Category: Pipe Bands

False Fingering an ‘Unforgiveable Error’- Playing Advice from One of the Greats of Piping and Pipe Bands

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The following is from the Piping, Drumming and Dancing Journal, 1960s. P/M Donald Shaw Ramsay was a brilliant player, pipe major and composer. Tunes to his credit include classics such as the 6/8 Miss Lily Christie, the 2/4 march Jimmy Young, and the hornpipe Tam Bain’s Lum. He won World Championships with the City of Edinburgh Police Pipe Band and came close to doing the same with the legendary Invergordon…

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Archie Kenneth Quaich Today ‘Live’ Online/ Dan’s New Book/ Eilidh’s Legacy Helps Young Musicians

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The competition for the prestigious Archie Kenneth Quaich takes place today (Sat., May 22) online. The contest is being run under the auspices of the Piobaireachd Society’s Music Committee. It features 23 amateur pipers several of whom are previous winners of the coveted Quaich. They are, in playing order:Martin Lee Wey Vern , Leslie Barrett, Dugald MacLeod, Alasdair Beaton, Gill Cairns, James Carnegie , Billy WardropeTom Peterkin , Stuart Letford, Lachlan MacDonald, Andrew…

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History: A Second Hand Set of Pipes Spawned Ireland’s Famous Fintan Lalor Pipe Band

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Over the last year or so I have completed short history projects on famous Northern Ireland bands such as Ballycoan, St Patrick’s Donaghmore, Robert Armstrong Memorial and the Pipes and Drums of the RUC. We have mentioned the various exploits of another band from the island of Ireland, the Fintan Lalor band in Piping Press over the months and years, but this series will be the first pulling together of…

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International Piper Lives Again as Part of Piping Centre Project/ Ontario Composing Contest

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Following the success of its crowdfunding project to digitise the back issues of Piping Times and Piping Today magazines, Finlay MacDonald, the National Piping Centre’s Director of Piping, has announced a new target to allow them to add Captain John MacLellan’s magazine the ‘International Piper’ to the endeavour. The new aim is to garner £33,500. The NPC have already raised £31,000 in just two weeks. Finlay said: ‘The generosity of…

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Ten Years After: The World Pipe Band Championhips of 2011 – Part 3

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We conclude our editor’s reports from the Worlds in 2011 with a detailed review of the Grade 1 Medley and some general thoughts on the competition…. Tunes are back. This was the first, most noticeable feature of the medley competition. For many, certainly the top two in this discipline, out were the old hand-knitted variety of ‘composition’ and in were the Hen’s March and Train Journey North and other traditional…

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