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Jeff Herbster, ME - Piping |
Luke McKay Smith, AR - Piping |
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| Clan MacKay Leadership and Members, Thank you so very much for the $200 Mackay Scholarship awarded to me. It has been well spent. This past summer, I attended The Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming, in East Stroudsburg PA, with one of the world’s greatest pipers, Alasdair Gillies. He is known throughout the piping world as on of, if not the greatest living solo piper, and it was a humbling yet inspiring experience to have 5 days of one on one instruction. Also there were George Balderose, Richmond Johnston, and Scot Walker, all top level pipers. When I decided to take up piping, I could have only imagined the opportunity to attend one of the best schools for instruction. Your generosity with this scholarship has helped make imagination a reality. As an added bonus, while at the school I was informally introduced to the smallpipes by George Balderose, and have added them to my list of instruments. A little bit about myself…I’ve been an active musician for over 40 years, with 15 years of formal training on the violin, as well as receiving training on the French horn and oboe. A short spell with the guitar, and a few years with the sitar taught me to appreciate many styles of music and musical instruments. Retiring after 24 years in the military, the desire to continue learning music as part of my heritage led me to the pipes, and now a whole new and exciting world has opened up. I perform all over southern Maine and New Hampshire, competing at Highland Games, as well as playing at fairs, weddings, scouting events, funerals, and just about any venue that needs piping. I’ve advanced to a Grade 3 piper, and have begun training in the Piobaireachd or classical pipe music; I teach a beginning bagpipe course at the local community college, and all this while playing in a fiddling group known as Fiddleicious. I was most fortunate this year to play the fiddle at the MacKay tent at the Maine Highland Games, and played the smallpipes at the AGM at Loon Mountain, NH. As busy as I seem to be, there is always time for the pipes, for the often difficult search of my ancestry prior to 1750, and for the love of all things Scottish, except Haggis! Above all, there will never be enough time to express how much my wife Geri’s support means to me; without her I would not have taken this path, and all the time she allows me to devote to piping is a gift always cherished. Again, I would like to thank the Clan MacKay, the scholarship committee, Michelle Sandelier for telling me about the program, and all those whose paths I have, or will cross, in the future. Jeff Herbster - Piper, Maine Commissioner, AI1B, USN Ret. |
Luke McKay Smith of
Rogers, Arkansas, recently attended the bagpipe summer camp of Lyon College
in Batesville, Arkansas to continue the historical tradition of Mackay
pipers. Instructing at the week long camp were Jimmy Bell of Lyon College
and renowned piper Angus John MacLellan of Bearsden, Scotland.
Angus John MacLellan was an integral part of the famed Glasgow-Strathclyde Police Pipe Band which he joined after accumulating a multitude of trophies as a solo bagpipe player. Glasgow is the world’s center of bagpiping and the Glasgow-Strathclyde Police Pipe Band won a total of 11 world championships during Angus John MacLelland’s tenure there. Luke McKay was privileged to receive daily instruction from such an accomplished player. After a week of intensive playing, the students gave a Thursday night concert in preparation for the Saturday competitions judged by their instructors. Luke won 3 first place ribbons playing “Amazing Grace” (which he adlibbed on the spot!), “St. Andrews Society of Charleston”, and “Dawning of the Day”. He also took home a second place ribbon for the playing of “The Haughs of Cromdale”. The grand total of his awarded points enabled him to win the overall division award for his level. Luke McKay is a Grade 5 beginning piper but has set a personal goal to become a Level 3 player by next year’s summer camp. His interest in bag pipes began in 2005 when he first began chanter practices with the Ozark Highlanders, a pipe band originating in Fayetteville, Arkansas. With a scholarship granted by Clan Mackay, he was able to take lessons and graduate to bagpipes within 6 months. The support from Clan Mackay to promote awareness of Scottish cultural heritage through this scholarship encouraged Luke to continue his piping career. Luke was congratulated by Angus John MacLellan for his achievements at this year’s Lyon College summer camp. Mr. MacLellan also commented that he knew quite a few Mackays personally and was glad Luke was carrying on the tradition of excellence for the historical pipers of Clan Mackay. |
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