music for a range of situations
Gillian played oboe for many years from her early teens, and was a keen member of the Royal Forest of Dean Orchestra when in 2004 she was seriously ill and a blood poisoning superbug lodged in her wrist and left her hand partly paralysed. She managed to regain much movement in her hand, but was advised that no further progress was likely. This meant that she would be unable to play oboe in an orchestra again.
Fortunately, Gillian was also a taborer - a player of pipe and tabor. She plays a one handed pipe with her good hand, and she can hold a drum stick with the bad hand well enough to beat her tabor. Out of her misfortune came the incentive to concentrate on this music.
Pipe and tabor has been played in Gloucestershire for centuries – there is a fine mediaeval statue of an angel playing in the choir of Gloucester cathedral, and another on a roof boss in Tewkesbury abbey. Whilst common throughout the middle ages, its popularity declined, but it continued right into the 20th century in the County when it was played to accompany morris dancing.
Gillian has played throughout England and as far afield as New Zealand and Australia. She has been guest overseas player at traditional music festivals in Paris and in Arbucies and Vilanova in Catalunya, Spain. She plays music from mediaeval times to the present day dressed in costume of the period. Her repertoire includes mediaeval, Tudor, Georgian and Edwardian tunes, with a particular focus on interesting taboring for the Cantigas di Santa Maria and the English collections of John Playford and John Gay. She has been described on Radio 4 as one of the world's best pipe and tabor players!
Gillian also plays music for The Forest of Dean Morris and is Secretary of The Taborers Society.
Videos of Gillian playing may be seen in the following link
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXHYR3YfdieP61kDmZ8EPvg
or here https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCudCvhYEoMtsCSHZ_MJv1UA/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D
See also her activities in the duo Bygonz here http://bygonz.blogspot.com/
you can contact Gillian on gilliantaborer@gmail.com
2026
*** 2026**Jan 1st Speech House with Forest of Dean Morris ***Jan 10th Wassail at Worcester Walk ***Jan 17th Wassail at The Folk of Gloucester ***Jan 30th Wassail at Hartpury Orchard Centre ***Feb 6-8 with The Taborers Society in Lancaster and Carlisle ***Feb 14 Gloucester Folk Trail with FoDM ***Mar 22nd Tretower Court ***Apr 4th Stokesay Castle ***Aor 5th Brockhampton Manor ***Apr 6th Forest of Dean tour with FoDM ***Apr 18th Newent Market ***Apr 19th Glos History Festival ***Apr 25th Yate Heritage Day ***May 1st May Hill sunrise ***May 17th Tretower Court ***May 23rd Chippengam Folk Festival ***May 31st Arbor Day at Aston-on Clun ***June 13th St Nicholas, Gloucester ***June 20th Hartpury Orchard Centre *** June 26-28 York Mystery Plays ***July 18th Gloucester Archaeology Festival ***Jul 31-Aug 2 Pont-Aven music & dance festival ***Aug 29th Deerhurst Flower Festival ***Sep 5th Gloucester Day ***Sep 11-12 Heritage Open Days ***Oct 17th Apple Day at The Folk
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Thursday, 11 October 2012
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