Teach Yourself Bagpipes by Lindsay Davidson

About the author........

Pipe Major Lindsay Davidson, BMus (Hons), Dip.Mus.Ed, PGCE, PhD,  is an accomplished 'piper, composer and teacher. Whilst living in Edinburgh he ran a school of piping along with 5 other teachers (part time and full time) which was a great success. He gave this up to move to Poland in 2000 where he currently spends most of his time. He has two daughters, Izabella (aged 9) and Fiona (aged 2).

Lindsay's website gives a great deal of information about his background and current activity. He is very generously supported in his more experimental work by the Much Honoured Baron of Ardgowan, a patron of Scottish Arts and an international human rights lawyer.

The method was developed by Lindsay based on a combination of piano teaching and the way he was himself taught by Pipe Major James Inglis. His colleagues in the 'Davidson School of Piping', especially Pipe Sergeant Richard Kean (currently in Texas) played a great role in not only improving the basic ideas, but through weekly meetings and comparing of experiences, they created a library of explanations and excercises to be envied...

 Lindsay has released three CDs:  'Philharmonic Bagpipes' (with the String Orchestra of Poland), 'Celtic Triangle' (with Celtic Triangle trio), and 'Another Way' with Ensemble Cracovie. These are available from his shop.  You can also download individual tracks from his mp3 shop.

Of particular interest outside of Lindsay's strictly piping work is his composition of the world's first 'bagpipe opera', "Tulsa". This is based on the story of the 1921 Race Riots in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the role played in trying to prevent this and afterwards fight for justice by Rev. Charles Kerr. Lindsay has also set up a teach yourself species counterpoint course.