I worked there for three years, setting up individualized study programs where again I met some truly wonderful people, as well as teaching the students from the local area on a weekly basis. In 1997 I moved to Summerside, Prince Edward Island to take over as Piping Instructor at the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts. A World Pipe Band Championship, three live recordings, 13 North American championships and many life-long friends – who could ask for anything more from their pipe band. Playing Live in Ireland before a packed house of 900 may possibly be the highlight of my piping career. These concerts were very taxing both physically and mentally but the rewards always far outweighed the pain. I spent 15 wonderful years with the 78th, traveling to Scotland each year as well as a variety of venues to perform concerts. Bruce with his son Alex, who is following ably in his father’s footsteps. “He has a gift for writing what we need, at any particular time for the band whether it be a medley tune or a jig or a piece in a certain rhythm, he always came back next Sunday with our answer,” recalls Bill Livingstone. This inspired me very much and I began to be called upon to compose very particular elements of a medley. Playing in a band that was at the forefront of innovation was tremendous, and there was a great need for new music for the band to play. In 1982, I moved to Ontario to join the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, and this was where I began to mature as a player.
These summers, combined with regular instruction, helped to instill a lifelong love and understanding of Piobaireachd. It was not at all uncommon to have a lesson for 3 or 4 hours, it was great.Īlso during this time, I spent many summers down in Couer D’ Alene, Idaho at the piping school studying under Bob Hardie and Andrew Wright. We used to have so much fun (most of the time) that I didn’t even worry about the time until the next morning. I think this starting earlier worked for about 3 weeks, but soon I was getting home around 10:30 and even 11:00. I had started going to dinner so that I might get home earlier as my lessons seemed to be going on from 7 until after 10 p.m., which was getting late for a 12- or 13-year-old. I remember going over to Jamie’s House for dinner on a Tuesday night.
#BAGPIPE PLAYER IN D MAJOR PLUS#
During the 10 plus years that I spent with James Troy, I was given a foundation of playing that would benefit an entire solo and band piping career. It was at this time that I began a long and wonderful relationship with James Troy. Hal moved to Scotland to play with the famous Muirhead and Sons Pipe Band and study under Robert G. My first teacher was Hal Senyk, who took me through the first exercises and tunes. I began to play the pipes in December of 1970 in Victoria, British Columbia. I was born on Augin Victoria, British Columbia. In short, he is one of Canada’s national piping treasures.īelow, Bruce tells the story of his own life so far: Pipers are often surprised to learn that a tune they’ve heard for years and thought was in the traditional repertoire is actually a Bruce Gandy composition. When in top form on the competition platform he is formidable, and while the major Scottish prizes seemed to elude him for a long time, in recent years he has begun to gather them up, much to the satisfaction of his friends and competitors.Īs a composer, his catalogue of superb tunes and collections of bagpipe music are large and still growing. As a player, he is “a piper’s piper” – a player whose gift for technique, rhythm, melody and poise even the best look up to. Bruce Gandy is one of the most natural and talented musicians, composers and competitors to enter the world piping scene in the last 50 years.
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