The ‘pipes’ called Sally to an international performance

Narrabri’s Sally McFarland packed her beloved ‘pipes’ in early August and set off to Scotland for the experience of a lifetime.

Sally had been invited to participate as a member of the Tattoo Pipes and Drums in front of an audience of tens of thousands as part of the legendary Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a spectacular music, dance, culture and military tradition event held each year at historic Edinburgh Castle since 1950.

Sally has lived in Narrabri for 24 years and is an accomplished piper, well known in the community for her many performances of traditional Scottish bagpipe music at public events – but with an impressive portfolio of competition achievements in her international music career.

The theme of this year’s Edinburgh Tattoo, from August 2 to 24, was ‘Journeys’.

Journeys merged traditional military elements with creative projection, technology, costume design and music inspirations.

To be invited to perform at the prestigious, always sold-out event, with a total live audience of more than 230,000 and a global television audience of over 100 million viewers is
a testament to Sally’s talent and dedication.

The Edinburgh Castle Esplanade was filled with some 800 international performers for the Tattoo.

A worldwide audition process is held to select players in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipe Band, and 75 pipers and drummers were chosen from 16 countries including Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, and Uruguay.

The Massed Pipes and Drums comprises 240 pipers and drummers, and includes army pipe bands, including the Ghurkhas and the Scots Guards, with an international cast of 850 musicians and dancers.
Seven days of rehearsals preceded the Tattoo with up to 14 hour days, followed by the three and a half weeks of the 26 shows at the historic castle.

The Tattoo theme of ‘Journeys’ resonated with Sally.

Her journey with the ‘pipes’ has taken her from playing in Morrison’s Academy Pipe Band with later-Hollywood star Ewan McGregor to playing on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipe Band.

“I started learning ‘pipes’ at 10 years old, having pestered my parents long enough to convince them it wasn’t a passing phase,” Sally recalls.

“My desire to play was inspired by loving the sound of bagpipes when I’d hear pipe bands at agricultural shows.

“One year my Christmas wish list included a set of bagpipes, and someone to teach me.

“I had no family piping background, although my Dad was a musical person.

“He played the accordion and loved Scottish country dance music. His appreciation of the pipes was less so.

“Asked if he liked the sound of the ‘pipes’, he replied humorously, ‘they are alright at a distance – maybe just out of earshot’.

“In fairness he did have to endure hearing me learning.

“Our family home catching on fire on the day of my first lesson seems not to have been a bad omen,” she adds.

“My very first lesson was arranged for a Sunday evening. However, as we returned home from church Mum commented ‘how dirty the windows were’.

“Entering the house, we realised the dirty windows were due to billowing smoke as the house was alight.

“I was especially worried for my new wooden chanter (the part of the pipes similar to a flute, which produces the melody) until the fire service arrived and extinguished the fire.

“Luckily the chanter was unscathed and is still playing well.

“Following a week’s delay my first lesson went ahead.

“I was taught in Crieff, Perthshire, by an accomplished player, who was tutored by a highly acclaimed piper and former ‘King’s Piper’ to King George VI, ”Sally said.

Over her music career, Sally has played with bands including Morrison’s Academy – as the first female pipe band member – Gleneagles Strathearn, Scottish Gas Caledonia, Lothian and Borders Police, where again she was the first female piper, the City of Blacktown, Governor Macquarie Memorial and City of Ipswich bands.

Her international pipe band tours and competitions have included travel to France, Spain, The Netherlands, Scotland, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand, England and Malta.

In her impressive portfolio of performances, Sally has successfully competed at all major pipe band championships, including the World’s, European, British, Scottish, Cowal Games, plus New Zealand, Australian and South East Asian Championships.

And Sally has even played the pipes on stage with Australian star John Farnham for his iconic hit song, You’re the Voice.