Category: Piobaireachd

Poster Reveals Details of 1785 Contest

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What did pipers play in solo competition almost 230 years ago? A poster from the 1785 competition held in Edinburgh for the Prize Pipe reveals all. It tells us that 50 pieces of ceol mor were heard during the gathering; it proves that the tunes we play today were in common currency back then; it shows that despite Culloden, its shameful aftermath and the Act of Proscription, piping continued to thrive in…

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Northern Ireland Piper of the Year – Critique

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This contest, run by the Northern Ireland Piping Society, was held in the ballroom at the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena, and despite a hum from the cooler behind the bar, it proved an ideal venue for a piping competition; plenty of floor space, plenty of audience space and a draughtless ambience. There were very few listeners in for the piobaireachd in the afternoon  (not unusual, even in Scotland) but the…

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John MacLellan Memorial (Update 3 – critique and pix added)

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Robert Wallace reports: Faye Henderson won the overall trophy at today’s Captain John MacLellan Memorial competition held at the Army School of Piping at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh. This was a superb day of piping organised with perfect precision by the Director of Army Bagpipe Music, Major Steven Small, and his assistant P/M Scott Methven. The standard was extremely high with the judges declaring Faye Henderson’s performance of Donald Gruamach’s March…

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Set Tunes Posted

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The Piobaireachd Society’s Set Tunes list for 2015 has now been posted here. All tunes in the Senior list are MacCrimmon or MacCrimmon related works. Gold Medal candidates will submit eight tunes of their own choice and Silver Medal six. These tunes and requirements are recommendations to the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting competitions. Piobaireachd Society membership is open to all with an interest in the great music. Your pipingpress.com editor,…

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Argyllshire Gathering – the 2014 Gold Medal

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An Engrossing Day of Ceol Mor at Oban 2014 By Robert Wallace Argyllshire Gathering, August 27th and 28th, 2014. Those of us honoured with being asked to judge at the Argyllshire Gathering  meet the evening beforehand to receive our instructions from Piping Steward Jamie Mellor and his Assistant Torquil Telfer.  It is always a convivial gathering with a distinct air of expectation for the morrow and the main…read more…