Author: Roddy Livingstone

New Mentoring System for Solo Judges/ George Sherriff Competition

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The Solo Piping Judges’ Association is to establish a Mentoring System for Judges, writes Secretary Roderick Livingstone.  Following the Association’s AGM it has been decided that a pool of Senior Judges who are prepared to volunteer their services as mentors to new judges will be formed.  The mentoring process will be available to all new judges irrespective of their initial grading on acceptance. New judges will be required to fully participate…

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Chatsworth Games Results

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The Piobaireachd Society contributed significantly to the prizemoney for the piobaireachd event which required four tunes to be submitted – perhaps not a big ‘ask’ of the Premier graded pipers present but certainly stretching for some of the less experienced competitors who rose to the challenge.  Playing conditions were good other than the odd shower, with temperatures averaging 20 degrees Celsius throughout the day – almost perfect for both instruments…

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Airth Games & Braemar Junior Games Results

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Airth Highland Games, held Saturday 23rd July, attracted a healthy entry of adult and juvenile pipers, writes Roddy Livingstone. This small, community-led games offers generous prize money and it is good to see pipers supporting the event. The weather was overcast but mild with a few scattered showers later in the day. Overall a very good standard of playing was heard.  Under 15 March1. Kenzie Fraser2. James Silcock3. Brooklyn Morris4….

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Harpenden Highland Gathering, Dearth of Competitions in England and Black Donald’s March

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On Sunday 10th July, I was once again pleased to judge the solo piping competitions at the Harpenden Highland Gathering in Hertfordshire, southern England. It may seem unusual that a London commuter town hosts a Highland games, but the history is an interesting story in itself. During World War 2 there was a large concentration of aircraft factories in the Harpenden, St Albans, Luton and Stevenage areas, with a high…

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Review – The Shasta Collection of Modern Piobaireachd

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On being asked to review this recent publication I realised that I have stated many times in recent years that I am a supporter of modern piobaireachd composition. With further reflection the realisation dawned that many of the tunes in my repertoire I considered modern were approaching fifty years of age. I was facing an opportunity to take a look at much more recent compositions. The book reproduces the scores…

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