Balmoral

Description

This arrangement is a result of studying harp in SCOTLAND, Summer 2022.  I was a recipient of a stipend from the Scottish Harp Society of America:  many thanks to them.

Not long after I returned to the USA, the Queen passed away.  I knew I wanted to share a tune from my trip with my students, and when this happened, I knew exactly what I wanted to share:  Balmoral, a bagpipe tune, which was named after her castle house in Scotland, which was her final home.

This tune is perfect for applying the DAMPING technique I learned from Karen Marshalsay.  I thought this technique would be too difficult to master, but the tune makes all the difference.  The idea is to damp a string to stop it from ringing, in order to create a cleaner overall sound for the melody.

Verse 1 = Easy arrangement of just the melody and simple bass, to learn the technique

Verse 2 = More harmony added, inspired by the Gordon Highlanders Association bagpipe band arrangement (they are in Scotland, very close to Balmoral)

Verse 3 = An American’s arrangement for the Queen (this is a mix inspired by Scottish drum rhythm, with American styling & harmony)

This 3-verse set of variations is available free to SHSA members, on the website in the Fall 2022 Kilt.  If you are a member and would like the cues worksheets, please email me.

Instructional video will be available, after being released first to SHSA members, via the Kilt.