“My confidence
level improved immensely. Being an older player I
don’t have time to waste. The instructors at the
Balmoral School instructed me on exactly what I
needed to do to improve. Other pipers in our band
went to other schools that had much larger classes
and they did not receive anything to compare to the
small focused sessions at Balmoral.”
David Hopper, Illinois session student
How
Balmoral School made a difference in the life of
one young person … who is now making a difference
in the lives of others
Highland piper Lyric Todkill was attracted to the
alluring music of the pipes and registered for the
fine instruction and mentoring of the Balmoral
School staff at the Kentucky summer session in
1998. Lyric had a vision which led him to graduate
from Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious music
conservatory. Lyric is only the second person in
the world to hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music
performance on the bagpipe. Under the direction of
famed Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies, Lyric received
his degree in 2003 along with his Graduate Teacher
Certificate from the Institute of Piping in
Glasgow, Scotland.
After a successful amateur career, including
overall wins at the George Sherriff, Nicol-Brown,
and United States Piping Foundation, Lyric turned
professional in 2003. Since that time, he has
been a member of the Scottish
Lion 78th Fraser Highlanders and in 2005
began teaching piping full time at St.
Thomas’ Episcopal School in Houston, Texas,
and led the band to their fifth win of the
Junior World Pipe Band Championship. Today, he
is instrumental in the lives other young people
encouraging them to love the Scottish traditions
and develop their expertise as pipers and
drummers.
Lyric is now a member of the advisory board of
Balmoral School.
Bagpiping: Then
and There, Here and Now
A Brief
History of Bagpipes
Here are some facts regarding the history of
bagpiping as well as its impact on the US:
Reed instruments similar to the reeded pipes on a
bagpipe have been found in the pyramids of ancient
Egypt from 3000 BC, as well as, in several
archeological sites that are much older.
During the late Middle Ages, bagpipes were common
instruments, with more than 100 varieties
throughout Europe.
During the baroque period, the French bagpipe
called the musette de ceour was a favored
court instrument, from which were derived the
Northumbrian bagpipes.
Pipes were played by the Scots to signal the
clansmen or soldiers and intimidate the enemy on
the fields of battle. In 1746, after the Battle of
Culloden, Piper Reid was executed for playing the
bagpipe, labeled by the English an "instrument of
war," when out with the Jacobite army.
During World War I, more than 1,000 Scottish and
Irish pipers were killed in battle or from wounds.
The first US bagpipe society was formed in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1901.
There are more bagpipers in the US than ever before
— over 10,000.
Alasdair Gillies, principal instructor of Balmoral
School of Piping & Drumming, has won more
competitions in Scotland than any piper in history.
Bagpipes are being learned today by a growing
number of women, some of whom have won top
competitions in Scotland.
Bagpipes have become increasingly popular in
non-traditional genres of music, particularly rock
and roll as well as heavy metal. Bands and
musicians that have incorporated bagpipes into
songs and albums include Paul McCartney, Bob Weir
of the Grateful Dead, The Darkness, Flogging Molly,
Dropkick Murphys, Enter the Haggis and AC/DC.
A Brief History of the Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming
by George Balderose
Executive Director and Co-Founder
The Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming celebrates and teaches traditional bagpipe music dating as far back as the 14th century as well as more recent compositions in the traditional style.
Perhaps the best place to begin the history of the Balmoral Schools is with the “Bobs of Balmoral,” pipers RU Brown and RB Nicol, in whose honor we derive our name. They served as pipers at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland from 1927 until their deaths in the1970s. Their story has yet to be written. Suffice it to say that in their lifetimes they achieved legendary greatness in Scotland and abroad for their piping, particularly as pìobaireachd (classical bagpipe music) players and teachers, and taught many pupils. They inspired generations of dedicated pipers. One of their most notable students, James McIntosh, is a founder of the Balmoral School, Inc. Other Brown/Nicol students who have taught for us are Donald Lindsay, John McDougall, and Jimmy MacGregor. All of whom have had nothing to say but praise for the Bobs of Balmoral, concerning both their musicianship and their character as individuals.
I personally feel doubly fortunate to have been able to learn and improve my own piping musicality and teaching methods in the process. While I never met the “Bobs of Balmoral,” their students, who themselves have been a deep source inspiration to me, carry the torch of piping knowledge high. May the light of the “Bobs of Balmoral” shine forever.
During the school’s second decade (1988–98), the staff expanded significantly with the addition of Ian McLellan BEM, Mike Cusack, Alasdair Gillies, as well as Jimmy Anderson, George Balderose, Rob Boyd, Gail Brown, Maureen Connor, Nancy Crutcher-Tunnicliffe, Norman Gillies, Richmond Johnston, Ronnie Lawrie, Jack Lee, James MacColl, Iain MacDonald, Donald MacPhee, Joyce McIntosh, Harry McNulty, Gordon Mooney, Ian Morrison, Jackie Pincet, Lyric Todkill, Scot Walker, and John Wilson. Since the mid-90s, drumming instructors have included Bert Barr, Gordon Bell, Graham Brown, J. Reid Maxwell, Liza McAdam, Jon Quigg, and Andy White.
It should be noted that from 1979 to 1988, there were at least two separate entities producing summer piping sessions that involved James McIntosh and which used “Balmoral School” in their titles. In 1988, these two entities were combined into one. The northern session’s summer school location for many years was located at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Currently, the Balmoral Schools hold five sessions each year from coast to coast. Since the early 90s, the school has expanded into other regions. The southern session, founded by pipers Albert McMullen (Director, 1979-87) and James McIntosh, over the years took place at a number of locations including Gilford College (North Carolina) and Davidson College (North Carolina). Drumming instructors included Alex Duthart, Bert Barr, Drew Duthart, and Jim Kilpatrick. Albert also started a Balmoral School in Houston, Texas in 1982, principally for St. Thomas’ Episcopal School students. This session is now directed by Mike Cusack and Lyric Todkill.
In 1990, we incorporated The Balmoral School of Highland Piping, Inc. under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and in November, 1992, our application for tax-exempt school status was approved by the IRS.
In 1993, instruction in smallpipe playing was added to the curriculum of all of the then existing Balmoral sessions: Danville, Kentucky; Tacoma, Washington; and Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Gordon Mooney was the first smallpipe instructor.
Over the past 32 years, several thousand piping and drumming students in the USA have received piping and drumming tuition at the Balmoral sessions. The Balmoral Schools have made a significant contribution to raising the standard of piping and drumming in the USA. The Balmoral School of Piping has produced the only three Americans to win the prestigious Highland Society of Scotland Gold Medal, awarded at the Northern Meeting, Inverness, held annually since 1844, and the Argyllshire Gathering at Oban. One of these champion pipers, past instructors and advisory board member Mike Cusack, led the St. Thomas Episcopal School Pipe Band of Houston, Texas, to win the 1985, 1995, 1998, and 2004 Junior World Championships in Scotland. In 2006, Lyric Todkill, current Balmoral advisory board member and Mike Cusack’s successor as piping instructor at St. Thomas Pipe Band, led the band to the 2006 Junior World Championship in Scotland.
In recent years, additions to the Balmoral instructional staff have included Brian Donaldson, Gold Medalist and former Scots Guards pipe major; Willie McCallum, winner of the Glenfiddich Championship eight times; James McColl, Oban Gold Medalist and former member of Shotts and Dykehead; veteran award-winning piper Donald McBride of Donegal, Ireland and Kansas City, Kansas; US champion drumming maestro Andrew Hoinacki; and tenor drumming whiz Will Sexton.
The Balmoral Classic
For current information on this major Pittsburgh bagpiping event, please contact BalmoralClassic.org.
Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming campuses — past and present
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina
Denver University, Denver, Colorado
East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania
Holy Names College, Oakland, California
Laurel Hill State Park, Somerset, Pennsylvania
Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois
Macalester College, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
North Central College, Naperville, Illinois
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
Regis College, Denver, Colorado
Saint Joseph’s Center, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Shady Side Academy, Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Skagit Valley College, Mount Vernon, Washington
Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California
Thomas More College, Crestview Hills, Kentucky
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington
University of Wisconsin, Stout, Menominee, Wisconsin