We received 42 entries for the John Cruickshank VC composing competition and the judges are now wading through some impressive submissions.
Each has been sent under anonymous cover to judges P/M Ian McLellan (Strathclyde Police Pipe Band), P/M Stuart Liddell (Inveraray & District) and P/M Richard Parkes (Field Marshal Montgomery).
We hope to have completed our deliberations before Christmas and the winner of the £1,000 first prize will be announced early in the New Year.
Thereafter the plan is for a framed copy of the tune to be presented to Mr Cruickshank (98) at a special lunch at the Royal Northern & University Club in Aberdeen where the tune will be played in public for the first time.
Mr Cruickshank has been a long time member of the RNUC. It is hoped the winning composer and the judges will be able to attend the lunch.
The competition is sponsored by the club and Piping Press. The judges are giving their time freely. Read more here.
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Patrick Molard has sent a link to the video of this year’s ‘Piobaireachd by the Sea’ event in Brittany. The event draws pipers from France and the UK and further afield to have an open air tune in pleasant surroundings:
John Kelly reports from Northern Ireland: Broughshane & District Pipe Band (below) hosted a concert on Thursday 29th November in 1st Broughshane Presbyterian Church Hall (the band’s practice hall).
Under the direction of their new pipe major, David Reid, the band kicked off a great evening of entertainment playing a selection of well-known music.
Also taking part were singer John Porter and the minister, the Rev Ronnie Agnew, the compère. The evening raised £1,100 for hall renovations.
A tartan spectacular is coming our way in the shape of Music Show Scotland. Pipe Major in chief is Eoin Ashford formerly of the 214 BB and now resident in Germany following 14 years in the Royal Tank Regiment.
Eoin writes: ‘Music Show Scotland is one of the largest music productions in the world and combines celtic music and dance with impressive show elements.
‘It is a three-hour show – not a tattoo – and people will not have seen anything like it in Scotland before.
‘We have two guest bands playing with us for the Glasgow shows, Preston Lodge High School and Kilbarchan Pipe Band.
‘The cast consists of over 200 pipers, drummers and dancers with different musicians performing in front of our imposing castle set up 15 metres high and 40 metres wide.
‘Comprising of five levels of towers and battlements, the castle is unique and can be altered in size to fit almost any venue. 
‘The artists perform in front and on the various levels of this majestic background. The impressive sound of the pipes and drums, accompanied by a woodwind and brass ensemble, captures the attention of the audience.
‘Cannon salvos and fireworks create a rousing finale that will send the visitors home with an unforgettable experience.
‘The idea of the Music Show Scotland was born in the Netherlands and grew to become one of the largest indoor shows in the world.
‘We now have ten trucks that transport our life-sized castle and stage setup, including our complete lighting and digital sound equipment.’
Get tickets for the April 2019 show here.
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