Piping in the Pacific Northwest

John Dally reports on last summer's Feis Shiatail

SLIGHE NAN Gaidheal, a Gaelic language and arts society in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, sponsors Feis Shiatail every other year (www.slighe.org').

In June of 2008 the Feis returned to Fort Worden near Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, across the Straits of Juan de Fuca from Victoria, British Columbia. Slighe nan Gaidheal and the students who attended the Feis thank the Lowland and Border Pipers' Society for your support again this year. Without it we would not have been able to have Allan MacDonald as piping instructor.

Allan's classes were conducted on the Scottish small pipes, with the students using bellows-blown Scottish small pipes, although there were two sets of Border pipes among us as well. Allan taught tunes of his own composition as well as a few reels from Patrick MacDonald's book. We also learned a waltz composed by one of the students, CPS Taylor, who is also a member of the LBPS. Allan taught several piobaireachd tunes in his uniquely melodic and rhythmic style. It is always amazing to watch people respond to Allan's playing for the first time, especially when he sings while playing.

The emphasis on non-competitive, bellows piping, Gaelic language and culture, as well as bringing different artists together in an attempt to create something of a community, is unique to the Feis in this part of the world. Piping instruction at the event has always been an explication of piping styles - rarely, if ever, heard in competition of any sort. Previous

instructors have included Barry Shears and Rona MacDonald Lightfoot.

Allan's talents as a singer, Gaelic speaker, story teller and historian, as well as a piper, made him the star of the Feis again this year. His performances, formal and informal, were all spellbinding, and, of course, his craic is legendary. His insights into piobaireachd inspired the singers as much as the pipers, and some singers attended the Feis specifically to learn piobaireachd songs from him. Thanks again for helping to make Allan's visit possible.

More from the Society AGM minutes

THE LBPS Summer School was held in August at Baron's Craig, Rockcliffe, as part of Common Ground Scotland. It was attended by nine pipers, with Neil Paterson as tutor. It was an enjoyable week, with concerts, sessions, a generous wine tasting and a ceilidh band. The hotel was lovely, but the hotel management was disappointingly unhelpful and it looks as though Common Ground will be seeking a new venue for 2009.

The LBPS contributed to the Piping Live! late-night concert at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow on 12 August - which started very late and had more other instruments than pipers. We have reached an agreement with Nigel Richard to work jointly on this “shop window” for the LBPS by preparing the programme for the first half of the concert.

The LBPS also contributed to the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society 80th birthday celebrations at Morpeth in October, with Jim Buchanan, Martin Lowe and Pete Stewart representing the Society. The standard of playing was generally high and it was notable that Scottish tunes and modern compositions featured alongside traditional Northumbrian tunes.