Lindsay Davidson

Lindsay Davidson (9 April 1973, Scotland)^[1] was taught the Great Highland bagpipes by Pipe Major James Inglis of Wallacestone and District Pipe Band from aged nine. He was the last person Inglis taught before his death. Later instructors included Bert Barron MBE, P/M John Matheson, BEM and John Graham. Bands included Boghall and Bathgate and Torphichen and Bathgate (during their highly successful period 1986–1989).

Lindsay was the first person in the world to study for a music degree specifically and exclusively as a piper (1994 Edinburgh University). He later was awarded a postgraduate diploma (1996) in the double specialisation of composition and computer sound synthesis and his PhD (2007) in composition (Napier University, Edinburgh). He also holds a PGCE (general teaching qualification) from the University of Sunderland.

Lindsay currently lives in Poland.

For a period of five years Lindsay ran a school of piping (The Davidson School of Piping) and a bagpipes supply service, The Complete Piping Service.^[2] These ceased to trade when he started to spend more time in Poland. Successor organisations were Bridgend and District Pipe Band, Barnton Pipe Band, Polmont Pipe, amongst others.

Lindsay is one of a very few professional concert pipers in the world and shares his base between Scotland and Poland, where he regularly performs with his harpist wife, Irena. He is employed as a Court Composer to the Baron of Ardgowan and also to the Barony of Fulwood and Dirleton and holds honorary positions as Clan Piper (Clan Davidson) and was Town Piper to his home town of Linlithgow, Scotland for nine years.

Many articles about Lindsay Davidson have appeared in a wide range of special interest and mass media publications and broadcast services across the globe such as the BBC, ABC, The Guardian, Piping Today magazine, The Scots Magazine, The Sunday Herald, and The Scotsman.

Composing

Lindsay Davidson has specialised in synthesising the bagpipe and orchestral traditions. His PhD thesis (2007)^[3] concerned creation of a new technique of composing of 'classical' music, manntaireachd, which unites pibroch and orchestral music. He has written the world's first 'bagpipe opera', Tulsa, to a libretto in Scots by Dr Tom Hubbard, concerning the Tulsa Race Riots in 1921 and in particular the part played in trying to prevent this by Charles William Kerr, and three other operas. He has also composed a symphony 'From Beyond' using manntaireachd and a chamber symphony, likewise using manntaireachd.

Major pieces

A partial catalogue can be found on the Scottish Music Centre website.^[4]

• Borderpipe Concerto – the first of its kind, uses both traditional and original material
• Marimba Concerto^[5] – premiered by Ryszard Haba of Kraków, Poland, 2006 published by C Alan Inc, USA ^[6]
• Tulsa (libretto Dr. Tom Hubbard, concert suite for trio) commissioned by the Baron of Ardgowan^[7]
• The Ballad of Annie Kerr (libretto Dr Tom Hubbard) commissioned by the Baron of Ardgowan
• Fulwood Sorrow and Hope dedicated to Camilo Agasi-Pereira of Fulwood and Dirleton, the Baron of Fulwood and Dirleton
• The New Deliverance (libretto S. I. Witkiewicz)
• Cockroaches (libretto S. I. Witkiewicz)^[8]
• Symphony Number 1 'From Beyond' commissioned by the Baron of Ardgowan^[9]
• Chamber Symphony Number 1 – dedicated to Stephen and Michael Kerr^[10]
• Solo Bagpipe Music (in the region of 800 pieces) including several collections
• Double Concerto for Bagpipes and Harp - premiered by Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Monika Bachowska 12 March 2015 ^[11]

Performing

Lindsay Davidson appears regularly in duet with harp, particularly with his wife, Irena. Lindsay Davidson has performed at classical music festivals across Europe and has also been to Venezuela. As a trio with harp and soprano (Katarzyna Wiwer-Monita) they form 'Celtic Triangle' and have a mixture of music from traditional, to contemporary compositions by Lindsay. He leads a traditional music group, The Reivers, comprising bagpipes, harp, violin and percussion, and again they have a mixture of traditional and new music.

A major part of Lindsay's work is performing with 'classical' ensembles ranging from string quartet to orchestras. He has played with some of the most prestigious orchestras in Europe, such as Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio led by Agnieszka Duczmal, and Leopolis Chamber Orchestra of Lviv,^[12] where he was a resident soloist. He has also toured Japan (2009,2010,2011) and Australia (1998,1999), USA (1998,1999,2000) holding workshops and performing.

Lindsay performs on Highland Bagpipes, Scottish smallpipes, Border pipes, Gaita and medieval bagpipes during his concerts.

Recordings

• Philharmonic Bagpipes – bagpipes and string orchestra
• Celtic Triangle – bagpipes, harp and soprano
• Teribus – The Irony Board – bagpipe duet with Richard Kean, now unavailable
• Dances of the World Volume 1 and Volume 2 choir and string orchestra Leopolis (guest performer)
• Blown (guest performer with Richard Kean^[13])
• Another Way – published by Castello Group, Poland 2009. Cracovie Ensemble (string quartet)

Books

• Translation of "Chopin", by Mieczyslaw Tomaszewski, published by PWM/Bosz, 2009
• Translation of Music in Literature: Perspectives of Interdisciplinary Comparative Literature.^[14]
• On Teaching Bagpipes, 2013 ^[15]
• Smallpipe and Borderpipe collection, 2013 ^[16]
• Preliminary Tunes for gaita, 2014 ^[17]
• Exercises for Beginner Bagpipers, 2013 ^[18]
• Modern Method for Great Highland Bagpipes (reissued 2013) ^[19]
• L'Homme Arme. Tunes for Medieval Bagpipes.^[20]

Teaching

In 1996 a group of piping teachers in Edinburgh, Scotland (Andrew Sutherland, Richard Kean, Lindsay Davidson)^[21] decided to form a school, originally to be called the Edinburgh School of Piping. However, the name was taken and so they elected to call it after their leader and originator of a their new method, Lindsay Davidson.^[22] This method was derived from piano and conducting teaching, and contains elements based upon the Kodaly Method and the New French Method of rhythm.^[23] Davidson describes the method as being based upon the principle of separating the mechanical aspects of playing music from the emotional, learning each area in isolation, programming technique exactly as a computer and then reuniting the aspects. Musicianship is taught alongside these technical processes and Davidson claims that links are constantly made during lessons to show how to achieve specific effects. This method has since been published ^[24]

This method was conceived as an action research project led by Lindsay Davidson, furthered by weekly meetings of the teachers, particularly Richard Kean. As of 2014 the 'teach yourself' method and website is a free project with aims stated to be giving as many people as possible access to piping.^[25]

Six pipe bands were created in central Scotland (for example Barnton Pipe Band,^[26] Stockbridge Pipe Band^[27]) by the school, and several were assisted in US and Australia.

Lindsay has given workshops in Australia, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland, Ukraine.^[28] He is also 'Musician in Residence' for the British International School in Cracow British International School of Cracow(BISC).^[29]

References

External links

• Lindsay Davidson's website
• Teach Yourself Bagpipes
• Kerr of Ardgowan
• The Reivers' website
• The Barony of Fulwood website