George Watson’s Teacher/ SW Scotland Academy Programme/ ‘Flux’ Blowstick

Award-winning school band, George Watson’s College, Edinburgh, are looking for a new piping instructor. Some details: ‘This post has up to 15 hours of individual teaching, and two hours of group tuition per week.

‘The successful candidate will be committed, enthusiastic and will possess the ability to teach the full range of abilities from beginner to Juvenile band level and be familiar with SQA/PDQB exams.

‘They will be expected to maintain and improve the high standards already in place within the piping sections of all of the school bands, in support of the four permanent members of staff within the Pipe Band.’

Closing date for applications is Friday 18 June 2021 with interviews beginning on the Monday following, 21 June. Click on the display ad. for more.  


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The superb programme of teaching being offered by the South West Scotland Pipe and Drum Academy continues. Organiser Andy McCartney reports:

Piobaireachd/Improver Piping Workshops will be held on the following dates:
Sunday, September 12
Sunday, October 2
Sunday, November 14
Sunday, December 19
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Sunday, February 13
Sunday, 20 March
Sunday, 10 April

These are held in the classrooms at Barfil Farm, Crocketford, near Dumfries, from 10am until around 3.30pm. Tea and coffee supplied  –  bring you own lunch. Our principal tutor, once again, will be Billy Geddes.

South West of Scotland Piping & Drumming Academy, Juvenile Solo Piping & Drumming Competition is on Saturday 25th September 2021 at Lockerbie Academy.  Classes and times will be issued nearer the date.

Autumn School  –  Abernethy Trust, Barcaple, Ringford, Castle Douglas. DG7 2AP. This will be mainly residential, but some local pupils will attend on a daily basis. It will be for both pipers and drummers. The week will be completely free to all pupils and will run from Monday morning 11th, until Friday evening 15th October 2022.

South West of Scotland Piping & Drumming Academy Summer School. This will run from Sunday afternoon 10th, until Friday evening 15th July, when we hope circumstances will allow us to do what we have so successfully done in the past. Email Andy here.


Flux Blowpipe promo: ‘Last year Robbie MacIsaac launched The FLUX Blowpipe—an innovative product that negates the need for clunky moisture control systems within the bagpipes themselves.  

‘We’re running a giveaway on our social media platforms, which will give one lucky winner the chance to win their own blowpipe. We’re eager to share this opportunity with your readers.

‘The giveaway involves liking a post, tagging a friend & following our account. It ends on the 18th of June. Click here.’


2 thoughts on “George Watson’s Teacher/ SW Scotland Academy Programme/ ‘Flux’ Blowstick

  1. Thank you for brightening up a rather grey and grim morning. Browsing today’s articles, I paused briefly at the typo in the headline to assume (erroneously) that the ‘Flex’ blowstick mentioned there, referred to the bendy one designed (by I think McCallums) for the Omani military pipe band which plays mounted on camels.
    Skimming down through the articles I missed the relevant announcement, but alighted on the comments at the foot where a venerable and respected senior member of the Piob Soc mused that this might be exactly what he needed. I quickly realised my error, but the mental pictures that had been painted remained to keep me giggling for some time.
    It does leave one question however – the manuscripts and collections are rich with rowing pibrochs, but I can’t think of a single camel riding one – scope perhaps for the next composing competition?

  2. Being plagued with moisture problems I might now in fact purchase a Flux’. I am wondering if the bore is nice and big and the mouth piece is of circular or the more squarer shape as I now prefer as described in the previous comments re blow pieces/sticks. I have a rounded style in one set of my bagpipe and it is in good condition but it is not as comfortable as the squarer one. Any information and where to purchase is of interest to me. I am not that lucky to win on in a lottery!

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