Category: Letters

Unifying Set Tunes Worldwide, James McGrady, Norman Meldrum and Neville McKay

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I would like to comment on a few articles on Piping Press over the past several weeks. Firstly, Scott Nicholson’s plan for a unified system of Piobaireachd Society set tunes for Australia (PP, July 2). This has great value. It motivates aspiring competitors to commit to learning these tunes and if they are successful with them and accepted for Oban and Inverness, they are likely to be well prepared.  My…

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Boghall & Bathgate Launch Fundraiser for Forthcoming Worlds Week Concert

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Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band, reigning World Champions, have launched a crowdfunding campaign for our pre-Worlds concert, ‘Cabar Feidh’, writes band Manager David Burnside. The concert is on August 14, 2024, at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and is already sold out. The 60-day campaign target is £15,000 and the money will be used to fund the production and recording of a live album and video of the…

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History: More on ‘Wee’ Donald MacLean Down Under

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I was delighted to read the article about ‘wee’ Donald MacLean, especially with regard to his time in Tasmania, writes reader Ian Dahl. Towards the end of 1964, or early 1965, Donald was engaged as the tutor for the Queenstown Highland Pipe Band. This was immediately after his time with the Derwent Scottish Pipe Band in Hobart. He remained in Queenstown for about two and a half to three years….

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Northern Ireland News: Brian Boru Bands/ Antrim Results/ Dromara Band/ Ray’s MBE

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A new Facebook page entitled ‘Brian Boru Pipe Bands NI’ has been set up by Barbara Phillips who also runs the very popular ‘We Love Pipe Bands’ Facebook page. There are only six such bands who play this type of bagpipes in the whole world and they are all based in Northern Ireland.I In County Down are the Ballygowan, Ballymartin and Crimson Arrow bands, Cavanaleck are based just outside County…

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New Website Launches With Original ‘Ensemble Friendly’ Pipe Band Music

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Since retiring in 2021, I have been working full-time on a study, and it has evolved into something that I think the pipe band world will be very interested in. The work, titled: ‘Insights into Pipe Band Ensemble’, was written to investigate how MSR pipe-tunes of the future might be composed so that their rhythms allow for a side-drum accompaniment to integrate more closely with them. By Alan Jones In…

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