Concern in Northern Ireland Over RSPBA’s New Major Championship

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The RSPBA has announced that next year’s UK Pipe Band Championship will be held at Ingliston, near Edinburgh Airport, on July 12. It is the fourth major to be confirmed by the Association. Only the British remains outstanding. Ingliston has excellent car parking and bus and tram connections, making it ideal for competing bands and spectators. Securing the venue, known officially as the Royal Highland Centre, is a success for…

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Bob Hain 1937-2024

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We report the sad and sudden passing of piper and reedmaker Bob Hain, Leslie, Fife. He was 87. After a career in the Black Watch, during which time he was selected to be Lone Piper at the Edinburgh Tattoo, Bob left the Army and joined Cupar & District Pipe Band. Only a short while after joining he was elected Pipe Major. This began a very successful period for the band…

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SPA Professional Date/ Talk Piobaireachd/ EUSPBA Elections

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The Scottish Pipers’ Association have set the date for their 2025 annual professional contest: April 12. The venue is the Piping Centre, McPhater Street, Glasgow. The SPA is the first open professional contest of the season. Pictured above is Ben Duncan, one of the big winners at the 2024 SPA. The competition has enjoyed substantial sponsorship from the Piobaireachd Society. The Uist & Barra, an invitational contest, is on March…

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Analysis: The ‘Strange’ Crunluath Revisited

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The set tunes for 2024 had two tunes which had ‘open’ toarluath and crunluath fosgailte movements, the Nameless tune from Angus MacKay set for the Gold Medal, and the MacNabs’ Gathering set for the Silver, the tunes appearing in the PS Book 3 on pages 148 and 149.   By Duncan Watson There are about five or six other tunes which come to mind where this open fosgailte can occur…

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RSPBA Tune Search for New Book/ Piping and Drumming Jobs Deadline Extended

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Since its formation in the 1930s the home of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has indisputably been the city of Glasgow. Next year the metropolis celebrates 850 years since it founding. To mark the occasion the RSPBA has launched a project to create a ‘Glasgow 850 Commemorative Pipe Tunes’ book containing 85 compositions. On behalf of the Association, Vikki Singer wrote: ‘For those interested in composing, why not come up…

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