Commenting on our history of Northern Ireland’s Robert Armstrong Memorial band, reader and retired P/M Allan Tutt writes: I have read that John (aka Jack) Geddis (1905-1976) was an honorary member of the Robert Armstrong for many years. I have a watermarked photograph of Jack (courtesy of Kitimat Museum) standing in full uniform playing his beloved pipes upon a seaside pier in front of a passenger ship in Kitimat, British…
The Eastern United States Pipe Band Association offers an interesting model on how to create a pathway between amateur and professional grades. EUSPBA operates competitions across a unified grading structure from novice to professional with players graded according to skill and previous competition results – but I am not suggesting that Scotland simply copies that. The Scottish piping tradition, competition structure and history are different. By Adam Aitchison But there…
CLASP currently publishes set-tune lists for its in-person competitions, while online competitions and the World Amateur Solo Piping Competition operate on an own-choice basis. I understand the practical reason for this. CLASP is an international organisation. Asking an overseas competitor to travel to Scotland for an in-person competition and preparing a prescribed repertoire is one thing; requiring an overseas competitor competing remotely to learn a set-tune list may be considerably…
I am writing this not as a criticism of any individual organisation, judge or competitor, but because I believe there is a wider issue concerning the development of adult amateur solo piping in Scotland and the pathway from amateur competition into the professional circuit. I am a Grade 1 CLASP competitor and have progressed through the CLASP grading system from Grade 3 onwards. Like many adult amateur pipers, I have…
I understand the RSPBA are very close to announcing the venue and date of the elusive fifth Major Championship for 2027. Rumours abound that this Championship, the UK, is heading for either Belfast or Ayr (hot money). The date is likely to be the weekend of 26th June. Already fixed up are the British on May 29 at Ingliston, the Scottish at Dumbarton on July 27th, the Euros at Perth…
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