South Uist and the Day the Barefoot Boy Piper Charmed Sheriff Grant of Rothiemurchus

John Campbell, Kilberry, has kindly forwarded the above picture. John writes: ‘I enclose a photograph that I found in a box. I don’t know who the gentleman is or the location, and even less so the child who looks a piper in the making. Perhaps he developed into a piper of note.’ John subsequently forwarded the picture to piping history researcher Jeannie Campbell. She replied: ‘I felt that I had…

John MacFadyen on the Art of Judging – Part 4

Here we have the penultimate excerpt of John MacFadyen’s comments on judging from the recording made in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1973. In it he discourses on tune selection. He tells an amusing story of the Dunvegan Medal and Sheriff Grant and the confusion between MacFarlane’s Gathering and Too Long in this Condition. He says it is wrong for judges to give favourite tunes to their favourite pipers. He describes…

Editor’s Notebook: SPA Veterans/ Competition Marches/ Chanter for Sale/ Strathallan Success

To the Piping Centre tonight to judge Scottish Pipers’ Association Veteran’s competition. SPA President Logan Tannock: ‘The members veteran’s competition is at 7pm tonight, Friday December 2, in the NPC McPhater Street. ‘If any member aged over 60 wants to enter then they should contact Secretary Melissa Jeffray at  melissajeffrey96@yahoo.co.uk. Entries also taken on the night. ‘If you qualify and would like to take part the playing criteria is a Slow…

Readers Respond to Competition 2/4 March Report: Judges Don’t Select New Music

A selection of the responses to yesterday’s article by Dale Brown on the paucity of modern 2/4 march compositions on the competition boards…. Vincent Janowski: There might be a touch of light coming into your cave, but, again, your post and this list of great tunes ignores the obvious: at one point, most of these tunes were considered ‘modern’. Without today’s easy access to printed books and scores, it must…

Editor’s Notebook: Glasgow Skye/ Bobby’s Uniform/ Aberdeen Piping Club/ Bill Caudill/ New Books

That’s the spirit! In these gloomy times yesterday’s news that Glasgow Skye are back was just the lift the pipe band community needed. We’ve lost far too many bands over the years. Just look at the lists in Alistair Aitken’s article, also yesterday. Even in recent times we all know bands that have lost sponsorship or a pipe major or fallen out with the drum corps and bingo, they’re history….