The 20th annual pipes|drums New Year’s Honours

2020 Product of the Year

Performance: Delivering Your Own Awesome, by Bruce Gandy

There’s more to great performance than technical ability, and Bruce Gandy’s lifetime of learning, improving and self-reflection has resulted in one of the great piping careers in history. He put his knowledge into words designed to help and inspire others in Performance: Delivering Your Own Awesome, which will undoubtedly open many pipers and drummers’ eyes to what’s possible when you put your mind to it.

Review: Preparation for performing your best
October 18, 2020

Panellists’ comments:

• “Unique and valuable insights from someone who is at the very top of the tree.”
• “It’s a product that goes to great depths and lengths to assist the reader. A huge amount of work has gone into it, and it’s on point.”
• “A book from the heart, tapping right into Bruce Gandy’s lifelong commitment to improving. This is a gift for generations to come who are trying to harness their potential.”
• “One of the world’s best sharing some old and new thoughts and ideas on performance improvement.”
• “This book does what few do: it offers a raw, unvarnished look at competing and the challenges, normalizes the stress and pressure all competitors feel, and offers potential solutions for players of all levels. This is a positive, encouraging offering to all players.”

Also nominated (alphabetical order) . . .

30 Exactly by Craig Muirhead – the music collection was all about celebrating the people in his three-decade piping life.

Eat Sleep Pipe Repeat – Music for Bagpipes by Kyle Warren – rapidly making his mark as one of our most creative tunesmiths.

FLUX Blowpipe from Robbie MacIsaac – an inventive product designed to keep all that wetness to a minimum. Not yet well known, but still holds the promise of widespread adoption.

Generation 5.1 Pipe Bag Cover from Highland Gear – the Ontario-based innovator continues to find new ways to make better accessories for pipers and drummers.

Live in Chilliwack – Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – a live album fairly quietly put out just before everything shut down, reminding us of the in-person musical power of an elite pipe band.

A New Compleat Theory for the Highland Bagpipe by Matthew Welch – a gorgeously put together work from one of the most creative exponents of the Highland pipes.

The Pipe Factory by John Mulhearn – Glasgow Mulhearn has music running through his dreams and he continues to push the possibilities of the pipes on his latest record that pays homage to his city.

R.G. Hardie B-flat Infinity Chanter – helping to make the Highland pipes an ensemble instrument with other musicians, Hardies right away accessed the expertise of their newest “Champion,” Connor Sinclair.

The RISE Collection by Andrew Lawson – the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia lead-drummer shared his scores from the famous concert in an eBook for all to access.

Socrú – The Collection by Alen Tully – St. Laurence O’Toole’s pipe-major put together his terrific compositions and arrangements in one of the best music collections ever.

Tone Temple Bagpipe Case from Modern Piping – Lincoln Hilton quietly created an impressive new carrying case for the pipes and just about anything else a modern piper might need.