THE Society's new secretary is Judy Barker, a singer and piper, and an LBPS member of some dozen years' standing.

Judy plays a set of Hamish Moore smallpipes - she reckons one of the first Hamish made with the combination of rosewood drones and blackwood chanter, “as he knew I wanted to sing with them and felt mellow drones were required.

“I wanted to learn the pipes because I had played in a band with a Northumbrian piper before moving to Scotland and enjoyed the experience of singing with the pipes. Singing with the pipes is absolutely my playing passion - the sensation is rather like singing in the middle of a set of organ pipes and is very exciting.

Judy and Mike Barker at the last competition

I enjoy experimenting with harmonies and accompaniments and am glad Hamish added the extra notes and keys to my A chanter, enhancing the possibilities. Recently Hamish changed my small D drone to E and this has added “spice” to songs like She Moved Through the Fair and The Terror Time.

“Having said that, I love all pipe music. I play in a folk band called Welcome the Stranger, with my husband Mike and flautist Sally, and have roped them both into the “pipes and other instrument” class on LBPS competition days. I also write my own songs and am completing one about LBPS compe- tition day. Watch this space...”

Contact Judy on 01383 620184 or

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