What we do ..
Piping
The pipe band is at the heart of the Club. It meets weekly on a Tuesday from October until May at 7.30pm, in the Glasgow High School Club’s Memorial Pavilion at Old Anniesland. Members may participate either in person or on-line.
Roddy MacLeod, formerly Director of the National Piping Centre, who is the Club Piper (and whose predecessors include Robert Reid, Donald MacLeod and, until recently, John Wilson) is available at the practices to help with learning tunes and setting up instruments.
The Band’s policy is all-inclusive, and a warm welcome is assured. All members who can play are encouraged to come along, whatever their standard. The range of ability in the Band encompasses retired professionals and very modest amateurs, but all are united by their enthusiasm for piping in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
The Band plays at all four Club Functions and in addition runs its own internal competitions, over two evenings. A well established tradition in the Band is the annual Piobaireachd Weekend, which has been run for 30 years, firstly at Inveraray, then at Kilfinan and latterly at Rhu, where superb instruction is provided in a relaxed and convivial social setting. The band also has an annual joint meeting with the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society.
The Club continues to support the future of piping through the Band and in other ways. Annually, the Club runs a Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Competition, with members of the band acting as judges, and other Club members playing equally important stewarding roles. The Club also supports the annual Glasgow Uist and Barra Competition, by providing a medal as a prize for the Piobaireachd competition. A medal is also awarded to the most improved piper in the Traditional Scottish Music degree course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In addition, the National Piping Centre and its satellite: the College of Piping, have also received support from the Club.
As well as piping on the practice evenings, Band members can attend a small Gaelic choir which performs at a number of the Club functions.
The band is always looking for new members. It is particularly well suited for those who have had a break from piping and who perhaps wish to revive their skills without too great a time commitment. Nevertheless, accomplished players who play regularly will equally find a home here.
If you are interested in coming along to the practices, to see what the Club is about and to meet the piping members, you are most welcome. Please contact the Pipe Major, or the Honorary Secretary.
In addition to the activities of the piping members of the Club, the Club holds the following annual events:
House Dinners
There are two House Dinners each year, one in November and one in February. These are informal dinners, traditionally held in the magnificent gallery of The Glasgow Art Club, with piping and other Highland entertainment.
At Home
This is the Annual, Highland Ball of the Club, which is held in Glasgow towards the end of February. The evening begins with a Grand March, led by piping members of the Club. In addition to Scottish country dancing the Club Piper plays a selection of light music, as does the Club Band.
Away Weekend
This takes the form of an informal dinner, with piping and other Highland entertainment, to which partners and other guests are invited. It is usually towards the end of April, away from Glasgow. In past years the event has been held in Dunvegan in Skye, Blair Atholl, Nethybridge, Birnam, Tarbert in Argyll, St. Fillans and Inveraray. The Club’s Annual Golf Competition is held during the day of this event. There is also a hill walk.
Lecture Night
Usually this is held in March or April at The Glasgow Art Club, with a guest lecturer giving members a talk on a subject relevant to the aims of the Club.
Country Dancing
The Club organises a country dance practice evening shortly before the At Home, to enable members to brush up on the programme.
Support to Other Organisations
The Club supports other organisations with similar aims. For example, the Club has supported Highland Dancing by making regular modest donations to the Scottish Official Board of Highland Dancing, and has made donations to other institutions such as the National Piping Centre and the Glasgow Gaelic School, as well as supporting individual students.