There was an anonymous comment on PP yesterday regarding Field Marshal Montgomery and their win at the Scottish Pipe Band Championships on Saturday. It questioned their success. It has been deleted.
Will commentators please be aware that if they are going to be controversial, and nothing wrong with that, they really need to be accountable for what they say.
The writer asked if I was at the Scottish and was going to write something. Unfortunately I could not make it, so no, there will be no report. Had I produced one, I would of course have put my name to it.
As I learned at Inveraray last week FMM have an extraordinary number of super young professional pipers in their ranks this year. Given the calibre of player they have, and the fact that they are led by Matt Wilson and Ben Duncan, it should be no surprise at all that they were placed first by both piping judges at Dumbarton.
The depth of solo talent in the band brings to mind a comment made a few years ago by adjudicator Robert Mathieson. He was responding to a pipe major who was boasting about the number of solo prizewinners in his ranks. ‘Yes,’ said Robert, ‘and I can hear every one of them!’ Clearly not the case with the new Scottish Champions, Field Marshal Montgomery.
Pipers Visit Walter
Thanks to piper Bill Geddes for forwarding this picture of Walter Cowan taken during a visit to his nursing home in Annan. I am sure everyone who knows Walter will be pleased to see him looking so well. Bill wrote: ‘Pupils of Southwest Scotland Piping and Drumming Academy entertained residents of Lydiafield Care Home, Annan, where none other than Walter J Cowan is a resident. Walter was in good form and has lost none of his wit and banter. Great to see him in fine fettle.’
Neil Fraser
Sad to hear of the passing of Neil Fraser, throughout his life a champion of piping and Gaelic at the BBC. He was 86. Born in Lochboisdale, South Uist, Neil moved to Glasgow in 1956. His family said in a statement: ‘Our father was part of a pivotal generation…. an archetypal Glasgow Gael, neither fully at home in the city, nor the croft. He was fiercely intelligent, charming, complex and generous, attributes that he harnessed in his efforts to make broadcasting one of the pillars of the survival of the Gaelic language.’
A great friend of John MacFadyen’s, he was instrumental, with Alasdair Milne, in getting BBC Scotland to record the Silver Chanter and in commissioning a series of seminal radio and tv piping programmes presented by Seumas MacNeill. When John died in 1979 he and Alasdair helped form the John MacFadyen Memorial Trust and continued his support for piping, and piobaireachd in particular, for the rest of his active life.
We will remember Neil at this year’s Silver Chanter at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye, on August 6.
Games Reminders
Jen MacKintosh at Aberfeldy: ‘I would be grateful if you could kindly mention Aberfeldy Show & Games Solo Piping. We are on the same day as the European Pipe Band Championships [Aug 9] so I appreciate competitors are likely to be scarce. Events are Piobaireachd, MSR and Slow Air & Jig for both under and over 18s age groups. Pre-entry here; on the day entries accepted.
Allan MacKenzie at Morar: ‘We’d be grateful if you could publish this announcement.’:
Chieftain Kate Duncan: ‘Rannoch Highland Gathering is on August 16 and we are looking to promote our small piping competition this year and next and to attract more pipers from across the country. We are aware that our date often clashes with the World Championships but would appreciate any promotion of our event. Neil Mulvie judges our competition and I am sure will provide comment on our local, traditional gathering if that is helpful.’
Tutor Wanted
Emma Harvey, Chairwoman of Strathmore Schools Pipe Band: ‘We are looking to recruit a new piping instructor. Location: schools across Blairgowrie and surrounding area; two days per week; £180 per day plus travel and extras; pupils are P5&6; apply by Aug 17; CV to chairsspb@gmail.com.
‘We provide free lessons, instruments, and uniforms to over 100 young people across ten primary and secondary schools. This year, we were especially proud to purchase kilts for the band and to place third in the Debut category at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships.’
Bagpiper’s Handbook – Handy Maintenance Tips
A concise yet complete handbook for all pipers. Learn how to tie in a stock, adjust your reeds, test your bag and much, much more. A handy size, the book can be kept in the pipe case for easy reference. The book comes complete with a set of video instructions which help explain each lesson. Access them: here.
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