Category: History

The Inaugural Peter MacLeod Memorial Recital

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This past Friday (13/2/26) saw lovers of highland piping fill out the function room of Airdrie Working Men’s Social Club in Lanarkshire. The large audience was made up of people from all over Scotland and even a group who had travelled up from southern England to attend. The event was the very first held by the foundling charity, The Lanarkshire Piping and Drumming Trust.  By Dan Nevans The recital featured…

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Editor’s Notebook: Bob Nicol/ Tonight’s Recitals/ RSPBA Website/ Solo Judging/ Balvenie Medal

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Reading Duncan Watson’s article on Bob Nicol I thought, ‘they don’t make ’em like that any more’. Quite a character. To be a good teacher you must have a clear vision of how a tune should be played and RB Nicol clearly had that. Too many alternatives and the student becomes confused. But there is more to the man. When all we hear is of Nicol’s teaching we tend to…

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Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ PS Books/ RSPBA Website/ Kintyre Travellers/ Drumming Masters

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Reader ‘JW’ writes again re solo judging: ‘I must tip my hat to Neil Mulvie on his very truthful comments regarding SPJA judges and all the problems he was brave enough to mention. Neil has been right there for years and seen it all, or was he telling us something we all knew anyway? ‘Is it not time this was sorted out once and for all as it doesn’t seem…

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Further Analysis of Ensemble Judging – Part 2

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The writer continues his response to last week’s article by Alan Jones on pipe band adjudication and the judging of ensemble…   The role of the ensemble adjudicator undoubtedly should embrace primarily the tonal balance, integration and combined musical interpretation to a much greater extent than say the piping or drumming judge. He/she should focus less on technical issues – but should not ignore any technical aspects of significance. There…

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Further Analysis of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

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The recent article by Alan Jones regarding pipe band adjudication and the judging of ensemble, sparked my interest in view of my former role as a drumming and ensemble adjudicator and my involvement for almost 20 years in RSPBA adjudicator training.   By Alistair Aitken OBE The whole subject of ensemble in particular has been a somewhat contentious one since the concept was first raised well over 60 years ago. …

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