Review of the ‘Pipers Meeting’ by Dr Jack Taylor and Patrick Molard

The launch of this book has had an impressive impact: inclusion in the Piobaireachd Society (PS) conference programme isn’t surprising, though nonetheless very welcome, but it was great to have significant coverage on the BBC’s ‘Pipeline’ programme. The Campbell Canntaireachd manuscript (CC) is the oldest known collection of piobaireachd, written in vocables, a system for presenting the music in words (not in staff notation), reflecting the teaching of ceol mor…

Two Days At the Highlands & Islands Festival – Second Instalment

To the contest the following day where I was asked to adjudicate the P/A Piobaireachd and B MSR with Iain MacFadyen. It is always a great pleasure working with Iain and the long hours spent concentrating on the performances seems to fly in. Iain has done so much for piping, turning out so many fine players and judging at the highest level; he sets an example for us all. Only…

Two Days at Oban and the Highlands & Islands Festival

Despite the best endeavours of the architects and town planners, Oban still retains a picturesque character, a town in keeping with the beauty of its bay and surrounding hills. It is a shock, therefore, when the first thing one sees on descending the A85 from Connel is the most grotesquely garish paint job this side of Jackson Pollock. Anyone who lets their eyes rest for more than a few moments on…

Dunedin Games, Florida, and Stuart Liddell Recital

Our North American Correspondent reports a St Thomas Alumni win in  Grade 2 at this north Florida games. The picture up top shows adjudicator Ken Eller scoring Dunedin Middle School… In a sun drenched arena, 17 bands took part in the afternoon competition, with over 120 solo performers going through their paces in the morning session. A crowd of around 15,000, with a strong Texan contingent,  attended a full day of…

PP Ed’s Blog: Schools Poll/ Gordon’s Recital/ SPA Pro/ Piob Soc Conf/ Barnaby

The result of our poll into the suitability or otherwise of the new venue for the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championship were as follows:  Some heart for the organisers if we amalgamate the two bottom stats: 41% think it okay or are prepared to give it another go. The majority however were clearly not happy. Read about the 2017 contest here. The picture up top shows the main winners, George…