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| Symphonic, Brass Band and Cathedral Organ Piping |
| For Symphonic, Brass Band and Cathedral Organ Piping, as well as for recording-studio work with other instrumentalists who are tuned to the Key of A (440 hz) or the Key of B Flat (466 hz); Pipe Major BayBridge has played two classic and highly sought after sets of genuine blackwood bagpipes. He plays a third, contemporary set of Dunbar bagpipes specifically custom-designed for all high-profile events. Photos below. 1.) The most remarkable set of bagpipes owned and used by Pipe Major BayBridge has to be the classic set of R. G. Lawrie bagpipes made in Glasgow, Scotland in 1934, prior to World War II. This set of bagpipes was full-mounted with hallmarked sterling silver; painstakingly customized with ornate, hand-engraved thistle designs. The tastefully distinctive projecting mounts on these Lawrie bagpipes, interestingly; were made of genuine elephant ivory. Although nearly 75 years old, these classic Lawrie bagpipes retained a powerfully commanding and appealing sound; and, with the engraved, sterling silver and elephant ivory, remained distinctively beautiful. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2.) The second set of bagpipes owned and used by Pipe Major BayBridge was produced by famed Canadian Master Drone Turner: Matt Marshall. Mr. Marshall had been a Master Drone Turner for the R.G. Lawrie Bagpipe Company in Scotland. Following the final closure of the R.G. Lawrie Bagpipe Company in the 1970's, Mr. Marshall immigrated to Canada and there produced his own brand of bagpipes. These blackwood bagpipes were based on the celebrated 1920's R.G. Lawrie bagpipe design; and sold under the brand name of "Glencoe". This set of Glencoe bagpipes was initially ordered in 1978 by Canadian Army Pipe Major Tom Coulson; who heroically served with the Essex Scottish Regiment during WWII. Pipe Major Coulson originally studied under Norman Fraser, a World War I piper. After joining the Canadian Army, he studied under Pipe Major Bobby Stoker, a gold medalist piper from Calgary, Alberta. He also learned at the Army School of Bagpipe Music, in Edinburgh, Scotland, under the direct tutelage of Pipe Major William Ross; another world champion piper. Notably, Pipe Major Coulson was chosen to represent the Essex Scottish Regiment at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Interestingly, these Glencoe bagpipes, originally purchased by Pipe Major Coulson, also served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2009 and 2010 with one of Pipe Major BayBridge's active-military piping students. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3.) For orchestral and cathedral organ piping Pipe Major BayBridge regularly uses a contemporary set of Dunbar, full-metal mounted and Celtic engraved bagpipes which can be tuned to the symphonic A-440 Hertz tuning using a unique, one-of-a-kind, A-440 bagpipe chanter which was hand-made by Roddy MacLellan of Summerville, South Carolina; along with three, custom-made, A-440 drone reeds specially produced by professional reed maker Mark Wygent of Newark, Deleware. For brass band tuning Pipe Major BayBridge uses a custom-made Gibson A-466 Hz bagpipe chanter; along with three carbon-fibre drone reeds made by the Kinnaird Company of Canada. |
| Pipe Major Norwood BayBridge, FSA Scot, performing as the Featured Bagpipe Soloist with the Minot Symphony Orchestra using his extraordinarily rare set of Canadian-made, blackwood, Glencoe bagpipes. |
| Pipe Major Norwood BayBridge, FSA Scot, performing as the Official Piper for the 2010 MSA Mid-Winter Conference in South Sioux City, Nebraska, using his Dunbar, full-metal mounted, Celtic-engraved bagpipes. |
| Left: Pipe Major BayBridge's set of sterling silver and elephant ivory R.G. Lawrie blackwood bagpipes made in 1934 in Glasgow, Scotland. These pipes were played by Canadian pipers until the 1970's when they were acquired by a WWII veteran piper in the US, who performed with them in Europe and in most of the US Naval Bases along the East Coast during memorials. Upon the sad circumstances of his hands becoming too arthritic to play, he subsequently bequeathed these pipes to Pipe Major BayBridge. |
| Many have been curious and wanted to know the value of these vintage, pre-WWII, highly-traveled and well-cared for bagpipes. Comparatively, if a person were to have a new, identical set of blackwood bagpipes made by the Dunbar Bagpipe Company with sterling silver, hand-engraved ring caps, tuning slides and ferrules; and, with mammoth ivory projection mounts; the cost would be $8,700.00 (as of July, 2011). Below: Close-up photo of the elephant ivory projection mounts and the sterling silver, hand-engraved ferrules. |
Close-up of the pre-WWII solid sterling silver, custom hand-engraved chanter sole. |