Me, and My Music

I joined a chanter beginners class to celebrate turning 50. But my background was a Bachelor of Music Degree from Glasgow University (1978) and Postgraduate qualifications in Music Therapy and Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy. I wanted to compose bagpipe music, but I wasn't a famous piper. Would it be possible? Some thought not. I started small, and found support and encouragement at Bob Dunsire Bagpipe Forums. Making full use of this, I kept going and learned along the way. The previous six compositions have enjoyed over 13,000 hits on YouTube, and many people have written movingly about the effect the music has had on them personally. I never for a second thought that one day Willie McCallum and Jim McGillivray would record one of my compositions, but we are now on the verge of this happening, WITH YOUR HELP. This is huge, and nerve-wracking, exciting, and innovative, all at once!

The Music

Lacrimae is a complex piobaireachd form composition, in which the two performers, Willie McCallum and Jim McGillivray, who would normally play piobaireachd solo, are required to play the entire piece as a duet, involving split second precision timing, immense concentration, and exquisite musicality. Craig Muirhead, himself a Grade 1 piper, will be required to support the Urlar or Ground of the piece on keyboard, laying down the harmony which underlies the construction of the composition.

It will tug at your heartstrings, bring a tear to the eye, resonate with your personal lifestory, and even lift you up and have you marvelling at the possibilities of the instrument.

The Project

To make this happen we need in excess of £3,200, but this amount would cover the bulk of the expenses to make it happen.

This is for the pipers' and keyboard player's fees, expenses and costs, hotel accommodation, air travel, rent of recording space, food and drink for performers, Video Production, Editing and Mixing, and Administrative backup.

There are RISKS. What if one of the performers is ill on the day? A bagpipe malfunction ? A power cut that affects the whole of Glasgow? Etc etc etc. I'm ready for those. This recording WILL happen. There's always a way around a problem. I believe in the team assembled for the task, and know they will make it happen. I am not new to hurdles. I know them like the back of my hand, and so far have always jumped over them!