Category: Reviews

Preview of Saturday’s Grade 2 UK Championship, Stormont, Belfast

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Lomond & Clyde took the British title just a few short weeks ago and here we are on the threshold of the second major championship of the year in the beautiful grounds of Stormont Castle [above], writes our Special Correspondent. Runner-up at Paisley, Glasgow Skye, will be looking to go one better, and drumming winners, Manorcunningham, will be looking to repeat that feat and improve their piping scores. According to…

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PP Ed’s Blog: Band Formations/ Muirheads Names/ Colin Thomson/ Braemar/Jack Lee

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Those of us who have been advocating ‘concert formation’ for pipe band competition for many years were cheered by yesterday’s announcement that the Edinburgh Pipe Band Championship, to be held in Princes Street Gardens on June 18, will adopt just such a format. All credit to John Hughes the RSPBA Lothian & Borders Branch Chairman, and Vice-Chairman of the Association, for taking this initiative. When I played there in the…

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PP Ed’s Blog: J Ban MacKenzie/ Weekend contests/ Govan concert/ Donald McBride

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A painting of John Ban MacKenzie reputed to be worth £10,000 has been stolen from a house in East Lothian in what police have described as a ‘targeted theft’. The picture entitled ‘Piper to the 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane’ by JM Barclay, which dates from 1842, was taken from a house near Kippielaw Farm, near East Linton. The BBC reported that four other paintings of black and gold Asian-style design were…

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Solo Piping Versus Bands and Thoughts on the B Piobaireachd at the Atholl Gathering

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As you may have read, the winner of the B Grade Piobaireachd at Sunday’s Atholl Gathering was Charles MacDonald from Inverness (pictured above on his way to victory). His tune was the Lament for Captain MacDougall, writes the Editor. He had a lovely pipe as far as could be discerned through the discordant hum of the bouncy castle generator directly opposite the platform. Charles’s finger was good apart from the odd…

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Weekend of Recitals and Concerts/ Cadet Pipes & Drums Beat the Retreat

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An important weekend of concerts and recitals tonight and tomorrow. Tonight sees Christopher Armstrong play in the Tulloch Castle Hotel in a recital organised by the Inverness Piping Society. Time: 7 for 7.30 tickets at the door; all welcome. Tomorrow we have the Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipes Band in concert in the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen. This is sure to be a great night if the Boggies previous concerts are…

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