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

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…

Bob Nicol, A Blunt But Inspirational Teacher

Recent Piping Press posts on the judging of solo piping led to a response from Mr Neil Mulvie in which there was reference to an unnamed piper whose playing was criticised by Bob Nicol. The piper played the piobaireachd Beloved Scotland and apparently did not give enough value to the low A in the commencement to the tune and Nicol uttered the words, ‘he hasn’t got it’. By Duncan Watson This occasion was…

Stirling Contest Update/ NPC Juniors Draw

A quick update on the Stirling Junior Solo Piping Contest scheduled for Saturday 7 March at the King Robert Hotel in Stirling, writes Craig Muirhead.  I’ve had a really strong entry from all across the country for the Under 18s and have a great line-up of judges including Ian Duncan, Gordon McCready, Callum Wynd and Jonathan Greenlees.  Still a few places left and plenty of space in the chanter event,…

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

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…

News from the Piobaireachd Society

The revision of Piobaireachd Society books 1-16 has now been completed with many new settings added, corrections made and important anomalies highlighted, writes President Robert Wallace. The Society’s General Committee appreciates that many pipers already have the old books. These are, of course, still perfectly reliable, especially if the changes as noted by Music Editor Jack Taylor are added to the relevant pages in hard copies. (Details are on the…