PP Editor’s Blog: Highlands & Islands/ SPA Juniors/ Music Downloads/ New England Camp/ Band Championships

To the Highlands & Islands contest at Oban tonight for a spot of judging. I’ll publish the results as soon as I have them tomorrow evening so stay tuned for that. There is a good entry in all events and my fellow adjudicators, in no particular order, are Iain MacFadyen, Andrew Wright, Ronald MacShannon, Stuart Shedden, Neil Mulvie, Ian McLellan and Walter Cowan. The juniors will be in good hands…

Gourock Draw & Times/ London Busking Problem for Pipers

The revised draw and playing times for the Gourock Pipe Band Competition to be held a week on Sunday (May 10) has now been posted on the RSPBA website. The revision was due to a number of late entries. Adjudicators: Arena 1 – (Piping) John Wilson & Ronnie McShannon, (Drumming) Jim Baxter, (Ensemble) Gordon Lawrie; Arena 2 –  (Piping) Richard Parkes & Robert Shaw, (Drumming) Mick O’Neill, (Ensemble) Joe Noble.   PP…

Silver Chanter 2015, Dunvegan Castle, Isle of Skye

Details of this year’s Silver Chanter Recital/ Competition have been announced. Pipers invited are William Geddes, Douglas Murray, Roderick MacLeod, Stuart Liddell, Iain Speirs and Callum Beaumont. They have all accepted. Cailean Maclean, Chairman of the Skye Piping Society, is now the main organiser and takes over from Mrs Emily MacDonald. The competition takes place on Wednesday 5th August in the historic drawing-room at Dunvegan Castle, seat of Clan Macleod. The…

Highlands & Islands Piping Draw

The draw for the Highlands & Islands solo piping has just been released: SENIOR PIPING, Saturday 2 May, 2015, Oban High School Adjudicators:  A Wright, N Mulvie, R MacShannon, S Shedden, R Wallace, I MacFadyen, I McLellan, W Cowan. Class 27 Piobaireachd, Grade A & P 9am Trophies:  1st – Cooper Salver, 2nd – Dugald MacColl Memorial Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh Chris Armstrong, Airth Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh Michael Elder,…

PP Editor’s Blog: Judging/Bellows Piping/Band Re-Grades

Mr McCombie-Smith made some interesting comments yesterday regarding manufacturers and judging in the 1890s. In more modern times this is something that has been an issue, but more so in the bands. The matter was quickly sorted a few years ago when the RSPBA introduced monitoring. Any judge giving preferential treatment to bands playing his instruments could be easily identified and the matter is no longer a concern.  Unfortunately it has, indirectly, reared…