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A Personal Look at the Edinburgh Pipe Band Contest

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As already reported on Piping Press, the annual pipe band competition in Edinburgh, arranged by the Lothian and Borders Branch of the RSPBA, took place at the Newfield playing fields of Edinburgh Academy on Sunday 18 June, 2023.  By Alistair Aitken OBE The weather was very warm and ideal for playing, although a colder breeze was encountered later in the afternoon.  The venue was ideal for a pipe band competition…

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At a Glance: Weekend Band Results Round Up

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Three separate minor pipe band contests took place last weekend at Aberdeen, Lochore in Fife and in Edinburgh. All were organised by the various branches of the RSPBA. Congratulations to all bands who supported these competitions. Notable was the result at Edinburgh where UK Champions Boghall took the overall. Full results here. The next band major is the European Championship at Aberdeen on Saturday. LOCHORE, FIFE, June 17Grade 1: 1…

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Aberdeen Games Results

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It was an almost perfect day for pipes at Aberdeen’s Hazelhead Park yesterday (June 18) – warm with light cloud cover, writes Piping Convenor Dr Jack Taylor. Nineteen seniors and ten juniors played, and it was encouraging to see three in the new chanter class, requiring two parts of a march. Piobaireachd judges described the playing as ‘interesting and good’; 18 played 18 different tunes, with longer pieces mixed with lighter….

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Editor’s Notebook: Boghall/ Regradings/ MacDougall Pipes/ Band Quartets/ British Legion 1970

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There are a couple of things that need to be said following the Boggies big win last weekend. This very much a community band with a loyal membership that has stuck with it over the decades irrespective of success or lack of it. This loyalty was much more common when I played in bands than it is today with butterfly bagpipers flitting around hither and thither before landing on another…

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The Tunes Bands Had to Play at Cowal’s World Championship in 1932

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A few weeks ago I said I would take a closer a look at the small book of tunes to be played by bands competing for the World Championship held at Cowal Highland Gathering in 1932, writes the Editor. The book, published by the Cowal Committee, cost 6d, about 3p today, and has the title ‘Selection of Marches, Strathspeys and Reels to be played by competitors in the World’s Championship…

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