Category: Pipe Bands

New RSPBA Website Up and Running, Reduced Band Fees for 2022 and for 2023 if Finances Permit

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

The new RSPBA website is up and running! After years of criticism about a clunky, non-user friendly website layout, the Association now have ‘an attractive site, the use of which will be of benefit to pipe bands worldwide’. Kathleen Robertson, RSPBA Marketing and Media Convenor, reporting to the Board of Directors: ‘Over the last eighteen months, the Board tasked us with a refresh of the Association website.  ‘I am delighted…

More New RSPBA Website Up and Running, Reduced Band Fees for 2022 and for 2023 if Finances Permit

New Pipe Sergeant at NZ’s Auckland & District/ Award for Lorient’s Lisardo

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Auckland and District Pipe Band (A&D) have announced the appointment of Dunedin-based Scott Marshall to the role of Pipe Sergeant, writes Helen Keir ‘It is very humbling to be considered for a leadership role in the band and I look forward to continue building on the approach taken by Adam Michie and Louise Bentley to producing a quality sound and an enjoyable playing environment,’ said Scott.   Scott began piping as…

More New Pipe Sergeant at NZ’s Auckland & District/ Award for Lorient’s Lisardo

Be a Better Piper: When Choosing a Bagpipe, It is Vital that You Get it Right

Posted on      by      1 Comment

Forget the house or the car. The most important decision a piper has to make is in the instrument he/she buys. Get it wrong and face years of wasteful and expensive plumbing trying to make something out of a very bad situation. Get it right, and you can have hours of musical satisfaction from an instrument that is easy to reed, steady, and an all round pleasure to play. In…

More Be a Better Piper: When Choosing a Bagpipe, It is Vital that You Get it Right

Editor’s Notebook: Pipes Difficulty/ Muirheads Articles/ Paddy Moloney/ Jim Murdock/ John MacLellan Recital

Posted on      by      1 Comment

In a recent poll covered in the national press the pipes came on top as the hardest instrument of all to play. The order given was 1 Bagpipes 2 Piccolo 3 French horn 4 Violin 5 Oboe 6 Flute 7 Cello 8 Accordion 9 Organ and 10 Drums. I’m not sure who conducted this survey or what the criteria were, but it seems spurious to me – no mention of…

More Editor’s Notebook: Pipes Difficulty/ Muirheads Articles/ Paddy Moloney/ Jim Murdock/ John MacLellan Recital

Memories of Muirhead & Sons Pipe Band and the Great P/M Robert G Hardie – Part 2

Posted on      by      10 Comments

As the competition season approached, practices became more frequent and intense.  The week before ‘The Worlds’ would involve several extra practices. I remember one night having just completed a gruelling MSR comprising a six part march, an eight part strathspey, and an eight part reel. Hardie made no comment but casually said, ‘We’ll try that again’!  By Gordon Ferguson Yes, these were solid practices and we were ‘match fit’ by…

More Memories of Muirhead & Sons Pipe Band and the Great P/M Robert G Hardie – Part 2