Generally, it’s a Pleasure

Generally, when I’m invited to play my pipes for a special occasion, I’m happy to oblige. I’ve played for many weddings, celebrations of life, banquets and church services. For most, I’ve been paid to provide the service. For others, I’ve elected not to charge. I wouldn’t charge for playing call to worship at church, and I certainly would not set a fee for any close friend or relative. I understand that when a person pays for something, he or she expects to receive quality for the money spent, and similarly, I feel obliged to provide quality, whether it is to play in a head table, or play for a wedding or funeral service. It’s a different story when a piper is invited to play in the head table and advised there is no fee offered but he or she may sit down to dinner. One will not be properly appreciated. What doesn’t cost anything to accept, cannot be fully appreciated. Nor can the giver think how much satisfaction there is in giving.

Quite often, I’ve not charged for piping, and I’ve always had a good feeling when providing the service, because I’ve played for close friends and relatives. I felt great about being asked, and yet not expecting payment. It would be my gift to the newly married couple or to the bereaved family, if they were friends of mine. The situation was different recently, for I was asked to play in the head table and join the group for dinner. I would rather play well, and leave the group to its own associates, than be an extra person at the banquet. I questioned the organizer of this banquet, who represented quite an influential social organization, whether or not there would be a cocktail hour before dinner, where members could buy a drink. I was informed that there would be. I asked if those spirits were more important than enlisting the services of a piper and was informed that no, they were considered separately. I replied that I consider remuneration for the piping as important as the refreshments before the meal. Would they consider the piper?

The response to my request was that they have never paid for the services of a piper and didn’t wish to start now. I concluded the conversation was finished. The organization carried on without a piper. A drab sort of commencement. Pomp and ceremony attached to the banquet was lost.

If the organization, on the other hand, was just starting up and needed a piper, and could not afford his services, I certainly would have been glad to help out. It was entirely different, however, when members would be buying their cocktails before dinner, expecting free piping, not allowing for showing their appreciation for the piper’s well-practiced music and his attention to appropriate dress for the occasion.