Testimonials

I am very grateful for the support from the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust this year.  I have used my award to promote and create a distinctive personal voice as a piper in relation with Scottish Traditional Music.  I have also been working on my performance and development with other instruments and musicians.  This year, I have also had more of a focus on music theory and digital literacy.  I have also been successful with limited online competitions and playing on the Big Rab Show and playing at piping live.  I am also continuing to take lessons on a weekly basis for my long term tutor Willie Morrison.  I am very grateful for the support in my piping career and my study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Thanks to everyone at the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust.

A huge thank you to the GDMT for their support for the release of my new tune book, ‘Chris Gray’s Contemporary Tunes from Scotland’.

I am very grateful to have received lots of enthusiasm from the Trust for the publication of my first collection of music. Support from the Trust also came at a very challenging time during the Covid-19 Pandemic. It was a real boost to have the backing of the GDMT, particularly at this time, to work on a project I had been excited about for a long time.

The book has been very well received and I hope that music from my collection will be enjoyed by musicians and enthusiasts worldwide for years to come. It’s a real privilege to have had this project supported by the GDMT. Like countless others, the talents and musicianship of the legendary figure Gordon Duncan will always be an unmeasurable influence on my music and compositions.

Thank you again to everyone at the Trust!

The continued support from the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust has proved to a great lifeline for the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. We have embarked upon a new training programme with Professional Tutors and the money received from the Trust helps us to meet our commitments
Not only do we have the support from the Trust but we also have the support from our great, former Pipe Major Ian Duncan.
We are very lucky to have both.

When the covid pandemic took hold and the world went into lock down, funders who would normally support our project shut their doors and staff went on to furlough leaving funding applications unanswered. Yet this has been the time when our students and their parents/carers have needed us the most.

It is with great thanks that the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust did not close their doors, but stepped forward to support our industry in these toughest of times. Thanks to their help, we have been able to deliver uninterrupted coaching and support to our young people, both in person when allowed and online when restricted. We were able to run a “Big Bagpipe Week” to transition our youngsters from chanter to bagpipes, and an October School to help prepare them for their first SCQF examinations which they all passed with ease, on top of our regular weekly tuition.

Thank you GDMT for looking after us when we needed it the most.
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Before the onset of current restrictions, Coupar Angus Pipe Band had a very successful recruiting drive aimed at players of all levels. The outcome enabled us to plan on presenting two bands for the 2020 season, one in Grade 4 and the other in Novice Juvenile. A lot of training would be required, assisted significantly by the generous grant from the Trust.

Despite the frustrations of lockdown, the task has continued through 2020, mainly concentrating on the youngsters. Much of the piping instruction was organised internally, with the remainder and virtually all the drumming being conducted by external resources, funded by the Trust

Through the internet, the process continues into 2021. I am sure that all bands are experiencing the problems associated with non-contact training. However, we seek to continue the momentum until circumstances imrove.