Category: Bagpipes

Dr John MacAskill and his Famous Reel, Lexie MacAskill

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A larger than life character, John MacAskill was born in 1944 and died in 2003. When he won the Gold Medal at Inverness, Seumas MacNeill wrote: ‘When the winner was announced men of discernment looked for ways to escape, men of experience prepared to batten down the hatches and men of neither are still wondering what happened.’ John’s family was from Berneray in the Western Isles and, though his father and…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Junior Contests/ School Champs./ Hugh’s Picture/ Tattoo Piper/ I’ray Concert

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With the demise of the Craigmount Junior solos is there any competition for young pipers in the city of Edinburgh? If not I hope someone steps forward to fill the gap. The capital has a much changed piping landscape since the great days of the Eagle Pipers Professional contest held each November, the British Legion contest and the Edinburgh Police contest. Maybe there were no junior contests back then either,…

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Pipe Band History: P/M Ian Duncan and Vale of Atholl PIpe Band

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This short interview was made in 2001 when P/M Duncan retired after his landmark time at the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. As well as taking the band from Grade 4 to the top of Grade 1 in 11 years, Ian and his brother Gordon set the trend for much of the pipe band music that is played today. A significant achievement. Ian is now a respected senior solo adjudicator and pipe…

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Judging Debacle: Perceived Bias Must Be Justified With Reference to Facts

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South Africa-based professional piper and lawyer Nicholas Taitz responds to yesterday’s letter regarding the controversial decision by the Solo Piping Judges Association to ban their members from sitting on benches where pupils may be competing, this rule covering the Argyllshire Gathering, the Northern Meeting and the London Championship. Today we also carry another letter on this issue, this time from Iain Marshall, Oban. The actual issues surrounding this rule must…

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PP Ed’s Blog: New Letter on Judging/ Donald MacLeod Contest etc.

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Two new letters this morning, the first from Brian Mulhearn begins: ‘Hello Rob, Having been following the recent judging developments, I think you are looking at the situation from only one side….  The next is from Bill Robertson in New Zealand and begins: ‘Hello Rab, About two days ago I was on TV for the BBC world news when an item came up about the female Lone Piper for the Edinburgh Military…

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