Author: Robert Wallace

Editor’s Notebook: World Solo Piping/ Worlds Week Concert/ Florida Academy/ NZ Film/ Malcolm McRae

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Applause for the RSPBA and their idea of a new World Solo Piping Championship based on the World Solo Drumming. With their global reach, the Association are the only organisation which could pull together such a competition. One wonders what form it will take. I should imagine it won’t include piobaireachd. MSR and H&J only. Who will judge? A band piping judge might be wholly unsuited to the solo bench….

More Editor’s Notebook: World Solo Piping/ Worlds Week Concert/ Florida Academy/ NZ Film/ Malcolm McRae

Editor’s Notebook: PPBSO Suspension/ Watson’s Contest/ Florida Academy/ Lewis Recital

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The Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario have suspended one of their prominent members for 12 months, according to several reliable sources. I understand the suspension is in response to this individual’s consistently belligerent attitude towards the RSPBA with whom the Society have always had a good working relationship. The Society has been embarrassed into taking action but are refusing to discuss it. Well done to them for keeping…

More Editor’s Notebook: PPBSO Suspension/ Watson’s Contest/ Florida Academy/ Lewis Recital

P/M Richard Parkes Master Classes/ SLOT’s Famous Bass Drummer Retires

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The Ulster-Scots Agency is an organisation whose aims are to promote the study, conservation, development and use of Ulster-Scots as a living language; to encourage and develop the full range of its attendant culture; and to promote an understanding of the history of Ulster-Scots. Since it was established in 1999 it has funded annual tuition programmes generally promoted by individuals bands of all types with piping, drumming and drum majoring…

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Information on UK Pipe Band Championship and Northern Ireland Season

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The RPSBA has announced that the United Kingdom Championships will be hosted in the city of Bangor, County Down and facilitated by the Ards & North Down Council on Saturday May 18th . I have little doubt that the local NI Branch will have had a major input into achieving this outcome as they would in any event have been discussing the annual local contest which generally takes place either…

More Information on UK Pipe Band Championship and Northern Ireland Season

Editor’s Notebook: John Burgess Gold Medal/ Recordings Mystery Solved/ Jimmy McIntosh Memorial/ Reminders

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Referencing my earlier post about young lowlander Norman Graham being denied a place at the Northern Meeting in 1970, it occurred that special dispensation must have been given to John Burgess two decades earlier. We all know that John was the youngest ever winner of the Gold Medal when he was awarded the coveted prize in 1950 playing Castle Menzies. Twenty years later young Norman, also 16, was denied the…

More Editor’s Notebook: John Burgess Gold Medal/ Recordings Mystery Solved/ Jimmy McIntosh Memorial/ Reminders