Category: Pipe Bands

Further Analysis of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

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The recent article by Alan Jones regarding pipe band adjudication and the judging of ensemble, sparked my interest in view of my former role as a drumming and ensemble adjudicator and my involvement for almost 20 years in RSPBA adjudicator training.   By Alistair Aitken OBE The whole subject of ensemble in particular has been a somewhat contentious one since the concept was first raised well over 60 years ago. …

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Mull Weekend Workshop/ Masters Drumming

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On Friday the 30th January, Tobermory High School Pipe Band ran a pipers’ ceilidh in Park Lodge, Tobermory. It was well attended and the school pipers were supported by visiting tutors Barry Donaldson and Robert Wallace, writes Calum Maclean.  The ceilidh ran from 7-9pm and we had a couple of selections from Robert to open; this included a set of two-part strathspeys and reels which was nice to hear. There…

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Masters Drumming Moves to Piping Centre West

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The Masters Drumming Championship has been cancelled in its planned venue. It will now be held in the Piping Centre in Otago Street. It was due to be held at the Centre for Contemporary Arts, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow tomorrow. The Centre announced this afternoon that it had gone into liquidation. All events and employment have been cancelled with immediate effect. An email to staff confirmed the “deeply painful” news, and…

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Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ NM and AG Entries/ Stuart CD/ Clan Donald Lands/ Drumming Masters

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Judge Neil Mulvie has responded to our recent debate on solo benches, one of the few brave enough to put his head above the parapet on this issue. Neil writes: ‘Not all those who have competed at the highest level make good judges. Some are biased/unethical, some are limited in their wider knowledge, some lack basic analytical skills, some can’t separate the good from the bad and the ugly, some…

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The Basics of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

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The word ensemble, translated from the French, means ‘together.’ How together are the various sections of the pipe band: the pipers, the side drummers and the bass and tenors? In current competition format, how clearly defined are the roles of the piping, drumming, and ensemble judges in measuring this togetherness? By Alan Jones Who measures it within a given section and between the various sections? Is there any overlap of…

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