New Zealand summer school, Christchurch
- At January 15, 2013
- By Scott
- In Bagpipes, Chanters, News, Solo Chanter
0
The annual Christchurch summer school was another great hit this year with a smashing high enrolment of 162 in attendance.
Many congratulations to all those who took part. The tune writing competition that
McCallum Bagpipes sponsors was a big hit also and very keenly contested. Jack Lee
awarded the winners their well deserved prizes.
The famous wee McCallum towles were given away to all the other honourable mentions.
Click on the tune names below to see the successful entries.
1st Prize
Ben Murray Tune-Imposter Benson, hornpipe.
Winning the McC2 chanter
2nd Prize
Morgan Tabuteau Tune- The Piper, 2/4 march.
Winning the McCallum Full Alloy PC9 practice chanter
Sue Muir Tune-Dillemic Crossing, 2/4 march.
Winning the McCallum Full Alloy PC7 practice chanter
McCallum Pipe Chanters win 1st 2nd & 3rd
The final of the Bagad National Championship (grade 1) was held as it is every year at the Festival Interceltic of Lorient. After this final, Bagad Kemper were crowned Champions of Brittany for the 20th time.
In this competion the three highest ranked pipes corps all played with McCallum pipe chanters.
(Bagad Kemper 2012 Champions)
Pipe Corps Results (Lorient contest)
1st Bagad Cap Caval 2nd Bagad Brieg 3rd Bagad Kemper
Overall (Lorient contest)
1st Bagad Kemper 2nd Bagad Brieg 3rd Bagad Cap Caval
2012 Championship
1st Bagad Kemper 2nd Bagad Cap Caval 3rd Kevrenn Alre
The McCallum Bagpipe chanter that has been so successful for the bands is called the Breton chanter which is slightly lower pitched to blend in with the bombards and the coloured buttons are inserted into the holes so that the pipers can play C natural and F natural without changing their fingering.
Red Stick Regional
Congratulations to David Corbett of Marion, Arkansas who won Piper of the Day at this EUSPBA piping competition in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. It is only the 2nd time this event has been held but with a good attendance this year and everybody being so enthusiastic and having such a great day there are sure to be many more to come.
David Corbett(centre) receiving his McCallum Bagpipes Full Alloy Practice Chanter from judges John Rcknagel and Iain Macey
Below all the participants at the event plus Izmir the guide dog who helped his owner to the judges table.
Piping Hot Summer Drummer 2012
The first week of this years Piping Hot Summer Drummer event has been another great success, with 80 pipers taking part and having a wonderful time. Many congratulations to the three prize winners all receiving their McCallum Prizes from Jack Lee.
1st Prize went to Alistair Bevan with a slow air “Hills of Silver”
2nd Prize went to Taylor Pettit with a jig “The Bonnie Ghillie”
3rd Prize went to Karen Campbell with a waltz “Ali and Andrew’s Wedding”
Australian Pipe Band Assoc. Summer School 2012
- At May 14, 2012
- By Scott
- In Bagpipes, Chanters, Customer Feedback, News, Solo Chanter
0
Jack Lee said “The APBA summer school was again very well run. The facilities were top-notch and we combined a lot of piobairchd, light music and pipe band instruction during the week.”
The results for the music writing competition were
1st Morning Rush Hour by Sally-Anne Richter
2nd Marching out St. George’s by Wey Shi Ong
3rd Macleod College by Adam Wishart
The winners were all delighted to be awarded McCallum chanters.
From left to right, Wey Shi Ong, Adam Wishart, Sally-Anne Richter and Jack Lee
Royal New Zealand Pipe Band Assoc. Summer School
- At May 14, 2012
- By Scott
- In Bagpipes, Chanters, Customer Feedback, News, Solo Chanter
0
“The annual New Zealand summer school was another big success. There were over 200 students in attendance. The pipers were encouraged to write original compositions and submit them to a group of adjudicators. The 3 winning tune-writers were delighted to be awarded McCallum chanters”.
1st James Wansink with the tune ‘Wee Johnny’
2nd Mike Wellwood with the tune ‘Duncan, Ross, Malcolm and Mans’
3rd Fiona Smith with the tune ‘Aunty Jeans’ Jig’
From left to right, James Wansink, Fiona Smith, Mike Wellwood and Jack Lee
New Product (Practice chanter & goose combination)
New product from McCallum Bagpipes; Practice chanter and goose combination.
As you can see from the photographs you can play it as a practice chanter or you can seperate the practice chanter and add it to the goose bag and play it as a goose. It is also better value than buying the items separately.
It is available with the McCallum PC1, PC2 & PC4. Please contact your local distributor for info.
Pipe Chanter Survey
- At April 27, 2012
- By Scott
- In Chanters
0

In a Piper and Drummer survey and article on their web site entitled What the world’s top pipe band pipe-sections are playing it was discovered that 50% of the grade one bands were playing McCallum Pipe Chantersin the 2011 season.
Here’s what they said,
“Only 20 years ago the types of chanters being played at the Grade 1 level numbered maybe four. Forty years ago that number was probably fewer. In 2011, though, a total of nine varieties were counted, with McCallum plastic chanters most popular with more than 34% of bands competing with them. Interestingly, 19% of bands went out with blackwood Sinclair chanters – famously expensive instruments that are generally accepted to require very adept players to handle their tuning requirements. McCallum blackwood chanters make strong headway in third spot, with nearly 16% of respondents playing them, meaning that McCallum owns more than 50% of the market surveyed when the small percentage of bands playing McCallum MC2 chanters is factored.
McCallum is the runaway leader in terms of manufacturers”
View the full article at http://www.pipesdrums.com/ViewObject.aspx?sys-Portal=57&sys-Class=Article&sys-ID=18831
London SPSL Bratach Gorm 2011
- At November 30, 2011
- By Scott
- In Bagpipes, Chanters, News, Solo Chanter
0
Congratulations to Willie McCallum on winning the Bratach Gorm for the fourth time in London on 5th November 2011. Willie capped off a great day by also winning the overall title, by virtue of winning the Bratach Gorm, 2nd in the Former Winners MSR, 3rd in the Hornpipe and Jig and 4th in the Gillies Cup Open Piobaireachd. Willie was playing his own design McC² chanter. By virtue of winning this title Willie qualifies for the Glenfiddich Championship in 2012, making it his 25th time in succession at the competition.
It was without doubt a successful day for many other competitors who were playing McCallum chanters and/or pipes. Iain Speirs continued his fine form by coming 2nd overall by virtue of 2nd in the Gillies Cup, 4th in the Bratach Gorm, 3rd in the Former Winners MSR, and 2nd in the Hornpipe and Jig.
Niall Stewart took 1st in the JB Robertson March and 3rd in the Gillies Cup.
Alex Gandy won the Hornpipe and Jig, also coming 4th in the A grade MSR and 3rd in the B Piobaireachd.
Steven Leask was placed 1st in the C grade MSR and Hornpipe and Jig playing a full set of McCallum Bagpipes and McC² chanter.
Gordon Walker took 5th place in the Gillies Cup, Callum Beaumont (5th in the Bratach Gorm / 5th in the Marches), Bruce Gandy (2nd Marches), Jenny Hazzard and Andrew Hall (2nd B MSR). Apologies if we have missed anyone from the list.
All the players mentioned have had great seasons and we at McCallum Bagpipes congratulate all of them and thank them for continuing to play and have faith in our products.
The SPSL contest has been running since the 1930’s and the 2011 event attracted possibly the biggest entry in its history.