Month: January 2017

PP Ed’s Blog: Oz Summer School/ Canada on Blackwood/ Malcolm’s Funeral

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P/M Douglas Murray of Fife Police will join his brother James, Ian Lyons and Brett Tidswell as the main piping instructors at the Pipe Bands Australia summer school in Melbourne later this month. Lead Drumming Instructor is Steven McWhirter, the current World Solo Champion, ably supported by Dean Hall and others. Here’s the link. I hear that Douglas has had to pull out of the Wheel of Fortune contest owing…

More PP Ed’s Blog: Oz Summer School/ Canada on Blackwood/ Malcolm’s Funeral

Lecture on Robert Reid/ US Blackwood Instrument ‘Passport’

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Perfect for whiling away part of a winter’s evening would be a trawl through the PP Audio Archive. Added today is our copy of the lecture on the life and times of P/M Robert Reid made for BBC radio in the early 1970s by Seumas MacNeill as part of his ‘Masters of Piping’ series. The delivery and musical illustrations are superb, the piping by Reid’s pupil, P/M RG Hardie. Robert Reid…

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PP Ed:’s Blog: Steven Small/ PP Million/ Bob Frater/US Blackwood Info/ Results

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Congratulations to the former Director of Army Bagpipe Music Major Steven Small on his recent award of the MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List. Steven retired from his post last year after nine years in charge at the Army School at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh. Steven served for 35 years in the Army and has now taken up a new job with the Edinburgh Tattoo. His successor is Major Gordon…

More PP Ed:’s Blog: Steven Small/ PP Million/ Bob Frater/US Blackwood Info/ Results

Have Pipes, Will Travel: How to Deal with the New Blackwood Legislation

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Since our articles on the new CITES regulations covering pipes made from African blackwood there has been a growing concern among pipers about how they may be affected when travelling abroad with their instruments, writes the Editor. In particular ‘what about the hundreds of pipers who travel here for the Worlds?’ has been a familiar cry. Before I get to that, I need to repeat that at the moment travel within the EU…

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PP Ed’s Blog: SWSPDA/ Letters/ SPA Entry Forms/ SPA and Judges

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Thanks to Andy McCartney for his kind comments the other day and also for the latest information on the activities of the South West Scotland Piping and Drumming Academy: Weekend workshop – Abernethy Trust, Ringford, near Kirkcudbright from Friday evening 17th February until around tea time on Sunday 19th. Pupils stay over for the two nights, but day pupils will also be very welcome, and this workshop is for both pipers…

More PP Ed’s Blog: SWSPDA/ Letters/ SPA Entry Forms/ SPA and Judges