A couple of weeks ago I ran a piece lauding the organisers of the Chicago Highland Games for instituting concert formation for their band competition. The accompanying poll results can now be revealed. We asked the question ‘What do you think of the circle formation for band competition’.
The results show an overwhelming majority in favour of change – a huge 88%. The response ‘Couldn’t be better; leave well alone’ was supported by 13% of readers. The response ‘Well done Chicago; they’ve led the way to an important and necessary change in how our music should be presented’ got 38% of the vote, and the final option ‘Would be worth giving ‘concert’ or ‘open’ formation a try’ garnered the most support at 50%.
Thanks to everyone who took part and I hope the authorities who run pipe band competitions around the world will sit up and take note. You can read the original article here and here is a proposed lay-out suggested in this column:
Those of us standing at the head of the bands for the Grade 1 contest at Dumbarton would have had a much better listen had the bands formed up as above. It is such a small change and it would make such a significant improvement, that it really is quite surprising that the idea meets with so much resistance. Well, as with so many things, the US is leading the way (and from our comments section other parts of the pipe band empire are doing there bit too) so let’s hope it is not too long before something like the above becomes the norm in this country.
We read on our Facebook pages about this website and that revealing details of the livestreaming of the Worlds. All the information was in the Pipe Band magazine of July 1. Make sure you keep up to speed with the news from RSPBA HQ by downloading your free copy. Next issue is Oct 1.
Grampian Games Association Piping League 2015
Here are the placings after Saturday’s Aboyne Games:
SENIOR
Piobaireachd
1= Edward Gaul/ Gordon McCready 9
2 Ben Duncan 7
3= Colin Campbell 3
3= Allan Russell 3
3= Ursa Beckford 3
4= Greg Wilson 2
4= Gordon Barclay 2
5= John MacDonald 1
5= Greig Canning 1
1 Gordon McCready 34
2 Ben Duncan 18
3 Allan Russell 10
4 John MacDonald 9
5= Colin Campbell 8
5= John MacLeod 8
6= Greg Wilson 6
6= James MacPhee 6
6= Richard Anderson 6
7= Liza Gaze 4
7= David Wilton 4
8= Jonathon Greenlees 3
8= Ursa Beckford 3
9= Andrew Bova 2
9= Jonathan Simpson 2
9= Andrew Hall 2
10= Edward Gaul 1
10= Craig Sutherland 1
10= Robbie MacIsaac 1
JUNIORS
Light Music Placings
1 Calum Brown 22
2 Danny Hutchison 12
3= Angus MacPhee 8
3= Struan McLennan 8
4= Blair Duncan 6
4= Kerr McEwan 6
4= Seam McHugh 6
5 Grant Sanderson 5
6= Finn Semmier 4
6= Robbie MacIsaac 4
7= John Dow 3
7= Owen Chalmers 3
7= Liam Brown 3
8= Finlay Rollo 1
8= Jamie Tough 1
8= Dan Hutchison 1
Gerard McClumpha of the Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping has sent this early flyer about October's forthcoming event. Click on it for more information and an entry form. 
Nice to hear that the SFU concert a week tomorrow has been a sell-out. The ad has been running on Piping Press for the past several months so we hope we have helped get the message across. Looking forward to a great night of pipe band music and there will be a review on Piping Press the following day so stay tuned.
Skye Gathering gets underway today with the Dunvegan Medal and Clasp competitions. Good luck to all competitors; results here as they become available.
Still on the competition front, organiser Allan MacColl reports a healthy entry for the Lochaber Gathering on August 22. There are still places left however, particularly in the juniors. I'll be giving a short talk on the great composing family of Peter MacLeod Snr and Jnr, and illustration of their masterworks will be played by that fine piper, Colin Campbell, Aberlour. Click on the ad below for more on Lochaber:[wds id="17"]