New Blockbuster collection from Ryan Canning

Ryan Canning’s second book of music will be a blockbuster, certainly because that’s what’s it’s called, and possibly because the compositions and arrangements are some of the most-played in recent pipe band history.

The Grade 1 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia pipe-major is drawing upon material that his current band has performed since he took over in 2012, as well as numerous compositions and arrangements that his former band, Field Marshal Montgomery, played during the 16 years he was a piper with them.

The Blockbuster is currently about to be delivered from the printer, just in time for the Piping Live! Festival in Glasgow during the week before the World Championships. Canning plans to have the collection available for purchase during the week.

“It’s been 11 years since I released The Full Monty, and I’ve written a lot of new music during this time which has featured in competition medleys and concert repertoires of both the Field Marshal Montgomery during my years there, and Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia since 2013,”  Canning said. “All of these tunes are included in the book, and I’ve also written a lot of new material which has never been heard before. The book contains 49 new compositions and arrangements, and 19 accompanying harmony scores.”

The collection’s name is taken from “The Blockbuster,” the three-parted hornpipe that Canning wrote in 2008, first played as the opener for the all-star Grade 1 Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band, assembled that year from available, willing and able pipers and drummers. The tune has since become one of Canning’s most popular and played compositions.

Canning’s first collection, The Full Monty, was published in 2004.

Ryan Canning and Shotts Leading-Drummer Jim Kilpatrick will perform at the 2015 Pipes+Drums recital, sponsored by pipes|drums Magazine, at Piping Live!, starting at noon on Tuesday, August 11th at the Street Cafe at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow.