One of the most sought after jobs in the pipe band world is now advertised. The new Pipe Major for the award-winning George Watson’s School band will replace P/M Ian Simpson who is retiring after a stellar career leading the juvenile World Championship winners. The spec reads: George Watson’s College wishes to appoint a Pipe Major to be the lead teacher of bagpipes within the Pipe Band. Teaching individual pupils…
As bands prepare for their first season in three years Piping Press will do everything it can help them refresh their knowledge and re-kindle their enthusiasm. This article, by former senior pipe band adjudicator and educator Alistair Aitken, first appeared in Pipe Band Magazine. Accepting that the primary focus of pipe band competition is on musical performance, it is reasonable to expect adjudicators to assess bands against the three main…
The Competing Pipers’ Association have issued the following: The Duncan Johnstone Memorial Piping Competition 2022 will be held on Saturday 12th March. This will be an in-person event. B Grade contests will be held at the National Piping Centre. C Grade contests will be held at the National Piping Centre Otago Street. Entry fees are £10 per event and are to be paid by PayPal at time of entry, via the…
Unfortunately the Scottish government’s change of heart regarding indoor gathering has come too late to save the Celtic Connections festival here in Glasgow (it’s going ahead as a restrictions-affected hybrid) but the expected U-turn has to be good news for all other events especially those early year indoor mini band and quartet contests. And with the cap lifted on the numbers attending outdoor gatherings from last Monday, can we really…
In my youth, I had the great privilege of being accepted by the traveller community, thanks to my ‘adoption’ by the late, great ballad singer Jeannie Robertson. They reckoned I had a good voice and many times I was assured by the likes of Jeannie and Belle Stewart (Blairgowrie) that I had the ‘coinneach’, a quality of voice but also of expression which caused the hairs on the back of…
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