Category: History

RSPBA Band Grading Appeals/ Drumming Instructor Job/ Jimmy McIntosh Scholarship/

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Malcolm Brown-Scott, Music Board Convenor for the RSPBA, has announced the following changes in grading for Novice Juvenile and Juvenile bands: West Lothian Schools upgrading from Novice Juvenile A (NJA) to Juvenile – Appeal accepted, band will remain in NJA. Brisbane Boys’ College, Queensland, Australia (pictured) upgrading from G4A to G3B – Appeal accepted, band will move back to NJA.Edinburgh Academy upgrading from Novice Juvenile B (NJB) to NJA –…

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Editor’s Notebook: Glasgow Skye/ Bobby’s Uniform/ Aberdeen Piping Club/ Bill Caudill/ New Books

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That’s the spirit! In these gloomy times yesterday’s news that Glasgow Skye are back was just the lift the pipe band community needed. We’ve lost far too many bands over the years. Just look at the lists in Alistair Aitken’s article, also yesterday. Even in recent times we all know bands that have lost sponsorship or a pipe major or fallen out with the drum corps and bingo, they’re history….

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The Skye Are Back!

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Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band have issued the following statement: ‘We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Kenny MacLeod as Pipe Major, Ross Cowan and Darren Sommerville as Pipe Sergeants, and Les Galbraith as Leading Drummer of the Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band. On his appointment, Kenny said: ‘It’s an important band to me and many other people. My father was the founding Pipe Major. My brother, Donald, was a…

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The 1948 World Pipe Band Championships – Part 2

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Continuing with my look at the 1948 World Pipe Band Chanpionships based on the old programe kindly sent to me by Don Bradford, I have some observations on the list of bands (see here): First prize in the Grade 1/Open contest was £50 plus the News of the World trophy. The high number of bands from mining communities at that time. Grade 4 comprised only ladies pipe bands. I had…

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Glasgow v Edinburgh and the World Pipe Band Championships – Part 1

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Following the recent article on Piping Press about the history of the World Pipe Band Championships (WPBC), well known Pipe Major and piper Don Bradford has kindly sent me a scanned copy of the official programme for the Worlds in 1948 which he had found alongside an old set of pipes he had acquired.  The programme, priced at one shilling (5p in present day currency), contained some interesting information which…

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