Commenting on our history of Northern Ireland’s Robert Armstrong Memorial band, reader and retired P/M Allan Tutt writes: I have read that John (aka Jack) Geddis (1905-1976) was an honorary member of the Robert Armstrong for many years. I have a watermarked photograph of Jack (courtesy of Kitimat Museum) standing in full uniform playing his beloved pipes upon a seaside pier in front of a passenger ship in Kitimat, British…
The Eastern United States Pipe Band Association offers an interesting model on how to create a pathway between amateur and professional grades. EUSPBA operates competitions across a unified grading structure from novice to professional with players graded according to skill and previous competition results – but I am not suggesting that Scotland simply copies that. The Scottish piping tradition, competition structure and history are different. By Adam Aitchison But there…
CLASP currently publishes set-tune lists for its in-person competitions, while online competitions and the World Amateur Solo Piping Competition operate on an own-choice basis. I understand the practical reason for this. CLASP is an international organisation. Asking an overseas competitor to travel to Scotland for an in-person competition and preparing a prescribed repertoire is one thing; requiring an overseas competitor competing remotely to learn a set-tune list may be considerably…
I am writing this not as a criticism of any individual organisation, judge or competitor, but because I believe there is a wider issue concerning the development of adult amateur solo piping in Scotland and the pathway from amateur competition into the professional circuit. I am a Grade 1 CLASP competitor and have progressed through the CLASP grading system from Grade 3 onwards. Like many adult amateur pipers, I have…
The Glenfiddich Champion for 2026 is Alasdair Henderson. He was placed third in MSR and first in Ceòl Mòr. Runner-up was Stuart Liddell, with Iain Speirs in third. There was a large audience in the great hall at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl. Piobaireachd placings:1 Alasdair Henderson, Red Speckled Bull2 Finlay Johnston, Donald Gruamach’s March3 Stuart Liddell, Lament for the Laird of Anapool4 Alan Bevan, Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute5 Iain…
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