Category: Blog

Florida Academy/ Andy Hosie/ Talk Piobaireachd

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The 2024 Florida Pipe and Drum Academy is now open for registration, reports Principal Chris McKeown. The popular school will be held from 18 – 23 February in Jacksonville. The week culminates in the North East Florida Highland Games on Feb 24. Sunday 18th at 6pm is the meet and greet with classes beginning formally on Feb 19 at 8am. Holiday Inn Express is the host hotel. Event Address: Christ’s…

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Do Good Players Make Good Teachers or Judges?

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The subjects of teaching and adjudication are never far from the surface in the piping and pipe band world. Both can attract widely differing views and can be contentious. There is no doubt that much has changed over the years in methods of teaching piping and drumming. What has certainly not changed is the need to learn properly the basic rudiments, embellishments and musical theory relevant to both musical disciplines. An article…

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Editor’s Notebook: Pitlochry Piobaireachd/ JB Robertson/ Eden Court/ Manilla Piper/ Glasgow Transport PB

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When we were trying to convince the committee at Pitlochry Games to hold a piobaireachd event I mentioned the fact that before WW2 there had been such an event at these games. I’d seen a poster somewhere but unfortunately could not produce the evidence. The Committee thankfully went ahead anyway but now after a bit of research I have that evidence. Results from Pitlochry Games September 5th 1931:Piobaireachd: 1 Malcolm…

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Army School Features in National Press/ Jimmy McIntosh Memorial Weekend Workshop

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One of the UK’s largest selling newspapers, the Daily Telegraph, has a full length feature on the Army School of Piping and Drumming today. It follows last week’s story which revealed the late Queen’s concern for the school’s future. In today’s article the School’s current Director, Major Gordon Rowan, reveals he piped around the Queen’s dining table on many occasions and talks of her pride in ‘her pipers’. His second…

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My Father, P/M Robert Reid – Part 6

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We continue with our correspondence from Robert Reid jnr. to Jimmy McIntosh. This abridged letter is dated 3rd November, 1993. There are mentions for John MacDougall Gillies, James Center, Sandy Cameron, Willie Connell and Allan Dodd…. My father was approximately 18½ years with John MacDougall Gillies. As it was, Gillies was his second choice of tutor. James Center was the first but he had too many pupils at that time…

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