I particularly like ‘Loch Broom Bay’ and ‘For Ireland I’d Not Tell Her Name’. What is your favourite type of music to play? I love slow airs because they tend to have a lot of feeling. You need to be quite strong, but it’s mostly a matter of perseverance. She still does find it a bit challenging to get a sound out of the pipes.
She has been learning for eight months and putting a lot of effort into it, and she now already plays the bagpipes, which is really quick. Once you’ve got a few tunes under your belt, you can start on the actual bagpipes and that’s another huge challenge – just being able to blow it up and keep the sound going! I have one learner at the moment who is doing really well. There are only nine notes on the scale, so there are lots of very quick movements you can do to make things more interesting. You learn on a practice chanter to start with. What do first-time learners of bagpipes need to know? There are three drones, and one chanter, so you have four reeds to keep on top of, and you have to make sure they stay supple and airtight. The last Tattoo in Scotland was held in 2019. Due to COVID, many competitions were cancelled. Most pipe bands around the world struggle a little bit with finding enough players.
THE WEIRD SISTERS BAGPIPE PLAYER HOW TO
We’re happy to teach novices, but if someone already knows how to play, please come and join our band! We currently have seven pipers, four to five side drummers, but only one bass drummer and one tenor drummer. We’re actually looking for band members right now for our bass drum, tenor drum, side drum, and of course, the pipes. All people need is a real desire to learn and be aware that it’s a lot of work. All the equipment is on loan, and we supply all the clothes – kilts, jackets, shoes, everything. There are three of us in the band who are currently tutoring for free. Then you give something back by teaching the next group. Why? There’s a culture in pipe bands that you learn to play for free, like I did. My grandfather was Scottish, so I was quite interested in the pipes anyway. I attended The Friends’ School, and my friends were in the pipe band and took me along. Why did you take up the bagpipes? I started playing the pipes at the age of 12.
THE WEIRD SISTERS BAGPIPE PLAYER FULL
It can either be a single person playing, a small band, or the full band. We now play at parades, ANZAC day ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, weddings, funerals, and parties.
We fully re-joined the Hobart band about ten years ago. After moving to the north, Paddy and I continued to play competitions with the Hobart Highland Pipe Band, but we also joined the Burnie Highland Pipe Band. How long have you been part of the Hobart Highland Pipe Band? A long time, since I was about 13 or 14. When we retired we decided to move back to the house in New Town. We lived in Sisters Creek on the North-West coast for 23 years. After our wedding, my husband Paddy and I bought a house in New Town but wanted to bring up the kids in the country, so Paddy got a job in Wynyard. My parents were teachers and moved around a lot, so I grew up in different places like Levendale, Dunalley, Lenah Valley and Strathgordon. Where in Hobart do you live? I now live in New Town. Her generous spirit has led her to teach others how to play the bagpipes – at no cost. She is a life member of the Hobart Highland Pipe Band and has even played at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland alongside her husband Paddy. Sally Kennedy’s passion for bagpipes has spanned nearly five decades.
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