Whitelaw, of Redondo Beach, California for his winning, Nameless, Campbell Canntaireachd Vol.1, Tune 34, in the Gold Medal event.

With the kind permission of MHAF, the organizers of Winter Storm, I am able to present these to you here.

Lyric Todkill (Click on Images) Iain Whitelaw