The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Scattered family are note perfect
● Relatives unite online to win challenge
Three generations of a dispersed family came together to form an online band to win a worldwide challenge organised by “ceilidh king” Fergie MacDonald.
The renowned accordionist wrote pipe march The Bent Note, and then challenged his fans around the world to post their own version.
What started as a bit of fun attracted entries from across Scotland, as well as England, Wales, Ireland, Canada and America.
He said: “Originally I wrote the tune for some lighthearted fun, intended to help break the strain and monotony in relation to fellow musicians in lockdown and isolation during this dreadful period in our lives.”
He said the competition became “very serious” and choosing a winner proved extremely difficult.
“Being outside the pipe scale, pipers can’t play one of the notes which is predominant throughout the tune. However, modern day pipers get round the problem by bending the note, as they call it – hence, The Bent Note.”
The winners are the ceilidh band Loch Donn, a play on lockdown, who formed specifically to take part in the competition.
The band consists of Scott Bennett, from Harris (on small pipes), his sons Neil Lachlan (fiddle) and Alasdair (whistle), who live in Edinburgh, and grandsons Cameron (accordion) and Finlay (whistle), from Oban, as well as Paul Maclean (drums), from North Uist whose father is Scott’s cousin.
Mr Maclean said: “After we saw the competition online we all jumped at the chance to take part and formed the band just for the occasion. Although we are based all over the place we did our individual recordings to Cameron’s master copy and then put it all together. It seemed to work and we were delighted to win.”
The family have won a tune written by Mr MacDonald in their honour.
Mr Maclean said: “We requested that the title be Blood is Thicker Than Water, which is fitting.
“As a family we don’t see each other for a long period of time, and with the present circumstances I think that the tune would be fitting for all families.”