Editor’s Notebook: Solo Judging/ NM and AG Entries/ Stuart CD/ Clan Donald Lands/ Drumming Masters

Judge Neil Mulvie has responded to our recent debate on solo benches, one of the few brave enough to put his head above the parapet on this issue. Neil writes: ‘Not all those who have competed at the highest level make good judges. Some are biased/unethical, some are limited in their wider knowledge, some lack basic analytical skills, some can’t separate the good from the bad and the ugly, some…

MacGillivray of Calrossie, a New Piobaireachd

I have known Duncan MacGillivray [pictured] now for over 35 years, but because of his career with the Battlefield Band and other traditional groups, had heard of him a long time before actually meeting him. Duncan has been a huge inspiration to many young pipers in the Highlands and is always willing to give them his time freely to teach piping and instruct them in other instruments such as whistles….

The Basics of Pipe Band Ensemble Judging

The word ensemble, translated from the French, means ‘together.’ How together are the various sections of the pipe band: the pipers, the side drummers and the bass and tenors? In current competition format, how clearly defined are the roles of the piping, drumming, and ensemble judges in measuring this togetherness? By Alan Jones Who measures it within a given section and between the various sections? Is there any overlap of…

Review: ‘Garron’, a New CD from Stuart Liddell

It has been a little while since I added to my collection of piping recordings but when I heard that Stuart Liddell had recently released a new CD I just had to buy a copy. I ordered it directly from www.stuartliddell.com and it arrived very quickly. The packaging is excellent with very attractive artwork and it contains a little booklet which lists the tracks and gives some background details on…

Scots Guards KO/ Graeme Johnston/ China Contest

The Army’s Scott McCaskill (pictured) won through to the next round of the Scots Guards KO contest held yesterday at the SG Club, Haymarket, Edinburgh. The large crowd narrowly voted Scott through against his opponent Ross Conner, Campbeltown. Graeme Johnston Contest The West of Scotland Branch of the RSPBA attracted a large entry to their annual juvenile contest held in memory of pipe band stalwart Graeme Johnston. The event was…