Here are the results from the very first solo piping event at the recently rekindled Bowhill Highland Games where I am the new piping convenor, writes Greig Canning.
The contest, held on September 11, had nine entries in the Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey and Reel contests and we held an impromptu Jig contest on the day too with just the one prize, a bottle of malt whisky to the winner. Winner of the MSR, Greig Wilson, is pictured above receiving his trophy.
Piob: 1 Angus MacPhee 2 Christopher McLeish 3 Brian Lamond 4 Jonathon Simpson
MSR: 1 Greig Wilson 2 Brian Lamond 3 Christopher McLeish 4 Jonathon Simpson
Winner of the Jigs: Brian Lamond; Judges for all events: J Banks, R Barnes.
Drum Instructor Posts
Drumming instructor/s is sought to work one school day per week in Blairgowrie High School and associated primaries, and one school day per week in Kinross High School and associated primaries, at £180 per day plus agreed travel expenses.
The instructor/s will also teach occasionally in a band group, as well as attend events as required. Classes will be held during school hours and may extend to teaching in groups of up to three pupils.
Start date is in October 2022 on a day to be agreed with the schools. For full information email info@sspdt.org.uk or duncrievie@gmail.com. Closing date for applications is 24 September 2022. Applicants may apply for one or both positions.
South West Scotland P&D Academy
Andy McCartney reports: For one Saturday every month we have free workshops for school children learning piping and drumming.
Children from P5 up to S6 are taught 10-12 noon (beginners), and from 12.30 until around 3.30pm (more advanced). Main piping tutors are Callum Moffat (Principal), Chris Armstrong, Billy Geddes, Ross Cowan, Alan Maltman, Oliver Rigg, Nick Gordon, Hazel Whyte, and Darren Sommerville.
Drumming: David Sheridan, Darren Brown (snares), Emily Hunter and Gill Watson (two home grown tenor drummers). We also have Jordan Bailey, Inveraray Pipe Band, as a tenor tutor at our residential workshops.
We have a visit scheduled with the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland for a weekend workshop in October. We also have our Juvenile Solo Piping & Drumming competition scheduled for November / early December.
We have also undertaken to form three schools bands in Dumfries & Galloway, at Moffat Academy and Beattock Cluster Schools, North West Community Campus, Lochside, Dumfries, and a Dumfries & Galloway Schools band involving pupils throughout our region.
Our 2022 Summer School was held as usual at SRUC Barony Campus near Dumfries in July. We had 37 schoolchildren attend, mainly residential, but a small number travelled daily.
During the week 19 pupils sat PDQB exams at their respective levels. We had nine first class piping tutors lead by Callum Moffat, and two tenor and two snare drumming tutors led by David Sheridan. They all work hard and spend some time in the evenings helping pupils.
A highlight of our week is a pipe band visit. Invariably they end their practice session by inviting all our young students to join them to play something suitable.
At the end of the week, all our pupils and tutors get suitably embroidered polo shirts to wear at our end-of-school concert. The pupils also get a parchment certificate to confirm their attendance.
The underlying thread of feedback forms was that our school has been a great success. Our dates for 2023 are 9-14 July. Before that we have our next Autumn School from 11-21 October and every pupil from P5 to S6 interested in learning pipes and drums will be welcome. More info: swspda2@gmail.com or call 07789987747; www.swspda.co.uk.
