New Scholarship Honoring West Virginians Frank and Jane George
Established by Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming
Recently Deceased Husband and Wife Team Honored Many Times by
West Virginia Division of Culture and History for Their Contributions to Traditional Arts
PITTSBURGH, PA (May 18, 2018)—Pittsburgh-based Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming recently established a memorial scholarship to its summer school. The Frank and Jane George Memorial Scholarshipprovides free room, board, and tuition at one of three locations of Balmoral School’s 2018 summer sessions—Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or East Stroudsburg, PA—for a West Virginia resident who plays the Great Highland Bagpipes.
“Both Frank and Jane were like family to me,” said George Balderose, founder and executive director of Balmoral School and long-time bagpiper. “Their home was a magnet for anybody interested in traditional music, and I was a frequent visitor. The first time I ever laid my hands on a bagpipe chanter was in their living room.”
For more than fifty years W. Frank and Jane George of Walton, WV shared a vision of West Virginia culture based on the traditional arts: crafts, music, and dance. They lived that vision and gave inspiration to many through their performances and teaching. Frank played the fiddle, bagpipes, and banjo, among other instruments, while Jane was proficient in traditional crafts, and Irish and Scottish dance. Both passed away during this past year. Frank George is the cover feature in the Spring 2018 edition of Goldenseal, the quarterly magazine of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
To be eligible for the Frank and Jane George Memorial Scholarship, applicants must have their primary residence in West Virginia and play the Great Highland Bagpipe. For information on how to apply, applicants should contact George Balderose, executive director of Balmoral School at 412.323.2707 or by email at george@bagpiping.org. The deadline for applications is Friday, June 1.
The Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming immerses students for a week with some of the world’s best bagpipers and pipe band drummers. The classes are small—five students or less—so there is intensive personal instruction at all levels for individuals and pipe bands on the Great Highland pipes, smallpipes, Scottish snare, tenor drum, and bass drum. A one-week schedule includes workshops, music sessions, and presentations on choice piping and drumming topics.
The 2018 Balmoral School summer sessions are:
June 24 to 29 – Indianapolis
July 8 to 13 – Pittsburgh
July 15 to 20 – East Stroudsburg, PA