The RSPBA is to trial a new method of forming massed bands. It is hoped to shave at least an hour of the process of getting all competing bands together for the announcement of the prizes.
Various ideas have been tried before but nothing has really worked. Yesterday the Association announced the following:
‘To improve the presentation and reduce the time it takes to get all the massed bands onto the field for the finale, all bands will enter at once from the rear of the arena with the centre bands playing Scotland the Brave.
‘The centre bands will make the front ranks, and stewards will marshal all other bands in behind them. This will make a great visual and musical impact for the spectators, it will be very simple to deliver, and it will save around an hour at the end of what is always a long day.
‘This new approach will be trialled at the European Championships at Perth on August 9.’
There is no word on whether it will be used at the Worlds; presumably if a success it will be.
Scottish Pipers
SPA President Logan Tannock: ‘The annual SPA Professional competition will be held on 11th April 2026 at the NPC McPhater Street, Glasgow.
‘Also, at the AGM a new composer was voted on to the committee, Cameron MacLeod. Cameron came back to the committee within a few weeks with a 2/4 march that he and Kyle Cameron (also now on the committee) had collaborated on.
‘Cameron has asked if I could put it out in the public domain and I thought that Piping Press might like to do a little article on it. It is entitled The Scottish Pipers’ Association Centenary.
‘Cameron felt that as no tune was written at the time due to lockdown that it would be appropriate to produce one now. I’ve attached a PDF and an MP3 of the tune (the MP3 is just a recording from the software but it gives an Idea of how it goes).
Lorient Festival
The Breton extravaganza gets underway this weekend with the MacCrimmon Trophy and Piobaireachd competition the highlights for pipers. The judges are Tom Johnstone and Euan Anderson. I hear that there is to be no band (bagad) contest this year. Very disappointing.
It was always a highlight of the week, drawing large crowds to the football stadium where the audience could sit in comfort in the stand whilst being entertained by pipers, bombardes and drummers who actually faced their listeners! What a novel concept.
Games Reminders
A number of games this weekend. Today sees games at Dornoch in the far north. Tomorrow the flags are out at Dundonald in Ayrshire, Inverkeithing in Fife, Newtonmore in Badenoch, and Aboyne on Deeside. On Sunday there’s Mallaig and Morar.
Dundonald will host a piobaireachd competition for the first time with funds supplied by the Piobaireachd Society. There’s a good bench of judges too, Barry Donaldson, Peter Hunt and Ronnie MacShannon.
As everyone knows, Piping Press is a staunch supporter of the games so we hope that all secretaries will be able to forward results and any photographs from the various events.
Book Success
William Smith: ‘I was hoping to purchase a copy of ‘The Cowal Collection of Bagpipe Music’ 1932, and contacted you to ask if you were able to source a copy. After you ran the story I was contacted by two people who offered to sell me a copy of the book.
‘My sister’s grandson took delivery of the book on Saturday and is very happy with it. I presume these two people contacted me following your efforts to publicise my request, and for that I thank you.’
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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The massed band finale has been tied in contests in Northern Ireland will all pipers playing The Battle’s O’er on the march forward. It definitely shortens the finale. My concern for the Worlds is getting c. 200 bands into position to start the massed band. No doubt the RSPBA will have thought of something
I saw from the image of The Cowal Collection 1932 that winning bandsmen received gold medals that were facsimiles of the shield.
Has anyone had sight of one of these medals?
The Fintan Lalor Pipe Band, from Dublin won many of them.
At the that time the winning drum corps also received medals.
I believe drummers received 2 medals.