Category: Letters

Famous Pipers: Remembering John Scott, South Uist – Part 2

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The concluding part of these reminiscences by Tony Daniel a pupil of John’s in London….. Then came the time I went to his home and was told he was in hospital in Croydon. I went to visit him; he was surprised but happy to see me but he couldn’t talk as he had had a tracheotomy. He would write notes to me instead. But I soon learnt to understand him…

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Famous Pipers: Remembering John Scott, South Uist

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John Scott was a larger than life character in the Glasgow piping scene in the ’60s and ’70s, writes the editor. A fine piper himself, he regularly stewarded at the Scottish Pipers and Uist and Barra competitions and kept the audience entertained with his wild brogue and pawky humour. He was also a noted composer. Readers will probably know his reel Dolina MacKay (Dolly was the Treasurer of the SPA…

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Lochore Pipe Band and Legendary Drumming Tutor Robert McLaren

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I previously prepared an article about the history of pipe bands in the East of Scotland, which was published on Piping Press in October 2023.  Included in the article were the names of many pipe band leaders and individuals no longer with us who were from the East, or were based there, and who greatly contributed to the development of the SPBA/RSPBA and pipe band music in general.  The article…

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George Watson’s College ‘Caritas Banner’ Results/ George Sherriff, Ontario, Results

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The George Watson’s College competition for the Caritas Banner was held at the Edinburgh school yesterday, November 24. Organiser P/M Ben Duncan reported: ‘It was a great day of tunes with 55 pipers entered and some of the very best in the business on the pen. The event was kindly sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society and Kintail Bagpipes. ‘The winner Fraser Hamilton received the coveted Caritas Banner and a beautiful…

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Readers Respond to Peter MacLeod Reel Query/ Scots Guards KO Date Change/ Talk Piobaireachd

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Dougie Pincock: ‘That Peter MacLeod reel [above] is known nowadays as The Highlanders’ Institute. It appears under that name in the ‘Bicentennial Collection’ of the music of both Peter MacLeods Snr. and Jnr. published in the USA by Donald Varella. ‘I learned the tune from Pipe Major Iain MacDonald of Neilston, and played it in the Glasgow folk group Kentigern in the late ’70s/early ’80s. Iain might well have had…

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