2006 International

International Summer School
25 July - 3 August 2006, University of Essex, Colchester

To see these photos and many more, visit Shirley's Webshots album: scroll down to the bottom three albums.

Arriving at the UoE

A hot and cloudless day helped to welcome just over 100 pipers to the University on Tuesday 25th July. Pipers had travelled by plane, train, car and cycle. They had come from America and Japan, many European countries and the UK, some from just up the road in Colchester.

Lecture Theatre Building

Having found bedrooms and unpacked a pipe and music stand they were directed to the Lecture Theatre Building. Here they were given a smart green music bag with the course logo and containing the programme and copies of the main work to be studied, A Colchester Suite for Pipes by David Stoll. This had been commissioned by the British Guild as had the Camulodunum Suite by Betty Roe and A Roman Suite by David Fielker. There was also a book of music with contributions from each country, which was to be played in Orchestra.

Orchestra

Miep and handbells

Ankie and limberjack

First, tea and a chance to greet both old friends and first timers. Then into the lecture theatre for the first Orchestra.

Welding over 100 players from eleven countries and speaking many languages was a challenge for all the teachers. Classes were given in playing the new music, dissonant music, French and Swiss music and even boogie woogie. Everyone used instruments that they had made, played and decorated themselves. Some made new pipes, some played handbells. The Americans brought traditional limberjacks - a percussion instrument. Anna from Switzerland taught a group to make some “Roman” instruments and the results caused much amusement and not a little envy.

Gladiator

As week had a loosely Roman theme - Colchester being the administrative centre of Roman Britain - everyone had been invited to wear a Roman costume to the first evening's barbecue. The weather was perfect and it was a good way to start the week.

David Fielker was with us the next evening and conducted one of the movements of his Suite before he had to go to another course. David Stoll joined us at the end of the course for rehearsals in preparation for the Open Day.

Lunch at Hex

The heat during those first days was intense and almost flattened even those from the Mediterranean countries. We kept working through all of it, we had waited five years for this course. The food was excellent and we were looked after very well by the University staff.

On Friday afternoon the first break came and everyone was free to go into Colchester, visit Beth Chatto’s gardens nearby or just do nothing.

American Evening

Each evening's entertainment was organised by a different country, sometimes two countries shared. There was music, laughter and invariably some very interesting bottles and packets appeared which must have been fairly weighty. It ended with singing and dancing and visits to the student bar.

Betty Roe

On Sunday we were joined by Betty Roe who has been our President for nearly twenty years and is truly one of us. The fun level moved up a notch and Betty was soon teaching, playing a little and entertaining everyone.

Essex countryside

Monday afternoon was the day for the outings. The weather had cooled slightly over the weekend and excursions went to Cambridge or surrounding villages by coach, a walk across the marshes and through the woods, or a trip to Frinton beach, where a small party ventured into the sea. A halfway stop at the Rose and Crown in Wivenhoe was much appreciated by the walkers.

Margaret James' metronome (c) Rina Teuben-Naber

M James' Metronome

There was time for the business of the International Federation too; at the committee meeting the next five years were planned. At the General Meeting, the Margaret James’ Metronome was passed to Switzerland, where the next teachers’ course will be held in 2008. Annie Ducloux, the President of the French Guild, was installed as the next International President until the next full course, in France in 2011.

Stoll conducts

David Stoll’s arrival on Tuesday afternoon led to the final hours of our time together. The Colchester Suite was rehearsed thoroughly. On Wednesday we held an Open Afternoon and played our music to each other and an audience of family and friends. A recording was made, not for the excellence of the performance, but as a reminder of the happy hours we had spent working on some very complex music.

Changing the 'Guard'

So to the last evening, which was hosted by the British. Possibly the only explanation of the Changing of the Guards and unexpected visit of the Queen is to be found in the photos. Some singing and the final round of thanks to all those who had organised the course, manned the music and gift shops, produced the daily news sheet, counted the money and looked after the office brought the official part to a close. There was still a small celebration of local apple juice, sloe gin and English cheese, a final session of dancing and many goodbyes before we reluctantly returned to our rooms, to pack and prepare for the journey home with the music still ringing in our ears, as it would for some time to come.

Shirley Drake

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