IPATF 2015

AN ACCOUNT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PIPE AND TABOR FESTIVAL 2015
HELD IN GLOUCESTER 4th TO 6th SEPTEMBER

This year’s festival was less well attended than usual, giving rise to discussions on how to attract more members to come, though it was admitted that there are always a lot of other events that our busy members want to attend.  The festival followed the usual format, beginning with our Symposium which we held this year in the Wheatstone Room of the city museum.  This was a good venue, but with fewer folk attending it felt rather empty!  Bill had organised a good selection of presentations, which created much interest.

  • 2.00   Mike Hutley: “Three-hole pipes: Three holes four choices”
  • 2.30   Andy Richards: “Taboring the Cinque Pace and My Lord of Sherborne’s Jig”
  • 3.00   Atsufumi Ujiie: “Pipe & Tabor in Japan”
  • 3.30   Bill Tuck: “The Pandean Bands of 19thC London”
  • 4.00   Carlos Munoz: ”Panpipe lecture/demonstration/workshop”

It was no distance then to walk to the Conservative Club for our usual Friday evening gathering with a buffet and musical contributions, which was a very pleasant time.  Mary-Jo also led us in a practice of some morris tunes, in preparation for a massed taborers band for her morris side.
On Saturday we were in our usual venue – the Folk Museum’s Ed Shed – and Andy Richards, procession master, took the workshop.  We worked on tunes to be used in the procession later that day and also two tunes that we were going to play for Rockhopper Morris after the tea and cakes.
The procession for Gloucester Day was especially large as Gloucester is gearing up for hosting the Rugby World Cup.  We processed, wearing something red, behind our banner, and leading the Civic Trust representatives who continue to insist on this!  A joyful noise was made and afterwards we gathered at the Cross where we played a Big Dub, and also played for Mary-Jo’s morris side, Rockhopper Morris, who were attending the “Dance around Gloucester” event.
Following this we held the AGM and then we adjourned to the Fountain for dinner before meeting in the Park Street Mission for the Saturday night concert.  This was another new venue for us, and it proved most satisfactory.  Everyone had a chance to play a couple of pieces; and the evening was enhanced by the awesome playing of Carles Mas.
On Sunday morning we held two workshops.  Firstly we worked on a new piece, Fizzy Handy Tune by Geoffrey Bowyer, with Geoffrey Mann kindly stepping in to coordinate our playing.  We finished by making a recording of it.  The second workshop was with Carles Mas, who had us concentrating on taboring techniques, and gave us much food for thought and ideas to work on over the next year.
Lunch in the Fountain was followed by a leisurely session in the sun in the courtyard which was obviously enjoyed by the other patrons.  Members slowly drifted off as they had to, and so yet another very enjoyable IPATF came to an end, leaving us with challenges – how to enhance the appeal of the festival, and how to improve our taboring techniques!