This week, Uist Beò are heading up South to chat to one of our young musicians. With South Uist long being a home for the bagpipes, this tradition is strong amongst our youth today. Please welcome our contributor for the week, Micheal MacLellan.

Uist has long been a heartland for traditional music, and a new generation of pipers is emerging, eager to march on.  Micheal’s own pipes have barely had a break over a busy Uist summer, and I’m sure that if you’ve turned up to any Ceòlas event, a cèilidh, the Games, Fèis Ghasaigh or any other occasion, then you would have heard a tune or two from him. 

In the piping world, one of the most famous platforms to compete at is on Askernish Machair; at the formidable South Uist Games. Reflecting on his early days in school, Micheal shared a candid view of the competitive world. ‘On your day, competitions are great, but they can also be really cruel. Sometimes you’re just playing for yourself, for your own enjoyment, and if you have a bad spell or don’t practice enough, it can really knock you back.’

The pressure, especially when confidence is lacking, can be daunting. Despite the tough side, there is a camaraderie within the piping community when it comes to competition and joining a pipe band.

‘Most of the time, it’s more social than anything. Talking to others, meeting new people, sharing tips, and having a good laugh. The pipes have been great for my social life.’ You could say that any instrument is good for the social life, but in our opinion the pipes are particularly so! Wins or loses, the pipers look after each other and it’s always encouraging to see the supportive spirit that lives in the scene.

Micheal mentions that his competitors are peers and friends.

 

‘We all know each other; we’re not enemies in the piping.’

 

Micheal didn’t get the piping from a family tradition. He says that he ‘Never really had piping in the house. My dad isn’t a piper, but his brother is,’

Fortunately for those learning in Uist there is a full host of tutors available. Of these, Michael was mainly taught by Dòmhnall Bàn and Iain McDonald. ‘Iain taught me how to tune my pipes and also how to get the music out of the tune and not just play it. Dòmhnall Bàn has also been good with everyone in the band.’

Micheal has spent his summer playing and also working for Ceòlas Uibhist. Aside from his usual tutors, Micheal has also dived into the world of pibroch with Dr. Angus MacDonald.

‘I really got into Ceòl Mòr when Dr. Angus MacDonald came up to Uist. He really showed me his own take on it, which I find really interesting. It’s different from the competitive world which can be very rigid.

Looking ahead, Micheal’s ambitions are bright.

‘So hopefully I’ll be moving to Glasgow in September. I’ve accepted an offer to do maths and music at the University of Glasgow. So my plan is, go there, play the pipes a lot, and get on with uni.’

Although he’s heading for the bright lights, his plans do still take him back to the croft. With the hope to give back to the community that nurtured his talents. ‘I’d love to teach or perform back in Uist someday,’

‘I feel like Glasgow is probably a good place for piping in general, with the National Piping center and the likes, and hopefully meet people there, play and just see where that takes me.’

Now, as the summer has come to a close, the schools are back and Micheal is planning for the next stage as he prepares for the big smoke to study Maths and Music. for the next chapter—possibly in Glasgow, possibly back home—the young pipers of Uist have good reason to be optimistic. The future of piping in these islands is in safe hands, full of young musicians eager to embrace both tradition and innovation.

Well, I don’t know. Hopefully. I mean, I don’t know if we’ll see where life takes me, but after uni, eventually I’d probably like to end up back here, probably. And then I’d definitely want to get involved in teaching or something or playing, you know, definitely keeping that piping and bring whatever I’ve learned and my years doing whatever on earth I’m doing.