NYPBoS Question time with... P I P E R
Supported by
Youngstars Calum Watson
Q. Where are you from and how old are you? I am from Lasswade, near Edinburgh and I am 17.
Q. How did you get into piping and when? I got into piping through my school, George Watson’s College, at age 10.
Q. Who is your tutor and what pipe band do you play with? Pipe major Iain Simpson was my fi rst tutor and still teaches me at school. I receive light music tuition from Iain’s son, Jona- thon, and have piobaireachd lessons from Tom Speirs. I play in George Watson’s College Juvenile band where I am the junior pipe major.
Q. How many hours a week do you spend on piping and how much practice is on your own, with a band or on the pipes/chanter?
Including lessons and band practices, I probably spend around two hours piping most days.
Q. What are your piping strong points and what do you most need to improve on?
My light music is stronger than my piobaireachd but both can always be improved.
Q. What do you want to achieve in piping?
I would like to win a Gold Medal and would like to win the World Pipe Band Championships in Grade 1.
Q. What is your favourite tune and why? It is impossible to pick one tune. There are just too many. Q. Have you written any tunes? Not yet, but it is something I hope to do.
Q. What make of pipes do you play, and are they set up with sheepskin and cane or synthetic?
I play a set of McCallum Bagpipes in the band, and a set of 1920s Henderson pipes in solos. The Hendersons were rescued from the Clydebank Blitz during the Second World War. Both are set up with sheepskin bags and I like to play as many cane reeds as I can.
Q. What is the best trip or playing experience you have had with the NYPBoS?
The outreach trip to Orkney and Caithness was really memorable as I had just joined the band. I made a lot new friends and generally had a great time.
Youngstars
PIPING TODAY • 25 PIPING TODAY • 25
Photo: John Slavin @
designfolk.com
Photo: John Slavin@Designfolk Ltd
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