Category: History

John MacFadyen on the Art of Judging – Part 3

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We continue the recording of John MacFadyen talking about judging. We are once again grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding the recording made by John Davidson, Parkview, Johannesburg, at his home on 12th August 1973. At the beginning of this part of the recording Mr Davidson mentions some of the well-known worthies of southern African piping of the time, John Farmer, Cyril Hall (Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe) and Nick Kinsey. John…

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Editor’s Notebook: Nick’s Medal Ceremony/ Talk Piobaireachd/ Bagpipe Blower/ Pipers’ Persuasion

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I mentioned Arthur McAra in my report from Pittsburgh the other day. Another story Arthur related to me when I was over concerned the new 2022 Inverness Gold Medallist Nick Hudson. Arthur was on MC duty at Loon Mountain games in September. Nick was on judging duty with that other well-known US piper Derek Midgley. Derek approached Arthur and explained that Nick had had to leave the Northern Meeting early…

More Editor’s Notebook: Nick’s Medal Ceremony/ Talk Piobaireachd/ Bagpipe Blower/ Pipers’ Persuasion

Editor’s Notebook: Balmoral Classic/ Logan Tannock/ Florence Allan/ Jimmy Banks

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In Pittsburgh, PA, for the annual Balmoral Classic US Amateur Piping Championship. The judges are myself, Amy Garson and Lezlie Webster. The 12 competitors and their tunes: It should be a good competition. Lots of excellent prizes for the winners. I do a free workshop for all competitors on the Sunday. More details here. Pittsburgh is of course the home of Carnegie Mellon University where Jimmy McIntosh established the first…

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John MacFadyen on the Art of Judging – Part 2

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We continue the recording of John MacFadyen talking about judging. We are once again grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding the recording, made by John Davidson, Parkview, Johannesburg, at his home on 12th August 1973. John MacFadyen was visiting to run a piping school for the Scottish Piping Society of the Witwatersrand and gave this lecture the week before it was due to start. In this part of the…

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Ulster News: Blackthorn Pipers/ RSPBANI AGM/ Show Returns/ Paddy Kelly/ Dundalk/ St Mary’s

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On the third Wednesday of the months of September and October the Blackthorn Pipers Society welcomed guest pipers Kris Coyle and Ashley McMichael. Both of these Field Marshal Montgomery pipers were in outstanding form and videos of theirs and other players’ performances can be seen on the Blackthorn Society’s Facebook page. The Society meets in the Discover Ulster Scots Building, 1-9 Victoria Street Belfast BT1 3GA and it will continue…

More Ulster News: Blackthorn Pipers/ RSPBANI AGM/ Show Returns/ Paddy Kelly/ Dundalk/ St Mary’s