PP Ed’s Blog: Adjudicator Panel/ London Pictures/ Inverness Recital etc.

Congratulations to John Wilson (left) on his election as Convenor of the RSPBA’s Adjudicator Panel following their meeting last weekend.

The full list of appointments was:
Convener: John Wilson
Vice Convener: Peter Snaddon
Secretary: Robert Mathieson
Drum Major Adjudicators’ Representative: John Noble
Piping Adjudicators’ Representative: Donald MacPhee
Drumming Adjudicators’ Representative: Paul Turner
Ensemble Adjudicators’ Representative: Cameron Edgar

I hope the previous difficulties are now forgotten and the panel can move on. I hope too that they will consider reinstating Ian Duncan to their lists should he wish to be considered. Ian is an acknowledged expert and just the sort of respected figure bands want to be judged by.


Calling all bands….don’t forget that your registration and fees for 2017 MUST be with the RSPBA by November 30. Go to the RSPBA website to download the form (left hand column).


london-logoHere are some pictures from London I didn’t have space for yesterday. Full results including CLASP here. The pictures are in order: Andrea Zingg winner of the NPC’s CLASP piobaireachd, Robbie MacIsaac, Junior MSR Champion, Richard McGrath, C Grade Champion, Finlay Cameron, Junior Champion, Andrew Donlon, B Grade Champion and Calum Watson, winner of the B Piobaireachd:london


inverness piping society logoInverness Piping Society have sent this: Recital Alasdair Henderson P/S Inveraray & District PB, Tulloch Castle Hotel Dingwall, Friday 25th November 2016, 7.30pm for 8.00pm. All members of the public welcome. For further information: www.invernesspipingsociety.co.uk
invernesspiping@gmail.com
Alastair Campbell, Secretary

Alasdair is the current holder of the Argyllshire Gathering Former Winners MSR title and in 2015 achieved a rare double when he won both the A Grade light music events at the AG. The picture up top shows him with Piping Convenor Torquil Telfer and his predecessor Jamie Mellor.


Another who achieved that rare double was Annan piper Walter Cowan, now a respected ceol beag adjudicator. It was good to see Walter back on duty at London after his recent illness, illness which led to his pulling out of the Former Winners’ MSR bench at Inverness.


So that brings to a close the 2016 professional solo circuit and most pipers will now be revising their tune selections or learning new pieces or set tunes for 2017. There can be no doubt that work done now will be repaid come the summer. And if it is the pipe that has let you down then a root and branch re-assessment is urgently called for…money well spent, If you’ve been successful then don’t change a winning combination whatever latest fad is doing the rounds on the internet. If a particular bag or reed works for you then stick with it.

The next major contest is the Uist & Barra in March 2017. Check here for info on this from Convenor John Angus Smith in the weeks ahead.