Category: Tuition

Northern Ireland: UK Championships/ New Bands/ Brian Harvey/ Ardmore Cup/ Cancer Kids Charity

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I surmised in my November bulletin that there remained the potential for a UK Championships in Northern Ireland, particularly with the 2026 All-Ireland Fleadh coming to Belfast from the 2nd – 9th August. My thinking was based on the fact that a significant amount of funding would be going toward that event, and that with Ulster Scots events were becoming more prevalent within the Irish folk scene for example at the…

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Editor’s Notebook: Cowal Gathering/ Solo Judging/ Clan MacRae Comment/ New Year

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Yesterday’s story on the founding of the SPBA mentioned the current relationship between pipe bands and Cowal Games. Correspondent Ian Forbes sums things up well: ‘The demise of the Cowal Pipe Band Championships is an historic and cultural tragedy in the world of piping. ‘From 1906 and for over 40 years, Dunoon hosted the ‘unofficial’ world pipe band championships, as part of the Cowal Highland Gathering. Hundreds of  thousands of…

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Piobaireachd Society Conference/ RSPBA Graeme Johnston Juvenile Contest

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The Piobaireachd Society has formally announced details of its 2026 Annual Conference. It will be held in the Royal George Hotel, Perth, from March 27-29. The conference features four presentations: ‘The Life and Music of Bill Livingstone’ by Michael Grey, Ontario, the ‘Origins of Piobaireachd’ by Dr Hugh Cheape and Dr Peter McCalister, ‘Let Piobaireachd Flourish’, a look at ceòl mòr from a Glasgow perspective by John Mulhearn, and ‘100…

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Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ Ian’s Funeral/ Fifth Major Secured/ Diary Dates

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Following our report from the Solo Judges Association last week we received this anonymous comment: ‘In your report on the judging of solo piping there is a reference that judges must not judge their pupils and I understand this has been extended to include genres of pipe music the judge may in fact not teach that individual. ‘It would appear that if she/he teaches him solely ceòl beag, she/he may not…

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UKs Return to Northern Ireland/ Jimmy McIntosh MBE Workshop Weekend

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The United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships will be held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Saturday, 13 June 2026. Securing the fifth major is a significant success for the RSPBA and its Chief Executive Colin Mulhearn and his team. They had come under criticism for not fulfilling the statutory number of championships in 2025, and until now only four had been announced for 2026. These are: British Championships, Ingliston, May 30;…

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