HISTORY: PIPERS, PIPING AND PIPE MUSIC IN THE SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS 1778 -1924, PART 3

Today we have the third instalment of our abridged excerpts from the above book by Ian Hamilton Mackay Scobie. The book was published in 1924 and is now out of print. This excerpt talks of piobaireachd being superseded by ceol beag as duty tunes and the effect on the fingers of playing in bands. Above is a picture of Seaforth militia pipers in 1880 under P/M Ronald MacKenzie….  In an old…

PP Ed's Blog: S Guards KO/ SPA Dates/ Tutor 1/ BB Jubilee/ Inverness Piping Society/ Alex Beaton

Lucky Jimmy Banks is off on a cruise so thanks to John Rae for sending the latest from the Scots Guards KO: ‘The winner of the knockout piping held at the Scots Guards Club, Edinburgh, on Sunday 26 November 2017 to a capacity crowd, was Dan Nevans who edged out Jamie Elder in a closely matched contest. ‘Dan goes through to the semi-finals along with Jonathan Simpson and Ben Duncan….

PP Ed's Blog: Judging Poll/ Scottish Schools/ Sponsorship/ Nerves Cure/Overseas Trips

It would seem that most readers think we should be allowing judges to keep going irrespective of age provided they are healthy. That’s the main finding of our poll launched last week following my article Judging Dilemma – When is it Time to Call it a Day?  Forty-three per cent of respondents thought this the best way forward, even though it puts them out of step with the RSPBA who…

My Tune for P/M Richard Parkes of Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band

A couple of weeks ago the editor mentioned on his blog a new piobaireachd that had been composed by piper, adjudicator and professional reedmaker Donald MacPhee. The tune commemorates the remarkable achievements of P/M Richard Parkes of Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band and here Donald gives us the background to his composition….. Many thanks for your kind thoughts on the tune. The story behind it: I was a piper in Field…

PP Ed's Blog: Inveraray PB/ BB Exhibition/ Pipers' Persuasion/ Judges Poll/ Jubilee March

I hear Inveraray Pipe Band are to pipe in the New Year on BBC Scotland’s Hogmanay television show. It caps off a great year for the band after they were crowned World Champions on Glasgow Green last August. Add to that the fact that P/Sgt Alasdair Henderson won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting and Leading Drummer Steven McWhirter the World Solos and you can see that the band…