Category: Reviews

PP Ed’s Blog: Live in Ireland/ Angus Nicol/Wallace Success/ RSPBA Results/ South Florida

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The Northern Ireland Branch of the RSPBA have sent this: ‘Live ‘back’ in Ireland 87 Concert at Belfast Waterfront Hall –  30 years ago, the soon-to-be World Champion Pipe Band, Toronto-based, 78th Fraser Highlanders performed and recorded the now-legendary ‘Live in Ireland’ concert. An all-star cast of guest players along with many of the original performers are once again coming together, for the final time, to celebrate the music of…

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PP Ed’s Blog: US Sojourn Day 2 – Balmoral Classic Results/ Toronto Police Concert

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Day two in Pittsburgh began with breakfast with Jimmy and Gordon Bell, illustrious sons of the late and equally illustrious George Bell, Bishopbriggs and New Jersey. I told them that  over the years I had been in regular contact with their father up until his death eight years ago. George had been taught by Bob Hardie in the Bishopbriggs Boys Brigade and in the Kenmure’s Pipe Band. Hardie would go…

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The Day Richard’s Bag Burst, the Power Burst a Drum and the Vale Played the Wrong Tune

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This article first appeared in the October 2008 issue of the RSPBA’s ‘Pipe Band’ magazine. As this issue of the magazine is now out of print, it is reproduced here in the belief that it will be of interest to pipe band members, adjudicators and the listening public. The article was written by Alistair Aitken OBE, one of our most respected pipe band commentators and a former RSPBA adjudicator….. Burst…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Adjudicator Panel/ London Pictures/ Inverness Recital etc.

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Congratulations to John Wilson (left) on his election as Convenor of the RSPBA’s Adjudicator Panel following their meeting last weekend. The full list of appointments was: Convener: John Wilson Vice Convener: Peter Snaddon Secretary: Robert Mathieson Drum Major Adjudicators’ Representative: John Noble Piping Adjudicators’ Representative: Donald MacPhee Drumming Adjudicators’ Representative: Paul Turner Ensemble Adjudicators’ Representative: Cameron Edgar I hope the previous difficulties are now forgotten and the panel can move on. I hope too that they will consider reinstating Ian…

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A Look Back at the 2016 London Championship

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Ian Duncan and I judged the A Grade Piobaireachd for the Ram’s Horn Snuff Mull. Committee Room 5 at the Kensington Conference Centre was the venue and, though adequate, the close proximity of the bench to the room’s playing area may have intimidated some of the pipers and contributed to the mixed standard of play. Two tunes were out on their own: Darach Urquhart’s Big Spree and Nick Hudson’s Lament for…

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