LETTERS Cancale Piping Sir, Rain Affected Piping at Cancale It was wet and windy in Cancale,
Brittany, on September the 18th. Very! The heavens opened, not to receive the sounds of piobaireachd carried up on zephyrs as in the previous six years that this event has been held, but to pour buckets of water down on spectators and players indiscriminately.With help from the Mayor of Cancale, Jakez Pincet and his superb team had once more worked hard to make this day happen for us. He had mustered some very fine players to take part, and we all enjoyed the usual Breton hospitality in the afternoon with wonderful food and wine. As a participant, you don’t hear all
the players; so it is difficult to comment, but it would be remiss of me not to mention a few of the outstanding performances that I did hear. Herve le Floc’h (Sir James McDonald of the Isles’ Lament) and Xavier Boderiou (Wee Spree) stood out for me, not only because of the quality of their playing, but also the wonderful tone of their pipes. Alastair Dunn (Viscount of Dundee), Yann Pelliet (Grain in Hides) and the old master himself, Jakez (Earl of Seaforth), were not far behind. I am assured I gave a good rendition of Hugh McCallum’s ‘The Raising of the Standard at Glenfinnan’ a tune that deserves to be heard more often. I cannot finish this short account
without mentioning Anne Lore who travelled from Orleans to play for us. She was on after me in the afternoon session, and was comfortably into her ground when it poured down.
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Alastair Dunn at Cancale
Naturally, she turned her back to the wind. Rivers of water ran down her drones, and just into her taorluath, all three stopped; but she battled gamely on and finished her tune. She has to be nominated heroine of the day in the best Maid of Orleans tradition. I do hope Alastair forgives the stormy introduction to what has become an annual event, and decides to risk a return visit. He will be made to feel very welcome.We all look forward to our day of piping.With no pressure of competition, it is such a joy to meet up with old friends. Iain Macleod, Jersey, via email.
Name Change Sir, We are delighted to inform you
that we changed our name on the 1st September 2011 to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I’m writing to you personally to let you