Norden Sackpipa Association of the Americas (NSAA)

Kati · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Estonia

Hello! Tere!

My name is Kati and I'm a student from Estonia who passionately cares about estonian traditional music. About a year ago I started learning säckpipa, as I wanted to broaden my musical mind, and as I also play at least six other instruments, than it hasn't been very difficult. As far as I'm aware, I'm quit an extraordinary case in Estonia, meaning that here are hardly any musicians, who are dealing with säckpipa at the moment. I'm also playing estonian bagpipe, which is called torupill. My säckpipa is made by the only bagpipemaker in Estonia, Andrus Taul (who is Ants Taul's son), and it's so far the only säckpipa he has made. I must say that in Estonia the bagpiping is whole lot more popular among women than men and as you can see, I'm a living proof Smile

From this forum, I'd like to get some help and new knowledge about the problems that may rise while learning and playing säckpipa and maybe even get some new acquaintances among säckpipers Smile

If you have any questions about me, the instruments I play, Estonia or the traditional music in Estonia, then feel free to ask! And if you have had any contact with Estonia or even with some bagpipers from Estonia, I would be more than glad to hear about it!

All the best! Parimat!

Aaron K. Holt · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:57 am Post subject:

Hi Kati!

Welcome to the forum. I'd be interested in hearing more about the reeds and the width of the bore on the torupil.

I think you should have a pretty easy time learning the sackpipa. Swedish pipes are a lot of fun, and I'm sure that you will appreciate the instrument's compact size - it's very easy to take with you wherever you go.

I've been playing for almost three years now and I've found the sackpipa to be a fairly reasonable instrument to learn. The only real difficulty that I've really had so far is reed-related. You may have an easier time than I've had. I think it may be the climate or something about the atmospheric pressure here in Pennsylvania, but every year from mid February to May, my chanter reed starts to lock up frequently. This always goes away again by May, but it's something that I've learned to watch out for. The rest of the year my reeds work perfectly. You may find that you have different issues, but the most frequent issues that players have are with the reeds.

Don't hesitate to ask around here if you have any troubles at all. I'm sure that one of us here will have the answer.

Good luck and happy piping!
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Aaron

Olle · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:53 am Post subject:

Tere Kati!

Maybe you could come for a visit to our yearly pipers' meeting in Gagnef, Sweden. This year it's the 26-28 of June. If you know Juss (Juhan Suits) he can tell you all about it. He's been there once or twice, and can hopefully certify that we are a nice bunch of people. In 2004 we held this meeting in Estonia, at Ants Taul's place Torupillitalu.

(To the rest of you here, Torupillitalu means "house of bagpipes" and is a wonder in itself, as is its builder, Ants Taul. Look at http://www.torupillitalu.ee/. He not only built the amazing house you see, but also the lake(!) in front, and an airstrip and his own airplane as well)

In 2005 I played on a festival in Hiiumaa and in 2006 I gave a bagpipe course in Viljandi. So we probably have common friends. (Juss, the Taul family, Anu in particular, Cätlin Jaago, Sandra Sillamaa for example)
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Info on Swedish bagpipes at http://olle.gallmo.se/sackpipa
More about me at http://olle.gallmo.se

Kati · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Estonia

First of all I would like to thank you for your warm welcome! Smile

I will definitely consider the coming, but I can't promise anything, as I'm a student with a little amount of free money and as summer is also a very busy time with lots of festivals and traditional music camps to visit or perform at, but I'll sure try my best! Smile

But speaking about festivals - is any of you planning to visit any festivals in Estonia this summer?
And when I asked about the bagpipers you know in Estonia, then Olle said it all - Juss, Cätlin, Sandra and Taul's are the main names.

Chrischan · Joined: 29 Aug 2008 Posts: 19 Location: Northern Germany

Heyho Kati

Would you post some dates or links for the festival in Estonia this year? Probably there is some time this summer to visit your country and some festivals.

JoshCobb · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Hopkins, Minnesota

That is an absolutely amazing house! It reminds me alot of old time cabins up north in greater Minnesota (where many Nordics settled). The difference, of course, is the majesty of it.

JoshCobb · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Hopkins, Minnesota

And by the way, while we got an influx of Nordic people, Alas! we are missing out on Estonians!

Kati · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Estonia

Well, the most popular festival is definitely Viljandi Folk Music Festival, which you can find at http://www.folk.ee/festival/en/XVII-Viljandi-Folk-Music-Festival
New, but with very good performers, is festival called Viru Folk and it is set in a little village by the sea near our capital city Tallinn. http://www.virufolk.ee/ I think they are still working on the page in english and it will come up soon.
The smallest of them is Viljandi Bagpipe and Jew's Harp Festival on 4th to 6th June, but there aren't any information about this year's festival yet, but I sure will let you know!
There are some more festivals, but these are the main ones, which I will also visit Smile