PP Ed’s Blog: Worlds Changes/ Northern Winter School/ Glasgow Police/ Hair Sporrans/ High Note

I hear the RSPBA’s Board of Directors are looking at ways of better using the Friday of the World Pipe Band Championships.

One suggestion is that the Friday becomes the Juvenile World Pipe Band Championship day with all Novice and Juvenile bands and Junior Drum Majors completing their contests that day with a separate prizegiving on conclusion.

Prizewinners from the Friday might be invited to take part in the finale on the Saturday.

All bands affected are being canvassed for their opinions and have until the end of the month to comment.

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One problem I have heard is that state school bands, e.g. West Lothian School (pictured above), Oban Schools, North Lanarkshire etc, will be at a disadvantage given that they start their new term during Worlds Week and requests for a day off so soon may not find favour among head teachers.

Private schools, Dollar, George Watson’s etc, have not yet returned from their summer holidays by the time of the Worlds so they would be unaffected.

Well that’s the Northern Winter School over for another year and very enjoyable it was too. Hard work but rewarding. To hear the progress of the students at our nightly ceilidhs made the effort well worthwhile.

Principal Ronnie Bromhead drew students from all over Germany and two from Singapore. Here they are with the instructors at the closing concert:

Instructor Craig Munro, owner and Company Director of Wallace Bagpipes, says that his company has completed its target order book for the year with 80 sets of pipes due for delivery before Christmas, bringing his year’s production to around 500 sets. All I can say Craig is that that is what happens when you advertise on Piping Press!

I like this new logo from the Glasgow Police PB (below). As indicated, they were originally the Govan Police Pipe Band and you can hear them on the PP Audio Archive in one of the first – if not the first recording  of a pipe band.

I hear the band has a new clutch of pipers and are working hard over the winter to restore their fortunes. They have a new tartan too – but for corporate occasions only.

They will continue to wear Royal Stewart in competition but the Scottish Police Federation tartan is now available to them for other duties. Well done to the Federation for providing the necessary cash.

Here’s the tartan and the blurb: ‘Can only be worn by those authorised by the copyright holder the Scottish Police Federation.

‘Cannot be offered for sale or woven without the express permission of the copyright holder, the Scottish Police Federation.

‘A fitting inspiration for the Scottish Police Federation’s 2019 centenary, is the 1790 City of Glasgow tartan.

‘Incorporating the colours of the Federation badge, the background comprises 100 black ‘centenary’ threads in which lies the now universally accepted policing symbol of the ‘Sillito tartan’ – the chequered band introduced in 1932 by Glasgow’s then Chief Constable, Sir Percy Sillito.

‘The blue commemorate the original 1779 police force of eight officers; the yellow symbolises the cultural and gender mix of the modern Force.’

Mark Rossi, a bass drummer in Florida, has written: ‘I was wondering if you can give me a bit of advice. I’ve had a difficult time trying to keep my horse hair sporran nice and straight for when we play formal events. I have tried hairspray, flat irons, and brushing yet I still cannot keep the hair from being disheveled. What am I doing wrong or what can I do to make this work?

My experts have advised the following course of action Mark:
1 Wash it with shampoo in warm water.
2 Lay it flat in a bath of cold water to rinse thoroughly.
3 Hang on a clothes line (inside the house) to dry.
4 Brush it straight to make sure dirt is out
5 Once satisfied it is clean repeat above operation using hair conditioner

Jason Briscoe (above): Wanted to shoot you a quick note with some High Note progress. We’ve had an incredible response thus far with over 25 nominations for 13 bands across five countries – this said, our pipe band community is super small and very much appreciate your support in spreading awareness and access to the platform. Thanks again for your support.