As bands prepare for their first season in three years Piping Press will do everything it can help them refresh their knowledge and re-kindle their enthusiasm. This article, by former senior pipe band adjudicator and educator Alistair Aitken, first appeared in Pipe Band Magazine. it is likely that few people really understand the complexity of pipe band adjudication until they have experienced the demanding training all aspirants need to undertake. …

In any organisation it is always good practice to study its history before attempting to make changes or further develop its structure, policies or procedures.  History has a habit of repeating itself on a cyclical basis, so it is always worth considering the background to previous decisions to avoid repeating previous mistakes.  It is also always worth considering whether seemingly new ideas have actually been tried before and failed.  The…