Category: Tuition

Greenville SC Games and Jimmy McIntosh Contest

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Greenville Highland Games Professional Piping, May 29, 2016 By Robert Wallace The  most impressive aspect of the Jimmy McIntosh MBE piobaireachd competition (held as part of the Greenville SC Highland Games) was the level of musicianship of the participants. They demonstrated an understanding of time signatures and phrasing not always heard on the professional stage. Much of that can be credited to Jimmy himself. Now 90 and living in Anderson, South…

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New Sponsorship Deal for Boghall/ Major Piobaireachd Archive Completed

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Two days before the first pipe band championship of 2016 at Paisley, one of the world’s top bands, Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia, have announced a new sponsorship deal. Car firm Peoples Ford will sponsor the band for at least one year with an option for a further term. The sponsorship, announced by Peoples chairman Brian Gilda, continues a link with the band stretching back more than 30 years when it performed…

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PP Editor’s Blog: Ian’s March/ Mod Reminder/ Early Band Contests/ Knox Tour

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With all his success as a pipe major it is easy to forget what a great solo piper P/M Ian McLellan was –  a winner of all the big light music titles including Former Winners’ MSRs. Ian (above), you may not know, was also taught piobaireachd by Captain Andrew Pitkeathly in the Argylls, but band work took over and he didn’t have time to pursue it. He excelled at march…

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PP Academy: Jigs Ain’t What They Used to Be

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In last week’s references to Duncan Johnstone I deliberately avoided mention of his oft-used description as ‘King of the Jigs’. I don’t know where or how he assumed this epithet but it was one he disliked. He was good at them mind. His was a rounder style, perhaps, given his Barra roots, an island way of handling this much-maligned tune form. Duncan’s presentation was often misinterpreted as straight as a die…

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Be a Better Piper: A Few Tips for the Games

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The following advice may be of use to all pipers, but especially those who intend competing round the games this summer. Before any public performance be aware that your bagpipe sound is 99% of the battle. You will NEVER do well on an ill-sounding instrument, yet even the more middle of the road piper can excel when his or her instrument displays vibrancy and accuracy of tuning. I say, perhaps…

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