Testimonials

I am so grateful for the support of the GDMT who helped me pay for my lessons and enabled me to take my piping further forward than I would have been able to manage on my own.

It is this coaching that has enabled me to achieve the following:

– My SCQF Level 5 certification.
– I am currently in leadership training at EPIC helping to coach the new pipers and drummers coming through.
– Competing in Juvenile Solo Competitions at The National Piping Centre, Blair Atholl and Inveraray.
– Gained the confidence and skills required to be able to go to solo competitions on my own without a tutor.
– Got accepted into the NYPBS Development Band.
– I am a senior player in my own pipe band E-CAL.
– I have performed a solo in my school concert.
– I have performed at the World Solo Drumming for two drummers.
– I compose tunes and write harmonies for E-CAL and the NYPBS.
– Solos and NYPBS has allowed me to meet other young people who are interested in piping and drumming.
– This tuition has given me the confidence to make my own business cards and Facebook page to help me earn money and help to support myself as I strive to take my piping further.
– I was awarded EPIC’s “Special Recognition Award” this year and E-CAL Piper of the Year.

Your support is not only helping me, but helping me to help others so your support
has an even bigger impact than expected.

Thank you so much to the GDMT, I really hope you feel I have worked hard and
made you all proud, but I wouldn’t be here without the help you gave me – both at
the start of my piping with EPIC and now the support you have given me personally.
I can’t thank you enough.

The grant from the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust has supported me in being able to continue my solo piping tuition with one of the best pipers in the world. Since receiving the grant, I have continued having regular lessons with my tutor and have noticed by playing levels develop more, focusing on entering the senior solo grades this year and playing for a grade 1 pipe band. I’m very grateful to the GDMT for their support.

The Lewis Pipe Band is the oldest community organisation in the Western Isles having been formed in 1904. Still going strong today, the Band continues to support the development of players throughout the Islands, and also provides as a platform for members of the Lewis & Harris Youth Pipe Band to aspire to. We aim to compete at as many competitions as we can, but being island based we are restricted in what we can do by much higher travel and subsistence costs. All costs for the band are relied upon entirely by public support, fundraising and donations.

Receiving support from The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust of £1,000 to help with costs of travel to and from the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow allowed us to compete again for the first time since the pandemic. This allowed a number of our newer members, some of whom had never experienced a competition before, to experience the enjoyment and spectacle of The Worlds. A big thank you to the GDMT for the support!

The Strathmore Schools Pipe Band is incredibly grateful to the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust for their generous support. Thanks to their funding, we have been able to host regular pipe band practices with a skilled music instructor. This has had a profound impact on our pupils, enhancing their musical abilities and fostering a sense of teamwork and pride.

Our pipe band project provides free music tuition to over 150 pupils across Blairgowrie and the surrounding rural areas, ensuring that young people have access to high-quality musical education regardless of their background. The Trust’s support has been instrumental in helping us continue this mission, and we deeply appreciate their commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians.

The year 2024 has been eventful and challenging for me in my aspiring career. I would like to thank ‘The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust’ for their continued support with my piping.

This year I have progressed to my final year at ‘The Royal Conservatoire’ in Glasgow. B Mus (Traditional Music-piping) degree.

I am also continuing to take lessons from my long term tutor, Willie Morrison.

This year in competition I was successful in winning many prizes. The pinnacle was winning the ‘Pipe Idol’ competition in the ‘Piping Centre’, Glasgow, in August.