I am very disappointed to advise that our planned inaugural meeting on 26th November with The Glasgow Highland Club is cancelled. They are now unable to support the visit.
We will hold a usual meeting instead with plenty of opportunity for anyone wanting to road test their slow air/jig in advance of the Handicap Contest on 10th December.
Douglas Gardiner
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The Glenfiddich has come and gone and many congratulations to Finlay Johnston who won the overall with a second in both disciplines. Hats off to Glenn Brown for his win in the piobaireachd and to Connor Sinclair who capped a marvellous debut with a win in the MSR.
Anne Spalding was awarded this years Balvenie medal for services to piping which was presented by Andrew Bertoff.
The Eagles bus did make it despite the sleep in from Rip Van Winkle Dewar who had an extra 40 winks. (no one will ever mention this again!) However the bus arrived in time for the start and the boys did not miss any of the great piping.
The piping quiz on the way up was won by Iain MacDonald and the general knowledge on the way down by Tom Lewin.
Perhaps the answer of the day goes to Nils Michael who answered the question, ‘What does ‘Caber Feidh Gu Brath’ mean? with ‘No parking at any time!’
As a result of the Glenfiddich we missed the first round of the Scots Guards KO competition that was won by Brìghde Chaimbeul. The next round is on Sunday 24th November.
The band numbered about 14 pipers despite quite a few regulars being missing. The sound took a bit of time to get there and as a rule of thumb chanters should be in the ball park of 487/480 at the start. If the chanters are all over the place the drones are impossible to get tuned together. The session lasted for well over an hour and there will be another big session in 2 weeks time in preparation for our visit from The Glasgow Highland Club on 26th November. Work to be on the Strathspey and Reel.
The post pie piper was Tom Lewin who kicked off with a couple of 6/8 marches. Tom then played an unusual waltz that he composed himself, The Perrins in Pennan ( a small village in Aberdeenshire). Tom finished with some hornpipe and jigs that included an old favourite Tam Bains Lum, composed by Donald Shaw Ramsay. The tune was reportedly written about a chimney (‘lum’) in Laurieston, near Falkirk, in the shape of Abe Lincoln’s hat. It was part of a row of tenement houses and owned by a fellow named Tam Bain. Ramsay was apparently quite taken by the sight and named this tune after it.
And with that we were done.
The piping train rolls down to London on Friday for the Bratach Gorm and another great weekend of piping awaits.
Hope to see you all in two weeks time on Tuesday 12th November.
Euan Anderson
Hon P/M
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Tonight saw a welcome addition to the ranks in the form of SFU piper Tori Killoran who joined the Eagles ‘band’ for most of the tunes. In Scotland for a few weeks Tori is soaking up all the piping she can get. Part of the Scottish piping culture is of course an Eagles pie that seemed to go down a treat!
Indeed Tori was our post pie piper and she stepped her way through some lovely light music that included a block of 6 or so jigs, finishing with the difficult Peter Macleod composition, Inspector Donald Campbell Ness. Her MSR started with the great march Bonnie Ann, composed by Daniel Ross. Excellent stuff and don’t be a stranger Tori.
Iain Speirs was up next and he took the opportunity of preparing for the Glenfiddich Championships at Blair Castle. Once the pipes were settled he was quickly into a double MSR. Top class playing on a great pipe. Iain finished off the evening with the Captain John MacLellan piobaireachd, The Edinburgh Piobaireachd. Iain has had this in his repertoire for some time now and makes wonderful job of getting the full musical value from it. The pipe held well and if he can reproduce this form at the Glenfiddich he will not be far away. 
Good luck to all the competitors who are heading to Blair Castle at the weekend. It will, as usual, be a first class event and if you can not make it remember it is all live-streamed.
The Eagle pipers are running a bus that will included the tradition road trip quiz.
Hope to see you there.
Euan Anderson
Hon P/M
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As the bands repertoire increases it is difficult to keep on top of all the tunes so hats off to all who put in the time and commitment to do so. The sound is also more consistent (at a lower pitch of around 478-480) and perhaps on Tuesday we had the best sound of the year? No matching chanters, so it will always be a bit of a challenge, but all in all an acceptable to the critical ear. As in all bands blowing is key and when we hit the harder tunes sometimes that is an issue, but even thats getting better as confidence grows. Progress is definitely being made.
The post pie piper was Fergus Perks who stepped up to the plate to play the evenings piobaireachd. Interestingly Fergus sometimes battles with an E gracenote issue (that may be a form of focal dystonia?) but he has persisted and manages the issue very well. An interesting topic as many top players have suffered or do suffer from this type of thing. Something about the correct message from the brain not getting to the hands or muscles?
However, undaunted, Fergus plays very well and treated us to some great light music that included 6/8 marches and a top class MSR, John MacFadyen of Melfort, Dornie Ferry and Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree.
He than played MacCrimmon Will Never Return followed by the hornpipe Mary Anne of Garradh-no-Mona, composed by P/M Sandy Forbes and a couple of jigs. Excellent stuff. A little heard hornpipe but the music was apparently published in an edition of the Piping Times for those on the hunt.
Fergus then finished off with Lady Anapool’s Lament. Not much is known about the Laird and Lady of Anapool and no one is really sure where Anapool is. Fergus made a first class job of the tune and his Tim Gellaitry pipe stood the test. Many thanks Fergus.
And with that we were done.
Congratulations to all those who took a prize at the Captain John MacLellan Memorial competition on Saturday.
Remember the Eagles are running a bus to the Glenfiddich and secretary Craig Robertson is taking names so please let him know if you want to book a seat.
See you on Tuesday 15th October at 20.00hrs.
Euan Anderson
Hon Pipe Major
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We have a busy November planned with the following special visits:
12th November – The Edinburgh Academy
Pipe Major Michael Gray MBE will be bringing a quartet of pipers from The Edinburgh Academy to play a few tunes.
There is a rumour that Michael himself will play the piobaireachd for the night.
26th November- The Glasgow Highland Club
Glasgow Highland Club at Borreraig, Skye
For possibly the first ever time, The Glasgow Highland Club (from er, Glasgow) will be our very special guests for the night. We will all play some tunes together then each society will perform some tunes – solo and band.
Dig out your EPS tie and kilt please.
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Please note the Handicap Contest planned for 1st October has been moved to 10th December.
This will allow members more time to perfect tunes and dust down festive bag covers.
Our meeting on 1st October will be a normal session with Fergus Perks on the piobaireachd.
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Our special guest evenings are perhaps the years highlights and this was to be no exception. We were delighted to welcome young Andrew Ferguson from Dollar into the fold. At 17 Andrew is still at school and is under the wings of master 4 times clasp winner Callum Beaumont, who incidentally won his 4th clasp at the Northern Meetings, playing a masterful, The Daughters Lament. Many congratulations.
On an old set of Lawries Andrew got the first half under way with some 6/8 marches. He then went into a couple of hornpipes, Ian Green of Greentrax and Chasing Shadows. He continued to warm the fingers up with the hornpipe P/M G. S. Allan and the jig, St. Ninian’s Parish Centre Church, composed by Bob Worrall.
young hands at work
Of note the George Allan referred to in the Donald MacLeod composition was Pipe Major of the 1st Royal Scots from 1907-1919 and the 2nd Royal Scots from 1921-1930. Willie MacCallum is on record as saying, ‘when my grandfather bought my silver Henderson pipes from Willie Thomson, that they had won both the Gold Medals played by George S Allan at Oban (1905) and Inverness (1906). Allan used to borrow the pipes to compete.John Wilson (Campbeltown, of Strathclyde Police fame) confirmed to me a couple of years back that his father Willie used to refer to these pipes I inherited as ‘the Allan pipes’.
Andrew then went into the meat of his first half performance with three competition 2/4 marches, followed by a set of three strathspeys and reels. What a great way to take us into the pie break.
The second half was all about getting the pipe settled for the great Earl of Ross’s March. Andrew played a selection of light music tunes before satisfying himself the pipe was ready for this big tune.
The tune is attributed to Donald Mor MacCrimmon c. 1600.
Ross seems to have been made a separate Earldom (from Moray) in the mid 12thcentury. Donald, Lord of the Isles, having been deprived of the Earldom through various kinds of feudal skulduggery, marched upon Aberdeen, and was defeated on 24thJuly 1411 at a place called Harlaw in the uplands of Garioch by a force of North East gentry and the citizens of Aberdeen. John, Lord of the Isles, is said to have surrendered the Earldom of Ross to the Scottish crown in 1476.
Andrews’s performance of the tune was mature for his years and technically very sound. The pipe held well and this is clearly a tune that will stand him in good stead for many years to come.
What a great evenings entertainment and many thanks Andrew for taking the time to come along and entertain us.
A package arrived in the post from our chums the St Andrews Caledonia Pipe band from Tasmania. Much appreciated folks.
The secretary will be sending out information about the bus trip to the Glenfiddich and remember the members competition to be held on Tuesday 1stOctober.
The P/M will be missing in action in 2 weeks time as he is taking a sabbatical but the band will continue to focus on The Conundrum and King George V’s Army.
Euan Anderson
Hon P/M
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