| Composer's Corner I Iain Sherwood | |
 Place of Residence: San Leandro, California Occupation: bagpipe and highland dress dealer; custom silversmith Primary Instrument played: The Great Highland Bagpipes Secondary Instrument: pipes, pipes, pipes, tin whistle, a little celtic harp Interests: sailing, silversmithing and the history of the craft in Scotland; History of course; food (obviously - you don't get to be my size without knowing how to cook); and looking for my next ex-wife.... Education: BA Colorado College '72; MA Arizona State University '77 Compositions: See my tune page :-) Music Engraving Software: I was asked by Rob MacNeil to help him with some of the piobaireachd embellishments for BMWGold, and was later a beta-tester for the software, so naturally that's what I use. Type of Bagpipes own and use: a reproduction set of J & R Glens custom made for me by Stephen Sharp; several different chanters, including an ear-splitting 1810 MacDonald and a mid-fifties Thomson. Three years ago I switched to a synthetic bag and never looked back. Info: I started pipes at the age of fourteen in New England with lessons from Bill Anderson and later Hamilton Workman, both ex-HLI. After moving to the western US at age 17 I had some lessons from Jock Sneddon, ex-Gordons. Then at age 22 I had some instruction from George Stoddart in Edinburgh. For the next several years I was in and out of piping due to work commitments; I got back into it in the late 70s. At that time I had John Partanen for a teacher; he's been a good friend and bad influence ever since then! I have also had instruction from Jimmy McColl and Jack Lee. I played in several different bands over the years, but job commitments kept me out for quite a long time, and I always had better success as a soloist than as a band player. I doubt I'll ever play in a band again. I began composing in the early nineties and have been writing tunes for over ten years now. I have been able to write modern piobaireachd compositions using traditional construction with new themes and styles. I was voted into the Piobaireachd Society in 2000, and have been a life member of the SPSL since the mid-sixties without ever having attended a meeting (!). One of the tunes you will see has been adopted by The U.S. Marine Pipers Association as their lament. |
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| Tunes | |
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A Salute
For Tudor Wall Hien Oten Edre  |
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