Tag: Scottish music

Another Band Folds/ Piobaireachd Society News/ RSPBA Annual Fees

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Another pipe band, the Vale of Atholl Grade 2, has folded. However, the name will continue with the organisation’s newly-promoted Grade 3b band. P/M Jamie Falconer has also decided to leave the band organisation. In a statement the Vale said the decision to disband had not been taken lightly. Focus will now be on building up their 3b band with a programme of youth development. The statement read: ‘The decision…

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‘Beyond Binneas’  – A New Look at a Famous Piobaireachd Collection

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The ground breaking piobaireachd collection ‘Binneas is Boreraig’ (BiB), was published by Dr Roddy Ross some 60 years ago, and aimed to capture the playing of the master piper Malcolm Macpherson.   By Pat Terry It employed notational devices that pipers familiar with the notation used in many other collections of ceòl mòr found strange [colour coded, three-line stave].  In 2022, Chris Terry (a pupil of John MacFadyen) set out…

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Capping Band Numbers: Readers Respond Part 2

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This important topic continues to engage the pipe band community, writes the Editor. A further range of opinions is printed below. People are clearly very concerned at a situation which leaves Scotland with only five Grade 1 bands. Surely something must be done to arrest this ongoing decline? Thanks once more to everyone who has contributed. Andrew Young: I feel a Grade 1A and 1B would work better with a…

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Capping Band Numbers: Readers Respond

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A range of responses to the ongoing debate on the demise of Grade 1 bands, writes the Editor. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write. However I feel it is significant that nowhere in any of the correspondence is any alternative solution offered. Plenty of negativity but nothing positive. One readers seems happy with only six Scottish G1 bands. (It’s actually five unless Police & Federation get back…

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Editor’s Notebook: A Cap on G1 Bands/ Donald’s Powder Horn/ Winter School/ Pic ID/ Ross Miller

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I’ve heard a suggestion that the RSPBA are about to survey bands to ask their attitude to caps on numbers. I hope this chatter is a matter of fact. It would demonstrate a responsible response by the authorities to the disaster of losing two grade one bands in Closkelt and Johnstone, the root cause of which is a lack of personnel. I hope the bands respond positively but am not…

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