THE bagpipes are taking ten-year-old Angus Le Marshall around the world.<\/p>\n
Just home from a trip playing at the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands\u2019 Summer School in Wellington, he\u2019s glancing ahead to another overseas opportunity.<\/p>\n
Meeting new buddies, giving his best and excelling in Wellington, international tutors were impressed with Angus.<\/p>\n
He was awarded one of only three scholarships to the 2021 Piping Hot Summer Camp in British Columbia as a celebration of his talent and reward for his efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a big workshop, a bit like New Zealand,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019ll be lots of good tutors there and they\u2019ll have concerts.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll make some friends there, so that\u2019s what I\u2019m excited about.\u201d<\/p>\n
A member of the Ballarat Grammar, and Federation University Pipe Bands, Angus was originally introduced to the challenging instrument by someone close.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy grandpa has played the bagpipes for a long time and his dad played the bagpipes, so when I was little I wanted to play,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started playing the chanter when I was five, and then I got to seven and had the goose for two years before the bagpipes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels good to have the tradition go on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having developed a passion, and a unique aerobic stamina, picking up the pipes is a joy for Angus, whether he\u2019s playing solo or in a team environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually people don\u2019t get to see a ten-year-old play the bagpipes, so people feel happy when they see it, so I feel happy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can play for a pretty long time without stopping,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Recently performing on the Golden City Paddle Steamer during SpringFest, Angus can often be spotted busking around town, but he has a bigger gig on the horizon.<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Highland Gathering is set for Victoria Park on Sunday, 23 February.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople come from all around Victoria and Australia. There\u2019s highland dancing, bagpipe competitions and a big mass band where every band comes up and they all play,\u201d Angus said.<\/p>\n