Category: Comment

PP Ed’s Blog: Florida/ 277 Pic/ Picture Poser/ Ardrossan Games/ RSPBA Summer School

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Heading home now after five solid days of teaching in Florida. Think we progressed the cause of piping and drumming another few notches. Good crowd at the closing concert and everyone looking forward to next year when we plan to incorporate a band and solo contest into the Academy’s roster. In order to maintain a high teacher/ student ratio we capped the numbers at just over 40 this year but…

More PP Ed’s Blog: Florida/ 277 Pic/ Picture Poser/ Ardrossan Games/ RSPBA Summer School

PP Editor’s Blog: Donald McBride on that Contest in 1972

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Donald McBride, one of our instructors at the South Florida Pipe and Drum Academy, has given more information on yesterday’s post on the SPA Amateur contest in 1972. During a break in the lessons Donald told me: ‘When I arrived at Washington Street I discovered my bag had burst so my father called Donald MacPherson. I had been going to him for lessons for two months. We went up to…

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History: The Scottish Pipers’ Association Junior Competition of 45 Years Ago

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The following comes from the November 8, 1972 edition of the Oban Times and is by its then piping correspondent, John MacFadyen. The Oban Times is a popular newspaper and reflects a wide range of west Highland and Argyllshire news. To its credit it has, over the years, always had a piping column, a column usually written by a leading piper or authority on piping such as John. This article…

More History: The Scottish Pipers’ Association Junior Competition of 45 Years Ago

PP Ed’s Blog: Juvenile Bands/ 277 Pic/ John MacLellan/ Archie Kenneth/ Florida

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I’m told that there a few juvenile and novice juvenile pipe bands who are considering not playing in these grades. They cannot compete against the highly organised and well-financed teaching programmes at some of the private school bands and therefore, rather than opt for a hiding every weekend, may decide to take their chances in the adult grades such as 4a and 4b. If this is the case then we…

More PP Ed’s Blog: Juvenile Bands/ 277 Pic/ John MacLellan/ Archie Kenneth/ Florida

Line Up for the Donald MacLeod and Silver Chanter Announced

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The organisers of the annual Donald Macleod Memorial Competition, held every year on the island of Lewis, have announced the invitees and other details. The date is Friday 31 March 2017 and the venue as last year, the  Caladh Inn, 11 James Street, Stornoway. The excellent music starts at 10.15am; admission: £15. Invited pipers are as follows: 1) Alasdair Henderson 2) Finlay Johnston 3) Angus MacColl 4) William McCallum 5) Roderick MacLeod…

More Line Up for the Donald MacLeod and Silver Chanter Announced