Category: Blog

PP Ed’s Blog: Army Pipers/ Band Sizes/ Hector the Hero/ SPA/ Preston Lodge

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Ian McAlister has added to the debate on a cap on band sizes. Ian writes: ‘I have said for a while we need to limit numbers in bands. I would have a maximum squad number and maximum playing number into force to allow a bit of cover for holidays etc, perhaps a maximum of 18 pipers playing with max of 21 in the squad. ‘This would make more players available…

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Readers’ Experiences Following New Rules on African Blackwood

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Two readers have kindly offered their experience of dealing with government  authorities now regulating the movement and commercial activity surrounding  African blackwood.  Piper Bob Low: ‘Having an upcoming trip in January to France via Switzerland with bagpipes, I contacted APHA [the regulating body in the UK] for advice. They confirmed they cannot issue an ‘instrument passport’ until dalbergia is formally adopted into the EU version of CITES. They anticipated earliest would be…

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It is Time to Follow the Example of Pipe Bands in Encouraging Our Judges to Teach

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Twelve years ago Pipe Band Magazine reported on an important ruling adopted by the then RSPBA Adjudicators Panel. Headlined ‘Rule Change at AGM Means Judges are Free to Pass on Their Knowledge’ it basically cleared the way for judges judging bands they taught or assisted with. Lordy, lordy pipe bands showing the way for our solo administrators! Compare that with the retrograde rulings from the Solo Piping Judges Association of recent…

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PP Ed’s Blog: CITES, Boghall, David Murray, Jimmy Anderson

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Bagpipe manufacturers looking to explore the CITES regulations and how they affect blackwood trade with Australia should click here. Be prepared for a difficult trawl through. A meeting was held in Bristol last week between the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), the body that polices CITES in the UK, and the Society of Instrument Manufacturers. I am awaiting info from the meeting, but the latest I have heard is…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Celtic Conns/Red Hackle/ Virginia

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The Celtic Connections festival kicks off next weekend in Glasgow and looking through the programme I could find dashed little of piping interest. The highlight will be the concert by Inveraray & District and Breton band Bagad Kemper at 12.30pm on Jan 28 (tickets  £15). There is also a concert on Feb 3 featuring ‘Breabach’ a folk group that uses pipes but outside of that very little of the piob mhor…

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