Category: Comment

Virginia Tattoo Participating Bands/ 2017 Silver Medal Tunes

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This Saturday, April 29, 2017, the Virginia International Tattoo hosts the second annual Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship on Scope Plaza in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. In the past the contest has featured Scottish Grade 1 bands Inveraray and Fife Police. This year UK representation comes from the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards (pictured). Director of Piping for the contest is Andrew Carlisle of Field Marshal…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Gourock Contest/ PP Audio Archive/ Argylls Book/ Bagpipe Muffler

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Pleased to see such a healthy entry for the Grade 1 contest at Gourock on May 14 with Glasgow Police, Shotts, Inveraray and Scottish Power all to the fore. There is a top down effect at these minor contests. If the big boys are there it gives the event the kudos it requires and brings in much needed revenue. Many of our smaller pipe band events have been struggling of late….

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New Drumming Principal at Pipe Bands Australia 

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Following the resignation of Greg Bassani, PBA has appointed Dean Hall Principal Drumming of Pipe Bands Australia’s Australian Pipe Band College by national management committee on the recommendation of branch vice-principals. The PBA website reports: ‘Dean is currently vice-principal in New South Wales but did not participate in the recommendation and selection process. He was one of several applicants for the position reviewed by the other vice-principals who expressed pleasure…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Aussie Rules/ St Petersburg/ Chris Terry

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Latest from Pipe Bands Australia: ‘The national council of Pipe Bands Australia has voted to endorse the decision of bands in the recent annual ballot of bands to include a separate Grade 4 selection of marches events in the contest regulations. ‘National management committee last year introduced a trial rule for the event to encourage bands to return to the competition arena, retain players of long-standing and assist in providing…

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What Ensemble Adjudicators Should Assess at Competitions

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The following article by Alistair Aitken OBE was  first published in the April 2003 edition of Pipe Band Magazine, an edition now out of print. It throws some light on the still mysterious (to some) business of Ensemble adjudication. Given the rapid approach of the 2017 pipe band season we thought it would be helpful to bands currently polishing up their competition MSRs and Medleys. In the last edition of the…

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