Proposals – Learning Living Pibroch

New site launched with a permanent endowment within the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

5 August 20225 August 2022 Barnaby BrownAnnouncements

We are delighted to announce that a gift of £200,000 secures the vibrancy of this site in perpetuity. The intention of the donor is that it seed a permanent endowment, the purpose of which is[…]

Pibroch Network Conversation #1: Our Draft Mission, Vision, and Values

22 January 202227 January 2022 Barnaby BrownAnnouncements

Barnaby Brown, Josh Dickson, Jimmy Carnegie, and Kate Carpenter launch a public consultation Purpose: To gather feedback on plans for altpibroch.com, a digital collection of source materials built by the late David Hester, now moving[…]

Rejuvenation & Streamlining

12 September 202114 September 2021 Barnaby BrownAnnouncements

This post marks a new beginning. Let’s call it Phase 2. Today is the 2nd anniversary of David Hester’s death. David built this network of resources, pouring his astonishing energy into making things happen. Big[…]

“Redundant”-A Taorluath: a Visual and Audible History

19 April 201819 April 2018 J David HesterModern Traditional Piper

While we are on the subject, I’ve been pondering this issues for quite some time, and recently overheard arguments regarding Joseph MacDonald, whose musical notation seems to suggest that the rhythmic component of the modern[…]

Reverse Engineering in Pibroch – by Ronald Smith

31 May 201726 May 2017 J David HesterGeneral Information

We have seen great advances in recovering and reclaiming the nearly lost art of the clarsach, and heard Simon Chadwick’s ressurections of its music and explorations into the lost world of the era when harp[…]

An Interesting Puzzle, and a Potential Opportunity

19 April 201722 April 2017 J David HesterGeneral Information

In my encounters chatting with competitors and judges, one hears discussions about what constitutes qualifications for aassessing “alternative” settings. This poses an interesting question: Since so many of the current and previous generation of pipers only learn[…]

Using colour to convey musical pitches – Part 5

4 March 20178 October 2017 Barnaby BrownLearning Interpretations

1. The rift between vocal and written canntaireachd 2. The rationale behind a proposed colour scheme 3. Case study 1: Hiharin hiodreen – One of the Cragich (PS 36) 4. Case study 1 (cont.): testing a coloured vocable score Part 5 concludes case study[…]