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…
To Pittsburgh today for the weekend’s Balmoral Classic competition where I’ll be sharing a bench with this year’s double Gold Medallist Ian K MacDonald and top US piper Jimmy Bell. George Balderose and his team have organised an entertaining weekend of piping and pipe band music. The city itself is no longer the industrial giant it once was (or so I read) but now has a burgeoning tourist industry with…
A hugely popular Australia-based children’s show want to use a pipe tune as part of their act but have as yet failed to get copyright clearance. Leanne Williams, International Royalties Manager for ‘The Wiggles’, has written: ‘I’m hoping you can help me. I’ve been trying to get in contact with the Pinkman family regarding the tune Itchy Fingers and have been in contact with P/M Iain Grant and Mike Greene from…
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…
When is piobaireachd preference not piobaireachd preference? Last Saturday’s showpiece Glenfiddich Championship at Blair Castle produced a three-way tie in points between three pipers Roderick MacLeod, William McCallum and Bruce Gandy. The results were: Ceol Mor – 1 R MacLeod 2 S Liddell 3 I Speirs 4 J Lee 5 B Gandy Ceol Beag – 1 W McCallum 2 B Gandy 3 A MacColl 4 F Johnston 5 I Speirs Points were allocated on a 5,4,3,2,1, basis and…
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