Category: Comment

Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ NM and AG Entries/ Stuart CD/ Clan Donald Lands/ Drumming Masters

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Judge Neil Mulvie has responded to our recent debate on solo benches, one of the few brave enough to put his head above the parapet on this issue. Neil writes: ‘Not all those who have competed at the highest level make good judges. Some are biased/unethical, some are limited in their wider knowledge, some lack basic analytical skills, some can’t separate the good from the bad and the ugly, some…

More Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ NM and AG Entries/ Stuart CD/ Clan Donald Lands/ Drumming Masters

MacGillivray of Calrossie, a New Piobaireachd

Posted on      by      2 Comments

I have known Duncan MacGillivray [pictured] now for over 35 years, but because of his career with the Battlefield Band and other traditional groups, had heard of him a long time before actually meeting him. Duncan has been a huge inspiration to many young pipers in the Highlands and is always willing to give them his time freely to teach piping and instruct them in other instruments such as whistles….

More MacGillivray of Calrossie, a New Piobaireachd

The Basics of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

Posted on      by      2 Comments

The word ensemble, translated from the French, means ‘together.’ How together are the various sections of the pipe band: the pipers, the side drummers and the bass and tenors? In current competition format, how clearly defined are the roles of the piping, drumming, and ensemble judges in measuring this togetherness? By Alan Jones Who measures it within a given section and between the various sections? Is there any overlap of…

More The Basics of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

Review: ‘Garron’, a New CD from Stuart Liddell

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

It has been a little while since I added to my collection of piping recordings but when I heard that Stuart Liddell had recently released a new CD I just had to buy a copy. I ordered it directly from www.stuartliddell.com and it arrived very quickly. The packaging is excellent with very attractive artwork and it contains a little booklet which lists the tracks and gives some background details on…

More Review: ‘Garron’, a New CD from Stuart Liddell

Editor’s Notebook: Worlds Grade 2/ NM and AG Entries/ Book Promo/ Florida Academy/ Fintan Lalor

Posted on      by      1 Comment

We received this anonymous comment regarding the qualifying set up for Grade 2 bands at the Worlds. ‘One bad/ unlucky performance (on an extra day that you have had to take time off work/ fork out extra for accommodation) and you could be in the only group of adult bands that don’t get to play on the Saturday. Very unfair and very shortsighted from the RSPBA. ‘The requirements of Grade…

More Editor’s Notebook: Worlds Grade 2/ NM and AG Entries/ Book Promo/ Florida Academy/ Fintan Lalor