Readers Letters: P/M Hamilton Workman and the RSPBA Pipe Band College

We have received the following comments regarding articles in this week’s Piping Press. Firstly this from reader Joe Hardy on ‘Remembering P/M Hamilton Workman, HLI’: ‘This is a truly wonderful memory of Hammie. So many pipers today don’t really know about him and don’t understand how important he was to piping in the U.S. I attended the North American Academy of Piping [NAAPD] every summer between 1985 and 2007.  ‘Hammie…

Review: Scottish Pipers Association Professional

I wonder about the wisdom of the C grade. I know it is popular with the Competing Pipers’ Association and the pipers, but it is a burden on contest promoters. The SPA Professional on Saturday was a case in point. Everything was done and dusted by 5pm – except for the C Piob. We eventually finished at 7pm – and this from a prompt 8.30am start. The lack of rooms…

Editor’s Notebook: Scottish Pipers/ Piping on Radio/ Lochaber Anniversary/ Book Query

The Scottish Pipers’ Association Professional contest is at the Piping Centre in McPhater Street, Glasgow, from 8.30 tomorrow morning and is sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society and the Competing Pipers’ Association. Admission is £5 at the door which, as President Logan Tannock says, would be a bargain at double that price. There are contests for all levels from C grade to Premier, light music and piobaireachd. This will be the…

Editor’s Notebook: PS Conference/ Watson’s Bursary/ SPA Entries/ Virginia Tattoo/ Band Entries

one of the supplementary benefits of the Piobaireachd Society conference is the time afforded for informal chats. They were happening all over the place at the Golden Lion in Stirling last weekend. One was a follow on to Michael Grey’s talk on Bill Livingstone and the great tape recording scandal. There are phones recording everything now we pondered – in the piper’s sporran as he plays, and all over the…

Northern Ireland News

Ulster at the Duncan Johnstone: On Saturday 21st March a number of pipers from Northern Ireland took part in the annual Duncan Johnstone Memorial competition in Glasgow. The overall winner of the B Grade competitions was Andrew Pattison, while Scott Wallace was the Grade C winner. The B Piobaireachd was won by Rathfriland’s James Frazer who also placed fifth in the B MSR and second in the B Jig. Scott…