one of the supplementary benefits of the Piobaireachd Society conference is the time afforded for informal chats.
They were happening all over the place at the Golden Lion in Stirling last weekend. One was a follow on to Michael Grey’s talk on Bill Livingstone and the great tape recording scandal.
There are phones recording everything now we pondered – in the piper’s sporran as he plays, and all over the audience. Just as with Bill, a bench gets it wrong and there’s your evidence. There might even be a video on YouTube. Yet none of this seems to have calmed the suspicious mind of the competing piper, seeing partiality everywhere and demanding new rules to offset it.
Piped into dinner at the PS Annual Conference….
But enough of that. It was a great weekend, worth much more than what you read about on Monday. Internet meetings are fine but you don’t get to enjoy the company of your committee and members. With the opportunities for social interaction, a lot was learned away from the lectern.
There’s no equivalent to the PS conference in the pipe band world. Why not? The RSPBA should hold a similar function at Washington Street. A few choice speakers, then a hog roast and a few beers?
Watson’s Bursary
Ben Duncan, Assistant Pipe Major, has sent notification of a new bursary at George Watson’s School. Read the poster for the detail. It offers an opportunity for a young person to attend a first class school and get a first class piping education to boot.
Ben writes, ‘George Watson’s College is pleased to announce the launch of a full piping scholarship. As outlined in the flyer below, the scholarship will be means-tested and will cover full school fees and piping tuition. We welcome candidates to apply via the QR code on the flyer.
‘This is an exciting step forward in our pipe band programme and a great opportunity for a budding young piper to receive a fully funded education and piping tuition at an independent school in the heart of Edinburgh.’
SPA Professional
We ran the list of judges for the forthcoming Scottish Pipers Professional yesterday, now here are the pipers:
The contest is at the Piping Centre on April 11 and is sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society and the Competing Pipers’ Association.
Virginia Tattoo
The tattoo and its American Pipe Band Championship returns to Scope Plaza, Norfolk, on Saturday, April 18. Eight bands are competing: Carnegie Mellon University, MacMillan Birtles, Siren City, St. Columcille United Gaelic. Wake & District Public Safety, Great Lakes, MacMillan Pipe Band, Washington DC. Prizes:
- Grade 2: $2,000, first place; $1,000, second place; $500, third place.
- Grade 3: $1,500, first place; $1,000, second place; $500, third place.
Aggregate cash prizes. Each band plays twice, MSR and Medley. Eight member judging panel. $1000 drum fanfare prize. Free admission.
Andrew Carlisle, Professor of Music and the Director of Piping at Carnegie Mellon University, ‘Saturday, April 18th will again be one of downtown Norfolk’s most exciting musical experiences with the ninth edition of the American Pipe Band Championships.’
This year’s contest will be livestreamed on the tattoo’s Facebook page @VaTatt beginning at noon Eastern Time.
Band Entries
Pipe bands have two weeks left to enter for the British at Ingliston. Entries close at 12 noon on 15th April. Late entries will not be accepted. Link here. More at enquiries@rspba.org. Closing date for Gourock on May 10 is April 25.
‘Highland Bagpipe Music’ by Donald Morrison – digital book
This book was first produced shortly before Donald died in 1988. Languishing out of print, it surfaced in 2021 following contact between Piping Press editor Robert Wallace and Donald’s daughter Sheona. Sheona agreed that it should be offered to the piping public once more at nominal cost, the aim being to preserve her father’s musical legacy. Donald Morrison was the complete piper a fine teacher, composer and soloist. He won the Gold Medal, the Bratach Gorm and many other top…
