The Pipe Major is the director of bagpipe music in a Scottish or Irish pipe band. Like the appointment of Drum Major, the position of Pipe Major is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term Sergeant Piper was used for the role in place of "Pipe Major".
Civilian and military pipe bands usually assign a Pipe Major. Apart from being an outstanding musician, a Pipe Major should by tradition be an educated person well-versed in the history of bagpipe music as well as the history of their clan or regiment. The Pipe Major of a pipe band is usually assisted by a Pipe Sergeant.
Whether it is a civilian or military pipe band, the Pipe Major is usually responsible for:
- Band administrative work
- Selection, compilation and arrangement of tunes for the band's repertoire
- Acting as a musical director and leading band rehearsals
- Coordination of the band's performance schedule
- Conducting and arranging for solo performance at weddings, funerals, dinners, and other functions
- Training learning and beginning pipers
Read more about Pipe Major: British Army, Canadian Forces
Famous quotes containing the words pipe and/or major:
“It is not that the Englishman can’t feel—it is that he is afraid to feel. He has been taught at his public school that feeling is bad form. He must not express great joy or sorrow, or even open his mouth too wide when he talks—his pipe might fall out if he did.”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)
“True spoiling is nothing to do with what a child owns or with amount of attention he gets. he can have the major part of your income, living space and attention and not be spoiled, or he can have very little and be spoiled. It is not what he gets that is at issue. It is how and why he gets it. Spoiling is to do with the family balance of power.”
—Penelope Leach (20th century)