bagpipe lessons to be offered at Edinburgh state schools

[weepiper]

I think this is :cool:

Full story here: piping lessons (http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1785962005&20050815172003)

It's good to see pipes being recognised on the same level as violin/piano etc.

[Dhimmi]

Good news indeed.

[pilchardman]

Excellent.

Chanters in every school instead of recorders!

[weepiper]

Mind you, I'm quite glad I'm not one of the teachers.... listening to a class of eight year olds doing goose-farting-in-the-fog impressions on practice chanters would be quite hard work.

[Dhimmi]

Well I wouldn't want to listen to it in motion but if it means more pipers in the next decade, 'ave it.

[past caring]

It's good to see pipes being recognised on the same level as violin/piano etc.

Not for the rest of us it ain't. :D

[pilchardman]

Not for the rest of us it ain't. :DYou philistine! Pipes are very, very good.

[Dante]

The article suggests that there will only be two teachers though.
So it really will only be a trial for a while (actually, how many pipers are there who would also be trained to teach within a state educational environment?)

Hope it works out though. Pipes are very much underrated im(sassenach)o

[Pickman's model]

i read somwhere that 80% of bagpipe players are alcoholicks.

also, see this link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/25/wpipe25.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/08/25/ixportal.html

[Pickman's model]

Bagpipes may be bad for your health, and that is not a judgment on the noise they make. Doctors are warning that playing our national instrument could lead to pipers developing potentially deadly lung and brain diseases. Traditional bagpipes are made with a sheepskin bag which is coated with a treacle-like substance. According to experts, this acts as a perfect culture for fungi such as aspergillus and cryptococcus whose spores can be breathed in by pipers. Dr Robert Sataloff, director of the Arts Medical Centre at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, said he believed the process of ‘seasoning’ the skin bags with a mixture of honey and glycerine encourages the growth of moulds and bacteria. Although there has been an increase in bagpipes made from the breathable, waterproof material Gore-Tex - which do not need to be regularly seasoned - many purists still prefer pipes with a sheepskin bag. Cryptococcus can cause meningitis or pneumonia and aspergillus can cause a serious allergic condition called Farmer’s Lung and, in extreme cases, a potentially deadly lung infection. Sataloff said: "Bagpipers’ disease, a little-known problem within the medical profession, is potentially serious.http://www.bnn-online.co.uk/news_datesearch.asp?SearchDate=27/Aug/2000&Year=2000

[weepiper]

i read somwhere that 80% of bagpipe players are alcoholicks.

also, see this link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/25/wpipe25.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/08/25/ixportal.html

A lot of pipers are alcoholic. 'He who pays the piper calls the tune', and everybody likes to buy a piper a drink when they see one playing in a pub etc. I suppose it's an easy trap to fall into.

Your other link about the bag seasoning is a bit outdated IMO, I don't know anyone with a hide bag who seasons it with honey and glycerine. You get tins of proprietary pipe bag seasoning these days and most people re-season their bags quite often (this should repeatedly kill off most of the nasties). Also the blowpipe has a non-return valve at the end so the dangers of inhaling bacteria from your pipe bag must really be quite slim. And again, I know a lot of pipers of varying ages and none of them suffers from lung disease or brain damage....

[weepiper]

The article suggests that there will only be two teachers though.
So it really will only be a trial for a while (actually, how many pipers are there who would also be trained to teach within a state educational environment?)

Hope it works out though. Pipes are very much underrated im(sassenach)o


You'd be surprised at how many kids can be given a half hour lesson or two a week by two teachers working 9-4 every day. As to your other question, I should think quite a few - there's a long history of group bagpipe learning in Boys' Brigade troops, cadet forces etc.

[Dante]

but a group lesson of 30 mins once for a term is not going to be good enough. (how many schools, how many pupils etc.) im just worried that by neccesity some kids and schools will miss out.

still, better than nothing. (as for within schools, im assuming that the scottish system has become as tight as the UK. for music teachers)

[Louloubelle]

bagpipes are good for you

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15760649&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=tunes-help-me-breathe-more-easily--name_page.html

:cool:

[nino_savatte]

I love 'em! Though not when they're played in martial style. :cool:

[pogofish]

Is this news?

Bagpipes were on the curriculum/tuition list of most Scottish education authorities at least @15 years ago & were certainly popular enough when I worked in schools.

I don't know anyone with a hide bag who seasons it with honey and glycerine. You get tins of proprietary pipe bag seasoning these days

Ahem! :D

For some reason, pipe seasoning has been bloody difficult to get hold of recently in this part of the world.

[weepiper]

For some reason, pipe seasoning has been bloody difficult to get hold of recently in this part of the world.


Ahem there's no need for that sort of thing you know (http://www.college-of-piping.co.uk/acatalog/Miscellaneous_Accessories.html)

:)

[pogofish]

Thanks :)

[oisleep]

Is this news?

Bagpipes were on the curriculum/tuition list of most Scottish education authorities at least @15 years ago & were certainly popular enough when I worked in schools.


yeah, i had chanter lessons at state school in scotland, about 20 odd years ago