Barga School of Piping, Traditional Music and Dance

Hamish Moore is delighted to announce an exciting new Summer School to be held in Barga in Tuscany where he spent 2008 as musician in residence. Barga dates back a thousand years and is a walled hill town of astounding beauty. As well as being surrounded by natural, Spectacular Mountain scenery its architectural glory is a joy and its narrow streets and lanes make pedestrian transport the norm with the presence of cars somewhat of a rarity. This all adds to the incredible charm of the town.

Teaching will take place in an old Convent School, which is ideally suited to hosting classes.

As well as budget dormitory style accommodation in The Convent, Barga has many self-catering apartments, hotels and Guest Houses.

Because approximately 60% of the town's population have relatives in the west of Scotland and also because of the strong links through John Bellany with East Lothian, Barga quite rightly and proudly boasts the title of, "The most Scottish Town in Italy".

Hamish has taken an artist in residence post in the town of Barge, Tuscany. He is turning parts of pipes and making reeds. He is also writing a weekly blog about his adventures. See www.barganews.com He is also trying to learn Italian and keep up his fiddling.

On the 24th of September Hamish has organised a Scottish concert in the beautiful 17th century theatre in Barga. The line up includes Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis, who's lovely version of Auld Sang Syne was included in the Hollywood movie 'Sex and the City'. The Sangsteream choir from Scotland, Fin and Sarah Hoy who played in a Piazza Angelio last time they were in Barga. see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qryh-VOrmLM , Ken Campbell, Loreen Merrimann, Hamish and Fiona Moore. It should be a great night. After this Hamish and Fin are heading for a piping festival called The Big Gathering in Umbria. Running from the 26th-28th September.

Fin had a great summer with all his travels. Ceolas is always a great week in a lovely location and lots of fantastic folk. He also really enjoyed teaching in both Canada and America, making lots of new friends, and also catching up with some folks he has known for years. The Piping Hot Summer Drummer school was a great success and Fin has been asked back for next year. So get it the date in your diary and keep an eye on www.sfupipeband.com (look for PHSD). He also discovered what it is like to try and keep small pipes going in a very dry climate and he now has a little bit more understanding for the folk who have to deal with low humidity. See page on dry weather conditions and your pipes.

The Vermont School although in its 20th year was another great week. Along with Fin there Ryan MacDonald teaching around 20 students with lots of good tunes and laughs. Thanks to Matt and Carolyn for everything over the years. We will keep you posted on dates for next year. The pipers gathering was another great weekend. There is lots of information from this year and what to expect next year at www.pipersgathering.org

It is now back to work for Fin with a few gigs and ceilidhs in coming months. There are going to be a series of Ceilidhs with a new dance band, more details on www.dannsa.com in the next wee while and Strathspey Away which is for all you pipers who would love to dance. See Fin dancing, also in Barga for a taster, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OChpac-R1ec

Fin has also been asked to play at the LBPS invitation Competition in Edinburgh on the 15th of November. You will be able to hear lots of Hamish and Fin's pipes on the night, With Allan Macdonald, Gary West, Angus Mackenzie, Carol Ann MacKay and Chris Ormiston being the other competitors. If you come along you will also be part of the judging panel as the audience vote for the winner.

The next day Fin heads over the Willie Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh one of the greatest piping festivals in the world, put on by the Armagh Pipers Club. Fin will be playing with a new smaller version of Na Tri Seudan. It will feature 4 pipers, Angus Mackenzie, Calum MacCrimmon and Angus Nicolson with Will Lamb on bouzouki. The pipers all playing copies of 18th "A" highland pipes for the first time. Hamish has also been asked to come over so we are both looking forward to it. Check out www.armaghpipers.com/wkpf for details of the whole week.

We are also pleased to announce the second volume of The Piper and the Maker is nearing completion. It will be released on Greentrax again and we will have more information when it is ready. It will feature pipers mostly from the east coast of Canada and was again recorded live at Celtic Colours Festival.

I think that is all for now hope you are enjoying the updates.

The Piper And The Maker
This unique piping concert featuring top Scottish pipers playing Hamish and Fin Moore pipes, is now available on CD from Greentrax Recordings at MusicScotland. The concert took place at Pitlochry Town Hall, Perthshire, on 31st October 2003 and featured pipers on the recording include:

MARTYN BENNETT * GORDON DUNCAN * FIN MOORE * ALLAN MacDONALD * IAIN MacDONALD * ANGUS MacKENZIE * IAIN MacINNES * MALCOLM ROBERTSON * GARY WEST * HAMISH MOORE * ANNA MURRAY * GRAHAM MULHOLLAND

Anna Murray, Martyn Bennett and Graham Mulholland were unable to take part in the concert and were recorded at other locations.

Stolen Bagpipes Alert!

In an unfortunate incident on the evening of 11th January 2003, a set of Scottish Small Pipes and a set of Border Pipes (both made by Hamish Moore) were stolen from outside Sandy Bell's Bar in Forest Hill Lane, Edinburgh (near to the Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street).

As you can imagine the sense of loss is profound and any help in their recovery would be greatly appreciated.

Description of the Pipes, Chanters, Bellows and Case:

Small Pipes:
Made from Boxwood (a golden coloured wood) with gold plated ferrules and cocobolo (an almost black coloured wood but with a deep red tinge) mounts. Although these pipes were not marked with the maker's name they have the hall mark of Hamish and Fin Moore Pipes - ie the distinctive three steps between the upper narrow part of the drone and the larger diameter section which houses the tunung slide. The pipes have four drones set in a common stock, and a dark green velvet bag cover over a black hide bag.

Small Pipe chanters:
The A is made of African Blackwood and has a Boxwood mount. The D is made of Lignum Vitae (a dark green wood ) with a cocobolo mount.

Border Pipes:
Made from Boxwood with gold plated ferrules and cocobolo mounts. The boxwood on this set of pipes was 'flamed' (having a randomly spiralling grain) making the pipes particularly distinctive. The design of these pipes is copied from the Bryson and Cox drawings dated circa 1740. These pipes have a green suede bag, and no bag cover.

Bellows:
One set of bellows were contained in the case. Made of American Cherry wood with a boxwood inlay these bellows have highly ornate gold-plated plates to hold the leather hinges, arm and waist straps in place. All screws are ornately engraved and both the buckles and the main hinge plate have the name 'Moore' engraved on them. The leather is a particularly attractive 'ox blood' colour.

Highland Chanters:
One black (either Ebony or African Black Wood) Highland Pipe chanter with the maker's name 'Lawrie' marked on the neck. A silver sole with engraved thistle was also contained in the case. Also a Blackwood Highland chanter with the maker's name 'Shepherd' marked on the neck (no silver mount).

Case:
A plain black carrying case. Dimensions: length 23 inches, depth 5 inches, width 11 inches.

The attached photo (top) was taken by Neil Fordyce, Dunkeld.