Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin (centre) tries his hand at playing the bagpipes after presenting Otago School of Piping and Drumming members (from left) Gordon Watson, Cheryl Laird, Mary Bedwell, Victoria Murgatroyd-McNoe and Everyl Murgatroyd with a 2010 TrustPower DCC Community Award yesterday. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
It was, perhaps, fortunate all round that the mayor did not manage to produce a sound from the instrument.
Mr Chin presented the Otago School of Piping and Drumming members with the Arts and Culture regional award in the 2010 TrustPower DCC Community Awards.
The school is run by volunteers and offered the only independent training in bagpipes playing and pipe-band drumming in New Zealand, principal Victoria Murgatroyd-McNoe said.
"Piping and drumming are getting more and more popular. Dunedin's a very Scottish city and pipe bands are an integral part of our culture and heritage. We've been doing a lot of recruiting and the school is very keen to encourage people to get involved."
