Kevin Fraser Bagpipes – The Man in the Kilt
Loud Pipes Save Lives!
Impress your friends and annoy your neighbours with your Weapon of Mass Distraction. Learn to play the Great Highland Bagpipes. Not only will you be able to wear a kilt; You will be able to serenade Scottish Lads and Lassies. Your lessons will provide you skills within the art of playing the bagpipes. You will … Continue reading “Impress your friends; Annoy your neighbours with a Weapon of Mass Distraction!”
Impress your friends and annoy your neighbours with your Weapon of Mass Distraction. Learn to play the Great Highland Bagpipes. Not only will you be able to wear a kilt; You will be able to serenade Scottish Lads and Lassies.
Your lessons will provide you skills within the art of playing the bagpipes. You will learn music theory as it applies to the bagpipes.
You will learn on a practice chanter. After about a half dozen lessons you will blow a set of pipes.
Having just piped for some highland dancers at a Robbie Burns night, and having to go searching various places to remember which tunes were used for the dancing, I thought it would be useful to list them here as well. The fling – Marquis of Huntley Highland Fling Sword Dance – Ghillie Callum Pas de … Continue reading “Piping for Highland Dancing tune list”
Having just piped for some highland dancers at a Robbie Burns night, and having to go searching various places to remember which tunes were used for the dancing, I thought it would be useful to list them here as well.
The tunes for some of the other dances I didn’t pipe for that night include:
Happy Canada Day to everyone. I hope you partake in the celebrations.
Happy Canada Day to everyone. I hope you partake in the celebrations.
<strong>As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the back country.</strong> <strong>As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got … Continue reading “A funny sent to me earlier today…”
<strong>As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the back country.</strong> <strong>As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.</strong> <strong>I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the Diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the Side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played my heart and soul out for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I ain’t never ever seen nothin’ like that before and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
Apparently, I’m still lost….it’s a man thing.
The short answer is Yes, they can. Like playing a christmas carol on the flute or trumpet, the melody for many carols will fit within the notes available to the chanter. One potential problem is that the pipes are either on or off, and not switched between the two (usually) during a song or tune. … Continue reading “Can Christmas Carols be played on the pipes?”
The short answer is Yes, they can. Like playing a christmas carol on the flute or trumpet, the melody for many carols will fit within the notes available to the chanter. One potential problem is that the pipes are either on or off, and not switched between the two (usually) during a song or tune. And we only have 1 key. So many carols can be forced to fit, but I would suggest without the backing of a choir, orchestra, or at least organ there will be large gaps in the tune as played on the pipes.
Another unanswered question is should the carols be played on the pipes.
I just returned from the first performance i have done as a member of a pipe band in 13 years. Considering that the band itself is rebuilding, and that over half the players are new to the band (and I believe today was the first day most of us played with the band as a … Continue reading “Piping as a member of a pipeband”
I just returned from the first performance i have done as a member of a pipe band in 13 years. Considering that the band itself is rebuilding, and that over half the players are new to the band (and I believe today was the first day most of us played with the band as a whole) we sounded good. We performed at the Chapelhow legion.
It was like riding a bike – you never truly forget how. But the sheer volume and energy of the band when playing in the circle was awesome.
The Range (106.1) in Airdrie asked me to record the lament for them to play on Friday. It is now a digital file, as well as a video file. They will post the video on Friday as well. To see me dressed up in my kilt and piping, check out <a title=”The Range ” href=”http://www.therangeonline.ca”>their … Continue reading “Just returned from being recorded for the Radio”
The Range (106.1) in Airdrie asked me to record the lament for them to play on Friday. It is now a digital file, as well as a video file. They will post the video on Friday as well. To see me dressed up in my kilt and piping, check out <a title="The Range " href="http://www.therangeonline.ca">their website</a>.
I will be piping for the Airdrie Legion Remembrance Day ceremony. I am pretty sure it is at Genesys place (East Lake – Rec centre in Airdrie) again, though I need to confirm that. Hope to see you there! The parade will start at about 1030 so that the 2 minutes of silence will occur … Continue reading “Remembrance Day 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (2011)”
I will be piping for the Airdrie Legion Remembrance Day ceremony. I am pretty sure it is at Genesys place (East Lake - Rec centre in Airdrie) again, though I need to confirm that. Hope to see you there!
The parade will start at about 1030 so that the 2 minutes of silence will occur at 1100.
Celtic Folk holds 4 gatherings a year, and the 2011-2012 year is about to start. The first night is September 24th. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door. Further details can be found at <a href=”http://www.celticfolkcalgary.ca/”>their website</a>. I was a guest performer at Celtic Folk for their November 2010 gathering. During the … Continue reading “Celtic Folk – various amateur Celtic performers”
Celtic Folk holds 4 gatherings a year, and the 2011-2012 year is about to start. The first night is September 24th. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door. Further details can be found at <a href="http://www.celticfolkcalgary.ca/">their website</a>.
I was a guest performer at Celtic Folk for their November 2010 gathering. During the 2010-2011 season, they had a large number of soloists and groups performing. Most groups perform common (within the Celtic community that is) tunes, and you will find the audience singing along with the performers. For my performance, I intentionally chose tunes I knew to have words, and I wasn’t disappointed as the audience sang along as I piped. Many of the performers are guitars and vocals, and a few of them could give Great Big Sea and the likes a run for their money. One night they even had some step dancers perform.
Their house band, who play the first hour of every gathering, is the Sunday Night Band. They are definitely one of the groups that could challenge GBS, especially live. Their fiddle player can play the jigs and hornpipes with the best of them, making many a piper envious with the finger control demonstrated.
Hope to see you at their events!
<h1>With the competition season done, now what are your plans?</h1> Are you taking your competition results and feedback, and working to improve for next year? Have you decided to take a bit of a rest before starting working towards next year’s competitions? Have you sworn off competing and instead going to find a street band … Continue reading “With the competition season done, now what?”
<h1>With the competition season done, now what are your plans?</h1>
Are you taking your competition results and feedback, and working to improve for next year? Have you decided to take a bit of a rest before starting working towards next year’s competitions? Have you sworn off competing and instead going to find a street band to play with?
I haven’t competed in several years. My last piping competition was really to find out if I was really as good as I thought. While I didn’t place, I didn’t expect too either. In fact, the comments and feedback I did receive confirmed, in my mind at least, that I had correctly judged my own level.
I have a few strings to my bow, as they say.
I plan to work out a new set list, and then practice and record the sets. First step is to find the wayward Scots Guard books.
Secondly, I have a number of beginner pipers that I am training. Instilling the basics and good habits will remain a priority. Also having them blow pipes, be them my own or their own is right up there. I don’t believe you should play the practice chanter for 2 years before seeing a set of pipes. Lesson four or five is as good a time as any to start blowing drones.
Thirdly, I intend to write some more lessons articles, especially focusing on bagpipe maintenance. Now that competitions are finished, it is a good time to replace bags, break in new reeds, fix cracks and re-hemp joints.