CLASP Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers DAVID GATCUM D


AVID Gatcum, a regular CLASP competitor and prize winner, recently progressed from Grade 3 to Grade 2.


Q. Where are you from and how old were you when you started piping?


I’m originally from Surrey in England but live on the Isle of Wight now. I was 17 when I started learning and was taught by a Scots Guards bandmate of Tony and Angus MacDonald.


Q. Any reason you chose pipes over another instrument? I didn’t have the inclination to play any other in- strument. The only choice other than the pipes were bugles or drums — no contest really.


Q. What is the piping scene like on the island? There are two competition standard players on the island and about four other players that I know of. Kieron Cooney normally travels with me but at the moment he’s doing a really fantastic job of raising funds for our local hospice with his bagrock band.


Q. Do you have a regular tutor/ practice routine? Being on the island there are no tutors locally, so I travelled to Roger Huth to put me back on track. The Scottish Piping Society of London also had Andrew Wright and Andrew Frater at a weekend workshop in May to try to show us what to aim for. As for practice I try to put in at least an hour a day split between pipes and practice chanter.


Q. What make of pipes and set up do you use? My daughter has recently bought me a fantastic set of full silver Naills, using Eezedrones and either Warnock or Macphee chanter reeds — and what a terrific sound.They just beg to be played.


Q. You have competed in CLASP for a few years now and progressed from Grade 3 to Grade 2 recently. Have you noticed a difference in your piping since joining CLASP?


Quite a considerable improvement in my standard. It’s fantastic to get the feedback from the judges, and the support of the other CLASP members really has brought on my playing — although they might not agree!


Q. What do you see as your piping strengths and weaknesses? Weaknesses are not having a tutor and consistency in playing the movements in piobaireachd, strathspey timing and jigs — but it’s coming on. I don’t think I have any real strengths, I just really enjoy the competi- tions. It’s great fun pitting yourself against the judge and really the only way of getting better.


Q. What CD/track are you listening to at the moment? To counter the lack of a tutor, I’m currently listen-


ing to Roddy MacLeod’s Piobaireachd Volume 1 CD as a couple of the tunes I’m learning are on the CD.


Not only that, the man is a great player and who wouldn’t enjoy listening to him. My favourite tracks at the moment are Corrienessan’s Salute and MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Salute — two great tunes.


Q. What are your goals for the future? To carry on improving and to get up into Grade 1 — probably just a pipe dream, excuse the pun. There are some really good players in that grade and that would be great just to be considered good enough.


Q. Anything of interest that your fellow CLASP competitors do not know about you?


I wouldn’t tell them anything, as the ribbing is bad enough now! I would like to say a big thank you to the other guys, especially the Ayr contingent Pete Weidig and Joe Campbell, who really help a lot with bringing up my standard of play and have time to chat and pass on their knowledge and support. l


PIPING TODAY • 21


CLASP results THE results from the CLASP competition at the Scots Guards Club on February 4 were:


Grade 1 Overall Winner — Andrew Park Grade 1 — 2/4 March: 1. Andrew Park; 2. John


Frater; 3. David MacLaughlan.


Grade 1 — Strathspey & Reel: 1. Andrew Park; 2. David MacLaughlan; 3. John Frater.


Grade 1 — Piobaireachd: 1. John Frater; 2. David MacLaughlan; 3. Andrew Park.


Grade 2 Overall Winner — Sandie Greenwood Grade 2 — 2/4 March: 1. Sandie Greenwood; 2. Jack Lockhart; 3. Nick Tuckey; 4. Janette Greenwood; 5. David Gatcum; 6. Michael McGowan.


Grade 2 — Strathspey & Reel: 1. Sandie Green- wood; 2. Nick Tuckey; 3. David Gatcum; 4. Michael McGowan; 5. Jack Lockhart; 6. Janette Greenwood.


Grade 2 — Piobaireachd: 1. Sandie Greenwood; 2. Janette Greenwood; 3. David Gatcum; 4. Nick Tuckey; 5. Gordon Hislop.


Grade 3 Overall Winner — Tom Broderick Grade 3 — 2/4 March: 1. Tom Broderick; 2.


Robert Thomson; 3. Joris Panis; 4. John Gauld; 5. Clive Troubman; 6. Liza MacFarquhar.


Grade 3 — Strathspey & Reel: 1. Tom Broder-


ick; 2. Liza MacFarquhar; 3. Clive Troubman; 4. Robert Thomson; 5. John Gauld; 6. Joris Panis.


Grade 3 — Ground Only: 1. Tom Broderick; 2. Liza MacFarquhar; 3. Robert Thomson; 4. Clive Troubman.


Grade 3 — Piobaireachd: 1. Tom Broderick; 2. Liza MacFarquhar; 3. Robert Thomson; 4. Clive Troubman.


THE next CLASP competition is on at The National Piping Centre, Glasgow, on Saturday, April 7, 2012. For more CLASP 2012 dates see www.theclasp.co.uk


THE CLASP


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