The Bagpipe Society

Swedish tunes on bagpipes comes to Halsway Manor!

Back in 2012 I had a crazy idea - let’s run a workshop weekend at Halsway Manor for the nyckelharpa, an instrument not many people had heard of. I’ve built this up from a small weekend of eight participants to a large one of 45. Then last year I had another crazy idea - I’d run a säckpipa weekend at Halsway Manor. I’m pretty sure I know how many there are of us that play säckpipa in the UK and it’s not many. But I’m determined that that is not going to hold us back. We’re already 3/4 filled, so if you’re interested in playing Swedish tunes on the bagpipes this weekend is for you!

The weekend is for both players of the Swedish säckpipa and also players of other types of pipes wishing to become acquainted with Swedish bagpipe music. There may be some opportunity to play together as an ensemble with all combinations, once I know what/who we have I’ll get arranging and writing!

There will be a strong emphasis on säckpipa in A/E and border pipes in G, but other keys are welcome. The basic caveat being that if I play it, it’s welcome. Not to say that Northumbrian pipes or musettes aren’t welcome - I just don’t have anything in F…

So workshops will be able to cater for the following different pipes and keys:

• säckpipa in A/E or D/G

• English Border pipes in G

• Scottish smallpipes in D or A

If you’ve never been to Halsway Manor - you’ll love it! It’s an incredible place, if Swedish tunes isn’t your thing - there are other courses available! http://sackpipa.smallpiper.co.uk

Editor’s note: Following on from Vicki’s comment about other courses at Halsway, I will now give a shameless plug for Piva. Piva will be running its annual “Real Roots” course from 19-21 February. The course will be concentrating on four and five part harmony popular music of the 16^th^ century. There will be chances to play crumhorns, shawms, crumhorns and, of course, bagpipes. Beginner sessions for bagpipes are offered.