Tag: Scottish music

PP Ed’s Blog: Junior Contests/ School Champs./ Hugh’s Picture/ Tattoo Piper/ I’ray Concert

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With the demise of the Craigmount Junior solos is there any competition for young pipers in the city of Edinburgh? If not I hope someone steps forward to fill the gap. The capital has a much changed piping landscape since the great days of the Eagle Pipers Professional contest held each November, the British Legion contest and the Edinburgh Police contest. Maybe there were no junior contests back then either,…

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Pipe Band History: P/M Ian Duncan and Vale of Atholl PIpe Band

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This short interview was made in 2001 when P/M Duncan retired after his landmark time at the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band. As well as taking the band from Grade 4 to the top of Grade 1 in 11 years, Ian and his brother Gordon set the trend for much of the pipe band music that is played today. A significant achievement. Ian is now a respected senior solo adjudicator and pipe…

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Judging Debacle: Perceived Bias Must Be Justified With Reference to Facts

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South Africa-based professional piper and lawyer Nicholas Taitz responds to yesterday’s letter regarding the controversial decision by the Solo Piping Judges Association to ban their members from sitting on benches where pupils may be competing, this rule covering the Argyllshire Gathering, the Northern Meeting and the London Championship. Today we also carry another letter on this issue, this time from Iain Marshall, Oban. The actual issues surrounding this rule must…

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PP Ed’s Blog: N. Lanarkshire Schools Success/ SSPDT Instructor Wanted/ Vegas Piper/ 1967 Worlds

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Congratulations to North Lanarkshire Schools on being named Pipe Band of the Year at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards in Dundee at the weekend. It caps a great year for P/M Ross Cowan and his band coming as it does on top of their success at the Worlds in Novice A. They also continue to make an impression in junior solo contests with NLS pipers taking good prizes at Shotts last Saturday….

More PP Ed’s Blog: N. Lanarkshire Schools Success/ SSPDT Instructor Wanted/ Vegas Piper/ 1967 Worlds

African blackwood: New Protection Rule Exemption Brings Relief for Bagpipemakers

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On January 2 the African blackwood tree will be added to the protected species list of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. This means that all trade in the wood, from the tree dalbergia melanoxylon, will be controlled and certified at a cost to the grower and the importer. CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export of species of flora…

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