The judging parameters for solo piping have traditionally been less regulated than those for pipe bands. (There has never been any formal criteria for solo drumming either.)  Nevertheless there are grounds for arguing that the skill requirements for adjudicating solo piping and drumming are much the same as for bands.  With bands, these basic requirements and abilities should apply to every adjudicator, irrespective of discipline, piping, drumming or ensemble.  Some…

The subjects of teaching and adjudication are never far from the surface in the piping and pipe band world. Both can attract widely differing views and can be contentious. There is no doubt that much has changed over the years in methods of teaching piping and drumming. What has certainly not changed is the need to learn properly the basic rudiments, embellishments and musical theory relevant to both musical disciplines. An article…