College of Piping in Glasgow, Scotland
Encyclopedia
The College of Piping was founded in Glasgow
, Scotland
, in 1944 by Seamus MacNeill and Thomas Pearston to pass on the art of the Great Highland Bagpipe
to all who wanted to learn Scotland's national instrument. As well as teaching, the College's aims were/are to preserve the heritage of the bagpipe by collecting piping artefacts, manuscripts
and memorabilia and by providing a focal point for pipers the world over. College lessons are subsidised by profits from the College Shop which sells instruments, music, Highland wear and bagpipe accessories. A genuine charity
, the College often teaches students of low means for free.
The College of Piping Tutor Book 1, by the then Joint Principals Seumas MacNeill and Thomas Pearston, was first issued in 1952, and is easily the biggest selling book on the bagpipe ever issued, selling to date (2011) 400,000 copies. It was extensively revised and updated by Robert Wallace
when he became Principal in 1999, and from that date was issued with an accompanying CDRoM
. This book is also available in Scottish Gaelic, French
and German
. In 2008 it became available in digital format and in 2011 available on iPad
and iPhone
.
Since 1948 the College of Piping has published the Piping Times monthly magazine, once described by Captain John MacLellan, former Director of the Army School of Piping
at Edinburgh Castle
, as the biggest single repository of bagpipe knowledge in the world. The magazine has a a current worldwide readership estimated in 2011 at 10,000. That same year it became available on iPhone and iPad having previously been available in digital format since 2008. Seumas MacNeill was its editor from 1948 to 1996, being followed by Dugald MacNeill and since 1999 by Robert Wallace. The PT as it is affectionately known adheres to the highest standards of journalism and is often provocative and fearless in its criticism of what it sees as contrary to the interests of pipers and pipe bands
. In 2005 it campaigned successfully to have the World Pipe Band Championships
televised by the BBC
and three years later fought to save one of the leading pipe bands in the country, the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band
, from budget cuts imposed by a new Chief Constable.
The College has issued three other tutor books, Tutors 2, 3 & 4. All have been re-written or revised by Robert Wallace following early work by Seumas MacNeill and Thomas Pearston. The College publishes many other collections of music all issued at the most affordable price possible in line with its charitable status.
The College pioneered outreach teaching of the bagpipe when, in the early 1950s, Seumas MacNeill established schools of piping in North America
. This undoubtedly led to an upsurge of interest in Scottish bagpiping on that continent and in no small way contributed to the high standard of piping in Canada
and the United States
currently enjoyed there. In 2007 the College established the first outreach teaching school on the European
mainland when it launched its Winter School in Germany
in association with the PiperscornerShop at Bruggen
. This school has since relocated to Homburg
in Saarland
. The College has two annual school in the US in California
and New England
in June and July each year. The College of Piping is a registered charity in the United Kingdom
.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, in 1944 by Seamus MacNeill and Thomas Pearston to pass on the art of the Great Highland Bagpipe
Great Highland Bagpipe
The Great Highland Bagpipe is a type of bagpipe native to Scotland. It has achieved widespread recognition through its usage in the British military and in pipe bands throughout the world. It is closely related to the Great Irish Warpipes....
to all who wanted to learn Scotland's national instrument. As well as teaching, the College's aims were/are to preserve the heritage of the bagpipe by collecting piping artefacts, manuscripts
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
and memorabilia and by providing a focal point for pipers the world over. College lessons are subsidised by profits from the College Shop which sells instruments, music, Highland wear and bagpipe accessories. A genuine charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, the College often teaches students of low means for free.
The College of Piping Tutor Book 1, by the then Joint Principals Seumas MacNeill and Thomas Pearston, was first issued in 1952, and is easily the biggest selling book on the bagpipe ever issued, selling to date (2011) 400,000 copies. It was extensively revised and updated by Robert Wallace
Robert Wallace
Robert Wallace was a Scottish politician. He was an electoral franchise reformer and agitator for postal service reform.He was elected to the Westminster Parliament as the member for Greenock in 1832, sitting for that constituency until 1845.Robert Wallace was the founder of the campaign for cheap...
when he became Principal in 1999, and from that date was issued with an accompanying CDRoM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
. This book is also available in Scottish Gaelic, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. In 2008 it became available in digital format and in 2011 available on iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
.
Since 1948 the College of Piping has published the Piping Times monthly magazine, once described by Captain John MacLellan, former Director of the Army School of Piping
Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming
The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming is a British Army training establishment that provides instructions of Scottish bagpipe music to military pipers, drummers and pipe bands.-History:...
at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, as the biggest single repository of bagpipe knowledge in the world. The magazine has a a current worldwide readership estimated in 2011 at 10,000. That same year it became available on iPhone and iPad having previously been available in digital format since 2008. Seumas MacNeill was its editor from 1948 to 1996, being followed by Dugald MacNeill and since 1999 by Robert Wallace. The PT as it is affectionately known adheres to the highest standards of journalism and is often provocative and fearless in its criticism of what it sees as contrary to the interests of pipers and pipe bands
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
. In 2005 it campaigned successfully to have the World Pipe Band Championships
World Pipe Band Championships
The World Pipe Band Championships is a pipe band competition currently held in Glasgow, Scotland every August. The event has been operating regularly since 1930, when the Scottish Pipe Band Association was formed...
televised by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and three years later fought to save one of the leading pipe bands in the country, the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band
Strathclyde Police Pipe Band
The Strathclyde Police Pipe Band is a grade one pipe band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band was formed in 1883 as the Burgh of Govan Police Pipe Band and was one of the first pipe bands to be formed outside the ranks of the British military...
, from budget cuts imposed by a new Chief Constable.
The College has issued three other tutor books, Tutors 2, 3 & 4. All have been re-written or revised by Robert Wallace following early work by Seumas MacNeill and Thomas Pearston. The College publishes many other collections of music all issued at the most affordable price possible in line with its charitable status.
The College pioneered outreach teaching of the bagpipe when, in the early 1950s, Seumas MacNeill established schools of piping in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. This undoubtedly led to an upsurge of interest in Scottish bagpiping on that continent and in no small way contributed to the high standard of piping in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
currently enjoyed there. In 2007 the College established the first outreach teaching school on the European
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
mainland when it launched its Winter School in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in association with the PiperscornerShop at Bruggen
Brüggen
Brüggen is a municipality in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Schwalm, approx. 15 km south of Venlo and 20 km north-west of Mönchengladbach.-See also:...
. This school has since relocated to Homburg
Homburg, Saarland
Homburg is a town in Saarland, Germany, the administrative seat of the Saarpfalz district. With a population of c. 44,000 inhabitants, is the third city in its federal state. The medical department of the University of Saarland is situated here. The city is also home to the Karlsberg beer brewery...
in Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
. The College has two annual school in the US in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in June and July each year. The College of Piping is a registered charity in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Further reading
- MacNeill, Seamus, and Thomas Pearston, (Robert Wallace, ed.). 2008. The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor, Pt. 1. (New Revised Edition, with CD or MP3). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.
- MacNeill, Seamus, and Thomas Pearston, (Robert Wallace, ed.). 2008. The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor, Pt. 2. (With DVD). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.
- MacNeill, Seamus, and Thomas Pearston, (Robert Wallace, ed.). 2008. The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor, Pt. 3. (with CD ). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.
- MacNeill, Seamus, and Thomas Pearston, (Robert Wallace, ed.). 2008. The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor for Piobaireachd. (with CD). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.
- Wallace, Robert, ed. 2008. The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor, Pt. 1. (In Scottish Gaelic, with CD). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.
- Wallace, Robert, ed. Piping Times. 2008. (Periodical). Glasgow, Scotland: College of Piping.