Archive for the ‘PT Editors Blog’ Category

Forgot I had these pix from the pre-Xmas jaunt to Bologna. First shows some of the students; second, same sitting their PDQB theory papers and the third is of our host Pietro getting a kiss from his wife Simonneta after his induction into the Lions at a ceremony in Florence we were invited to.

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Now that the annual bash is over time to turn thoughts to the summer. Torquil up in Oban sent this:
‘Maybe something for your blog. The AG is always held on the 4th Thurs of Aug and the piping the Wednesday the day before. As the first is a Thursday there will be five Thursdays  in August next year I believe that this will mean that the AG and Cowal may be a week apart! Topical just now as the AG
website is open for entries. Regards to all. Nollaig Chridheil is Bhliadhna math ur. Torquil.’  Interesting T and will probably be a welcome breather between these two events. How long can Cowal hold on to its band championship status, is one whisper doing the rounds just now.
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One of the more splendid cards received over N Year was this from Brittany:

The Bretons are so very good at photographing their dramatic  seascapes, and the bombarde and binou koz in the foreground set things off perfectly.
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Chris Cloete from S Africa: ‘Thought I’d forward you a little song I wrote about a piper, who having strayed away from playing piobaireachd has a dream which reunites him with the music, after a trip through history… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvWB7un9fo8&feature=youtu.be I hope you like it.’
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Thanks to all those who left kind messages on the Hogmanay post.
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Jeannie Campbell has sent this photograph from the 1940s. It’s of a ball held by Fianna nan Alba (probably got that wrong), a nationalist group Seumas MacNeill belonged to. You can spot him in the back row.

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Entries for Comann na Mara composing contest closed now. Hard to believe the response we’ve had. Clearly the urge to compose is as strong as ever among pipers worldwide. Thanks to all those who took part. I am sure there will be one or two gems among the dozens of tunes. More in the Feb PT.
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Someone on Facebook was asking what was all the fuss about funding for piping in the Dec PT. No fuss, just facts. Here’s the story again word for word. It covers awards for two years, 2011 and 2012: ‘The Scottish government’s arts funding organisation, Creative Scotland, has issued the following information on successful and unsuccessful grant applications from piping bodies since 2010. Creative Scotland funds a number of piping applications both through its investment programmes and the Awards for All scheme.
2011/12
The Piping Centre, Glasgow, towards ‘the study and promotion of the great Highland bagpipe. To encourage and inspire study and performance of Scotland’s national instrument’: £87,781
World Bagpipe Innovation Fund ‘digital content’: £15,000
Glasgow International Piping Festival: £10,000
Glasgow International Piping Festival ‘One Step Further’: £29,950
Piping Arts Ltd, Aberdeenshire ‘Gordon Highlanders heritage project’: £4,800
Peterhead PB for instruments and equipment: £10,000
Kilmarnock Pipe Band to mark their 80th anniversary: £7,995
Dumfries and Galloway Council for support of local pipe bands: £6,000.
Finzean (Aberdeenshire) Piping Society to purchase necessary equipment: £1,500
RSPBA Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway for a learning workshop of children: £1,500
Stromness (Orkney) Pipe Band to take members to the European Championships in Belfast: £3,588
Bicentenary Pipe Band Championships to ‘organise and hold the annual pipe band championships for the tenth anniversary: £9,700
Glasgow International Piping Festival ‘Awards for All’: £10,000
Glasgow International Piping Festival ‘Awards for All’: £25,950
Ceolas Festival, Uist: £29,000
St Ronan’s Piping Society, to organise a 10th anniversary event which includes a solo piping and drumming event for under 18s: £5,560
Comrie & Dist Piping Association: £3,600
Stromness RBL PB: £4,368
2010/11
The Piping Centre towards ‘the cost of inspiring the composition of new music, enhancement of performance and delivery of education work’: £95,020
Rothesay PB to engage young people and develop touring programmes: £29,770
Piping Centre, National Youth Pipe Band, Creative Scotland: £30,000
Glasgow International Piping Festival from Creative Scotland: £5,000
Mauchline & District PB: £3,750
Glasgow International Piping Festival from Awards for All: £5,000
Piping Centre, National Youth Pipe Band, Awards for All: £30,000
Rothesay and District, Awards for All: £7,852
Cockenzie & Port Seton Royal British Legion P&D: £10,000
Kirkcaldy High school: £10,000
Perth & District PB: £6,500
Stirling & Dist. schools PB: £3,805
Strathendrick PB: £5,000
Royal Burgh of Stirling PB: £6,200
‘Refused applications (excludes refusals under the ‘Awards for All’ scheme):
Aberdeenshire Council who asked for £30,000 towards developing the Aberdeenshire Youth Pipes and Drums initiative.
Glasgow International Piping Festival who asked for £10,000 towards the cost of programming especially the opening night aimed at a ‘young, vibrant audience’.
‘Creative Scotland has come under fire recently from leading Scottish writers, artists, playwrights and musicians. Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, a keen supporter of piping who attended the 2012 World Pipe Band Championships and the Worlds Week concert by Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia PB, has called for the body to improve.
‘Chairman of Creative Scotland is Sir Sandy Crombie, former Group Chief Executive of pensions giant Standard Life. He is Vice Chairman of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland which with the Piping Centre delivers degree courses in piping and traditional music.
‘Another board member who will be known to pipers and who will have an important say in all bagpipe related funding applications is Gary West. Gary presents the BBC’s popular ‘Pipeline’ radio show. The figures show that over the past two years by far the biggest winners in the subsidy stakes are the Piping Centre based at McPhater Street, Glasgow. The Centre received £182,801 in public funding, their Piping Live Festival £80,900 and their National Youth Pipe Band £60,000.’

The new CoP Shop webstore is up and running. Customers will have the option of trying either the old or the new for a couple of weeks and once we are sure everything is operating glitch free the old one will go. The new one has a more user friendly interface with postage calculated at source etc; all the facilities the modern webshop should have. If anyone has any thoughts or issues please give us some feedback to: [email protected]. To access the new store go to CoP Shop on the CoP home page and hover over the tab.
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CoP closed 12 noon  Dec 24 for staff lunch + Dec 25 and 26; reopens 9am Dec 27; Closes 12 noon Dec 31;  reopening Jan 3 9am. I want to say a huge personal thanks to all those who have helped the College and the Piping Times over the last year. Without our advertisers, suppliers, readers, students, thousands of CoP Shop customers, members and supporters we would not be able to continue our work for piping worldwide. We march on into 2013 confident we can build on our work as piping’s leading charity. Hard to believe that next year marks ten years since we moved back into Otago Street after the rebuild. All the best to everyone for 2013.
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A new mural of Glasgow’s west end was unveiled a couple of months back at Hillhead underground station, a short walk from the College. It’s by the writer and artist Alasdair Gray. Unfortunately we are not on it but the arrow points the way: 

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Thanks to Pietro Malaguti and Simonietta for an enjoyable weekend in Bologna. His students are well taught with five easily passing their Level 1 PDQB. Three struggled a bit and two had to decline. Some of them flew in from as far away as Sicily which says a lot for their commitment  On the Saturday afternoon we had a very interesting talk about Scots language from the brilliant Prof. Iain L.Fraser. Iain hails from Hillhead and is now resident near Florence where he works as a translator. He speaks 12 languages fluently and can write and translate about 50. Staggering. I managed to keep pace with the train of most of his thoughts but only when he reverted to west end Glasgow dialect. Apart from what I learned from Iain here are a few other bits of not so useless Tally info: The dessert Tira mi su translates as ‘pick me up’ which is what the coffee, chocolate  ingredients are designed to achieve; Spaghetti Bolognese is an oxymoron – they don’t eat spag in Bol: they have their special sauce with tagliatelle; the River Po as in the popular retreat march The Argylls Crossing the River Po by RH Brown should be pronounced ‘paw’ as in bear, not ‘po’ as in chanty.
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Rod Caird has sent this: ‘Ipswich Piping Society is proud to announce that on Friday April 5^th 2013 we are lucky enough to have Donald MacPhee coming to Ipswich to give a recital. Donald of course is a Gold Medal winner, Field Marshal Montgomery piper and world-class dance music player – as well as being a maker of very fine reeds. The recital will be at the Holiday Inn, 2, The Havens, Ipswich IP3 9SJ at 7.30pm; tickets can be obtained at £12.00 each by emailing Rod Caird on .’ Should be a great evening….
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Barry Donaldson has confirmed the details for the popular Wheel of Fortune contest to be held in Danderhall Minders n Feb 9. Cracking line-up:

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PT/ PB: both magazine will be out end of next week. PB has lots on World Solo Drumming and young superstar Grant Cassidy now of Inveraray. PT has good piece on tartan, Echoes of Oban,  Norman Matheson’s reminiscences and the usual sparkling features….well worth £1.90.
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They say that owners, over time, end up looking like their dogs. Clearly in the case of a certain SFU front ranker things are moving along rather quickly. Here is his new dug (called Piper)

‘Piper’

and next its proud owner who also answers to the name ‘Piper’ (why, we’ll never understand):

Seriously, Robert tells me he has a superb new range of fabrics at the Kilt Centre so if you are thinking of getting a new piping suit you may like to check out the Kilt Centre.

To Italy today where we have ten PDQB students sitting exams. Pietro Malaguti is our host in Bologna. He’s doing great work pushing the bagpipe in that part of Italy and highly commendable that he’s put so many of his students forward for exams albeit that they are all at a pretty basic level. Pipers are well thought of in Italy (Scots and others) as there is a tradition that they brought news of the birth of Christ. Today it is still considered lucky if a piper comes to your door at this time of year, and he is often rewarded with lavish hospitality….
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The following gives details of our New England School 2013 and will be on the website today:
The College of Piping’s New England School has a new home for 2013, Endicott College, Beverly, Mass. Set in beautiful grounds near the seafront and with five star facilities, the campus will be an ideal location in which to improve on your piping and drumming. The dates of the 2013 camp are July 14 -20. We are in the Hawthorne building. We meet before lunch on the 14th for auditions and a general getting-to-know-you session and after lunch there will be lessons, band practice and, after supper, a recital from one of your instructors. Each day will follow a set pattern of Reveille at 7, Breakfast at 8, Assembly at 9 and classes thereafter with breaks for lunch and coffee. Daily band practice and piobaireachd class will be at 4pm and the evening lecture/recital at 7pm. Your instructors will be on hand throughout the day and evening. Examinations for those who wish to take them will be available at all levels and will be conducted on the Thursday with certificates awarded at the closing concert and ceremony on the Friday night. Saturday morning there will be a short de-brief and assessment from class instructors. Students are encouraged to practice hard during down time but the object of the week is to improve your technique, sound and musical understanding in an atmosphere of enjoyment and friendship. All levels and age groups will be catered for. There will be a school parade into the nearby town, a pub night and a Class of ’13 photograph, and if there is demand, a beach barbecue (small charge).  Prices have been kept as low as possible and are as follows (double occupancy):
Non-refundable deposit of $160 dollars secures place.
Earlybird, paid in full by March 1st, $795; Earlybird balance, after initial deposit, $635.
Regular, $845; regular balance, due by May 31st and after initial deposit, $685.
Non-residential, $645 (includes lunch & dinner); non-residential balance due by May 31st and after initial deposit, $485
A single occupancy supplement may be available, price on application.
The UK pound sterling equivalents of these prices are on the CoP Shop. For further information please email our US contact Bruce Landay on [email protected]. For registration queries and alternative methods of payment (dollar cheque or bank transfer) please contact Margaret at the CoP on [email protected] .
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Those interested may like to note that the Nameless tune Hiharin Odin, Hiharin Dro, one of the set tunes for the Gold Medal, has  been added to CoPiobaireachd.
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PS bursary is to be repeated next year so all under 18 looking for a some good tuition might like to get the next PT where the details are published. More or less same as last year.
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Neil Clark has sent this clipping from his local newspaper:

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Craig Munro of Wallace Bagpipes has sent this testimonial from one of his customers: Thank you for working with me in putting together a set of Standard 2 bagpipes that fits my needs and budget.  I am especially thankful for your having the scripture verses Psalm 100, Philippians 4:13, and Luke 12:48 engraved respectively on each of the ringcaps. I am also very pleased with the red, white, and blue colour scheme.  The tube moisture control drying system that came with the Ross bag is working great.  The zipper on the Ross bag allows me easy access to the drying bottle so that I can dry out the cloth after each time I play. Your willingness to educate me about bagpipes and patience in helping me put together a set of bagpipes is greatly appreciated. I had attempted to play the practice chanter on my own over 15 years ago but I was unsuccessful, so I gave my practice chanter away.   I purchased another practice chanter in 2010, towards the tail end of my first deployment to Afghanistan, but once again I was unsuccessful.  A few weeks Prior to my last deployment in February 2012 I learned that our signal officer, CPT Rob Stigers, played the bagpipes.  When I asked Rob if he would help me  learn to play the practice chanter he told me he would.  Rob and I met at least once per week for 6 months.  I never thought that I would ever be able to play an instrument much less read music.  After 6 months I had learned to read the music for and play about 9 songs.  Our weekly meetings and my daily practice helped me tremendously in dealing with very stressful situations in Southern Afghanistan.  Unfortunately our unit lost 6 Paratroopers during our deployment.  During our memorial services in Afghanistan I spoke a Biblical message and Rob followed my message by playing Amazing Grace.

Chaplain (CPT) John Monahan, 1-508 PIR 82nd ABN DIV (pictured).
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Jimmy Banks’ tune for Tony MacDonald:
Well done Jim; I am sure Tony will be mightily cheered up when he hears it.
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Fred and friend on stage at the CoP

The audience were very enthusiastic for Fred Morrison who entertained them for the best part of three hours at the CoP last night. Among those in the 80+ audience were Tracey Williams, Andrew Frater, Stuart Liddell, Joe and Lynn Noble, Jonathan Graham, Rona MacDonald and her father and host of other piping notables. Thanks to Willie and Margaret and the others who made it happen.
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Let’s all wish John Wilson well after his recent surgery. John is recovering well and will be back among us v soon.
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Lot of unfortunate stuff happening in N Ireland at the moment but there will be cause for celebration next Thursday when a reception is held for the Northern Ireland Piping and Drumming School (NIPDS). They report: ‘The NIPDS has educated some of our finest musicians to world class standard, with great  support from Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Every piping adjudicator and tutor in Northern Ireland is a past pupil of the school and NIPDS take great pride in promoting the cross cultural, cross community ethos of piping, drumming and Highland dancing through education and learning. You are invited to join the NIPDS at a celebratory reception at The Long Gallery, Stormont Parliament Buildings on Thursday 13^th December at 12.30pm where you can hear more about the success of the school and their plans to build even further on their fine reputation. Refreshments will be served and a feast of festive piping and drumming will be showcased which will surely warm you up and have your toes tapping!’ Unfortunately I won’t manage but we wish the NIPDS well and all success for the future. And the same to all bodies, including the RSPBA NI branch, who do so much for piping and drumming – and therefore the community – in the province.
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The College a good mention for its work from MSP Stuart McMillan when he spoke last week in the Scottish Parliament. He spoke spoke about the work the College is doing to provide disadvantaged students with access to music tuition in his speech. Here is a link to the video of the debate if you would like to watch it. Stuart speaks at 25:46. http://scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/41517.aspx.
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The CoP New England School will be held from July 14 – 21 next summer at a cracking new venue, Endicott College, Beverly, Mass. near Boston. Registrations will open very soon via the College website. Check out the college here. Lovely venue close to the sea. We’ll keep the rates as competitive as we can as always.
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Midst all the brouhaha surrounding the sad demise of Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band (good comments on Fast News from Stewart Gardiner by the way) it seems certain that Strathclyde Police will be competing next year as City of Glasgow Police PB. And they’re considering moving their practices from Pitt Street in the city centre to the Pearce Institute in Govan and have embarked on a new youth piping foundation in partnership with the Govan Weavers. Here’s a report in the Weavers’ Newsletter: ‘In preparation of the Annexation Centenary Dinner, discussions with Duncan Nicholson, Pipe Major of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and his colleague Iain MacPherson developed into a new project for the Weavers with the band members becoming interested in promoting piping in Govan. The band which is currently based at Pitt Street in the City centre is having to relocate as part of the reorganisation of Police services and moving back to Govan and the Pearce Institute is one of the options under consideration. The members of the Band had become aware of the Weavers Society involvement with local schools and our desire to improve options for local youngsters and a suggestion was made that the members of the band could provide lessons for all primary school pupils in Govan with a view to forming a Govan Burgh Youth Band. This idea was circulated to local schools and the response was most encouraging to the point that late collector Tom McInally has undertaken to establish the availability of funding for instruments and other equipment. The indications are that around 120 local school pupils from Pirie Park, St Saviour’s, Riverside and St Constantine’s will receive tuition in Piping and Drumming from February 2013 subject to the availability of funds. The Master Court of the Weavers has intimated support for the project and will no doubt be seeking to arrange further fundraising opportunities over the next year. Further information will be posted as this exciting opportunity for piping to come back home to Govan develops.’ Bruce Thomson’s winning tune and a report on the recent anniversary dinner will be in the next PT.
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New edition of the John MacColl book now available in hard copy. Already on iPad and other tablets.
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Last three weeks for the Ceol na Mara composing contest. An awful lot of entries but if you’re not in you can’t win so all you budding GS’s and Donald MacLeod’s put pen to paper (or computer equivalent) now and let’s have your tunes. It is a prestigious contest to win with the successful pieces being played at a concert in top Glasgow night spot Oran Mor and at a concert up in North Uist.

Well the Echoes was, I feel, another outstanding success – thanks entirely to the expertise of the pipers and the CoP staff who ran the bar, set out chairs and generally kept things moving. I’ve recorded all the tunes for CoP Radio so if you didn’t make it listen out in the coming months. Also some shots recorded for CoP TV. There was a suggestion that we might do a live streaming but there  just wasn’t time to get it all together. Maybe next year. Certainly the Echoes would make an eminently watchable webcast with no gaps for tuning, the whole thing run like a concert. Last Saturday we started at 7.30pm sharp and the crowd who didn’t want to hang around at the end for a drink were homeward bound, show complete, by 9.45. There was not a bad pipe on the night. A big thank you to the following champions: Angus J MacColl jnr., Jonathan Graham, Dr Innes Smith, Dr Peter McCalister, Finlay Johnston, Alastair Dunn, P/M Gordon Walker and P/M Stuart Liddell.
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A lot of well known pipers attended: Donald MacPhee, Fiona Manson, Nils Michael, Alasdair Henderson to name a few. Fiona tells me she is headed back to the Antipodes after 12 years in Scotland. Her many fans needn’t worry – she says she’ll be back each summer to compete.
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More top piping at the CoP in March. The Uist & Barra Professional Contest is on  Saturday 9th  2013 at 9am; £8  pay at door.
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Wednesday saw us all gather in the Pearce Institute for the ‘world premier’ if that is not a too grand title of the winning tunes in the contest run by the PT for the Govan Centenary marking their joining the city of Glasgow. It was a great occasion with scrumptious food provided by Gleneagles Hotel and lovely music from the Govan Gaelic Choir. The two tunes placed first and second were performed perfectly by Strathclyde Police PB under P/M Duncan Nicholson. Hear them on December’s CoP Radio. Winning composer Dr Bruce Thomson made a nice speech and both he and the second placed composer Angus Lawrie were heartily applauded by the 250 guests.
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Talking of police pipe bands, I was sorry to hear that Lothian and Borders Police PB were to be wound up. Anyone who remembers the band in their heyday under DS Ramsay and Iain MacLeod will have serious pangs of nostalgia. Still, nothing is forever and I am sure another Grade 1 band will emerge in the capital city in the not too distant future.
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For those that didn’t get the link to Stuart Gardiner’s web photos here it is again http://clanweb.org.uk/pipebandarchive.html

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Dirk-Boris Rödel reports from south Germany: ‘On the 17th and 18th of November the Kilts & More Academy in the small town of Muehlhausen in southern Germany held a weekend-seminar with three great bagpipe players. Andreas Hambsch and Greig Canning, both members of Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band, as well as William McCallum taught small groups of piping enthusiasts from Germany, Switzerland and even from the United States. Pipers were divided into three groups of beginners, intermediate and advanced players. The participants enjoyed the opportunity to receive tuition from these three top-musicians who took great care that everyone understood the essence of their teachings. They didn’t allow anyone to get away with inaccurate technique or phrasing. Everyone received a proficient feedback with advice on how to improve on ones individual playing and practising. As a result, everyone left the workshop with considerable progress in his or her piping-ability. A special treat for everyone was the recital of Andy Hambsch, Greig Canning and Willie McCallum in the rather unusual location of a Chinese restaurant in which the participants and teachers had their dinner on Saturday night. The Kilts & More Academy in Muehlhausen near Heidelberg offers professional bagpipe-tuition and organizes workshops with world-class pipers, drummers and reed-makers such as Willie McCallum, Keith Bowes, David Chesney, Ronnie MacShannon, Jim Kilpatrick and Rory Grossart and Thomas Zoeller. The workshops and seminars are attended not only by pipers from Germany, but also from Switzerland, Austria, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. For more information, go to www.kiltsandmore-academy.de.’ Kilts and More? Judging by the recital pic it’s a case of kilts no more!
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As I said in my last bulletin the Comann na Mara composing contest deadline has been extended by request to December 31. The response has been worldwide and overwhelming. I am sure we are going to get some fine tunes. Here is an ad. for the contest which appeared in the free Highlands & islands newspaper ‘Island News & Advertiser’. I think the piper is Jamie Forrester:

All roads lead to the Echoes of Oban tomorrow night. Big contingent coming down from Oban led by Torquil and another contingent coming through from the Army School. £6 at the door; bar and refreshments. Please come early. Music will start sharp at 7.30pm with Alastair Dunn playing Donald MacPherson’s eponymous tune.
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PT December has gone to bed and features a report on the John Young presentation. This photograph didn’t make the magazine. It’s of the pavement plaque to this hero with the framed tune in the background.
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Also not making it is this tune from Northern Ireland’s Andy Wilson of the Blackthorn Pipers Society. Don’t worry Andy the report is in, just no room for the tune.

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Increased costs have made a small price rise inevitble for the PT, effective from Jan 1:
12  MONTHS   -  U.K.   £28 EUROPE   £36 N.AMERICA & REST OF WORLD  £40
24  MONTHS   -  U.K.   £55 EUROPE   £69 N.AMERICA & REST OF WORLD  £77
Digital sales remain at £19 (£16 for CPA members, CoP facebook ‘friends’, CoP members). iPad and tablet priced also unchanged.
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Tremendous response to the Ceol na Mara composing contest with 50 tunes + in so far. We’ve extended the deadline to Decmber 31 to let those still working on a few pieces time to get them completed. Email all entries with contact details to me at the PT . Six categories: march, strathspey, reel, hornpipe, jig, slow air.
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Neil Clark tells me he is settling in well up there in the Great Glen. He’s surrounded by piping history. Says Neil: ‘Place is totally fantastic piping wise, there’s so much in the locality. Borlum farm, of Macintosh of Borlum, is 500 metres away, and off the top of my inexperienced head we can count about another 30 piob based in the pretty immediate locality. The Willie Ross Memorial Cairn is up Strathfarrar, about 10 miles away as the crow flies. Strathfarrar is shut just now, as lots of things need shot apparently. Do you know anything about it? It’s got to be on the tours. Also, I saw a letter from sometime asking re access to the Borreraig Cairn in PT recently, I’d be happy to take anyone over there. And I was overwhelmed to find I was a crossword clue in the same issue. Drumnadrochit Piping Society is going strong and I look forward to playing my part if they’ll have me.’
Sure they will Neil. The Willie Ross cairn was unveiled a couple of years back after a heroic fund raising campaign by Finlay MacRae, Dingwall. Like the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borerraig, the Angus MacKay Cairn on the Solway and my old kilt jacket still for sale at Paddy’s Market, it is a must see on any piping heritage trail.
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Bruce Hitchings of Highland Reeds has sent this: ‘We are committed to creating the best customer experience we can.  I’ve been listening to the great feedback I’ve received on my product range and am in the process of re-branding and expanding, with a new company launch slated for January 1^st, 2013.    My completely redesigned website with video product support will reflect a new direction and will make it even easier for customers to gain the best experience from Highland Reeds products.’ Get Bruce’s full range via the CoP Shop. Contact Bruce at  ; Phone & Fax: +44 1506 883 747.
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Tony MacDonald deserves the good wishes from us all. He’s been struggling with illness for quite some time. A great player and a superb teacher Tony’s efforts are sorely missed down Dumfries way. Jimmy Banks has written a fine tune for him which I hope to carry in the next PT or here on the blog. We’re thinking about you Tony.
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2014 seems a long way away but the tourist people here are already gearing up for what they are calling The Year of Homecoming (yes, another one). It seems Arisaig Games are heavily involved http://www.arisaighighlandgames.co.uk/assets/HOWLingEvents/Public/AnDiasporran-03b-12-11.pdf

Highlight of the week had to be the John Young tune presentation we had on Thursday. The whole occasion was well appreciated by the members of his family present. We filmed it for CoP TV and the first part is on air now with a few stills as well. I hope readers approve of the tune and congratulations to P/M Peter MacInnes the composer. There was a very good turnout with kids and their headmaster attending from Hillhead High School John Young’s alma mater (above). Second part of the video will be posted later.
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Stewart Gardner of Polmont has done some great work in establishing a new website for those interested in old pipe band photos. Stewart writes: ‘If anyone has a bit time to kill now the dark nights are here you may care to take a look at a pile of old (and some not so old) pipe band photos which I’ve uploaded on to a website. The link below should take you there and it should be pretty easy to navigate round the site. Right clicking on the top right corner of an image makes it go full screen and starts a slide show of that folder. Three folders are Edinburgh Police, 1 Wallacestone, 1 Muirheads and the last has all my other bits and pieces. More will be added as I go through all my back up discs. Enjoy.’  Well done Stewart.
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The Graeme Johnston contest run by the RSPBA West of Scotland branch is on at the College tomorrow with Ian McLellan judging and sponsorship from Craig Munro at Wallace Bagpipes. All welcome. Start time 9.30.
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Angus MacColl has confirmed he will be bringing Angus Jnr down to the Echoes of Oban next Saturday. Young Angus will kick off the music with Macleod of Raasay’s Salute. All other arrangements are as intimated: £6 at door; 7 for 7.30pm. There is going to be a surprise presentation by Joe Noble and his wife Lynn. Hope Joe wears that Colonel Mustard waistcoat. He was the talk of Inveraray last July.
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Dates for the Highland School in wonderful Achiltibuie have been confirmed as April 1 to 5 with a junior contest to follow on the Saturday. Contact for more info and check PT.
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SPA have produced this poster for their concert on Dec 7; sounds like a great night with top pipers taking part.

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Are Strathclyde Police changing their name to City of Glasgow Police? Checking their website we see the Strath Pol band but the web address is cityofglasgowpolicepipeband.org. In the face of police re-organisation next year will we see Lothian and Borders revert back to Edinburgh City Police PB? I don’t suppose the names matter all that much so long as the bands survive.
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I hear a number of good performance in London were spoiled by chokes. Is the widespread use of moisture control devices to blame? Blowing is so crucial. Solo pipers should be able to control the chanter reed with the mouth and neck muscles. This is what gives the finesse, the fine tuning to the sound. When badly installed or badly designed plumbing comes between lips and the vibrating surface of cane the dreaded choke can result – often completely out of the blue and always when the pressure is on.
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Nice to hear piper John Shone in Wiltshire well on the road to recovery after his joust with the grim reaper. No piper will want to miss his story in a forthcoming PT.

All eyes on London tomorrow for the annual championship. Call offs have meant changes in the draw. This from Jackie Roberts of the SPSL: As there have been a number of withdrawals from the competition we have decided to put back the start time of the Gillies Cup and the Snuff Mull until 9am. New orders of play are: C Beaumont, JA Smith, F Henderson, G Brown, A Carlisle, W McCallum, B Gandy, W Geddes, D Wilton, R MacLeod, D MacPhee, E MacCrimmon, C Drummond, D Midgley, I Speirs, A Dunn, G Walker, M Dunn, P McCalister, J Greenlees, N Matheson, I Smith, F Manson.
Snuff Mull: G Stewart, F Manson, W Geddes, M Dunn, D Wilton, D Midgley, G McCready, P McCalister, D Murray, J Greenlees, C Drummond, I Smith
Strachan: R Weir, J Graham, G Ferguson, M Fitzhenry, J Forrester, W Geddes, A Hall, E MacCrimmon, I Smith, D Midgley
Will post the results on the Fast News as soon as I have them.
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Overseas readers may not be aware of the good Scots word ‘laldie’ which I saw mentioned in a national newspaper the other day. It means gusto, verve.  Someone ‘giving it laldie’ or more commonly ‘gi’e in it laldie’ will be putting their heart and soul into whatever it is that they are doing. Let’s hope there are plenty of pipers in London doing just that. As I said in a recent PT,  most of us can stand the odd blemish in any performance but sterile perfection is the biggest turn off .
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Carol Ritchie has been confirmed as the Bass and Tenor instructor at the 7th Annual CoP Winter School. Will all students planning to come please register soon as there is a limit, especially for pipers (60). Those wishing to pay by bank transfer should email Margaret in the CoP office at [email protected].
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Our friends in Buenos Aires have sent info on their Tartan Ball tomorrow: La Asociación Escocesa Argentina y la Guardia Escocesa de Buenos Aires los invitan al Tartan Ball 2012,  el próximo 10 de Noviembre de 2012,en el Buenos Aires English High School. Piping, Drumming, Highland and Country Dancing!!! Feria de Artesanías! Bar Open: 20hs   Grand March: 20:15hs; Entrada: $50 incluye una bebida gaseosa. Don’t know how good your holiday Spanish is but that bit about bebida gaseosa means a glass of fizz.
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Aughintober PB: Scottish Power Pipe Band is taking to the stage in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on 27th April 2013 in an event promoted by Wonderland Productions NI and the Grade 2 Aughintober Pipe Band. Under the control of Pipe Major Chris Armstrong and leading drummer Barry Wilson, the accomplished ensemble visits Northern Ireland just weeks before the first major championship of the 2013 season. Scottish Power Pipe Major Chris Armstrong commented ‘We’ve had a hugely successful 2012 and the opportunity to showcase our music at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall at the beginning of next season is one we are really looking forward too. Building on our ‘Energised’ concert we will be accompanied by a number of top musicians from Northern Ireland during the evening so there will be a great mix of music to satisfy all tastes’. Glenn Ferry of Aughintober Pipe Band added ‘We have been working hard with Chris and Wonderland Promotions NI over the past few months to bring this event together. Northern Ireland was once the place for ‘big pipe band’ concerts with the Victoria Police in Ballymena and the ground breaking 78th Fraser’s Live in Ireland concert seen as a watershed moments for pipe band concerts and recordings. This event gives the opportunity for the piping mad public on this side of the Irish Sea a chance to experience one of the worlds best in action.’ Tickets for the 27th April Showpiece are available from www.waterfront.co.uk at a price of £20 & £18 or direct from the Aughintober Pipe Band.
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The Scottish Pipers Association Solo Piping competition dates for 2013: Amateur and Veterans, Saturday 30th March; Professional and Former Winners, Saturday 13th April; Juvenile,Saturday 14th September. Their AGM will be held in the College of Piping on Friday 1st February 2013.President Iain Watson: Please feel free to contact me at anytime if you have any questions regarding The Scottish Pipers` Association. 
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The presentation of signed copies of the tune to commemorate the heroism of Captain John Young takes place next Thursday, Nov 15. Everyone who wishes to attend is welcome. Meet at CoP at 10.30am. The tune will be played by a piper from the Argylls courtesy the Army School of Piping. Composer Peter MacInnes and councillors from Glasgow City Council wall also be in attendance at the ceremony which begins at 11am.

Cameron Drummond won’t manage the Echoes unfortunately as he has something on with his school that evening.  Most of the other champion from this year’s Argyllshire will be there however, so a great night of piping is guaranteed. Proceedings will kick off with Angus MacColl jnr. playing his winning tune in the MacGregor. In case you don’t already know: Nov 24; 7pm; £6 at CoP door.

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Talking of the big music there will be a veritable feast in Queensland, Australia, on Sunday when the local piping society hosts its annual ‘ceolmorathon’. Here are the details from secretary Alex McCormick: Sunday 4th November 2012 – Commencing 9.45am until approx 4.50pm Rochedale High School. Entry: $5pp (including performers) or $10 family Lunch: BYO. Refreshments: Tea & Coffee available all day (free); Pipers Take Note: Dress – Kilt. We plan to work to ‘Order of Play’ rather than allocate set times, but have shown estimates for your convenience. To avoid the tedium of delay between performers, would pipers please keep an eye on the progress of items and be aware of when the piper before you goes on to play, then arrive promptly and limit your tuning time on stage to around 3-4 minutes. Your co-operation in this regard will be appreciated and help us to run a smooth schedule and complete it within reasonable time. Should any of you need help with your instrument, please ask someone for assistance. 9.45 Welcoming Address and a description of piobaireachd music 1 9.50 Abby Dalziel (Goose), The Company’s Lament – Ground & 1st Variation 2 9.55 Ross Campbell, The MacFarlanes’ Gathering 3 10.11 Peter Hurwood, Catherine’s Lament 4 10.24 Sandy Dalziel, MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute 5 10.41 Bruce McLeod, Struan Robertson’s Salute 6 10.54 Roy Gunn, Lament for MacSwan of Roaig 11.13 Morning Tea (25 mins) 7 11.40 Maurie De Hayr, Colin MacRae of Invereenate’s Lament 8 11.56 Malcolm McRae, The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute 9 12.13 Andrew Richards, Tulloch Ard 10 12.32 Tam McGirr, MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart 12 12.48 Lloyd-George Worth, The Glen is Mine 1.05 Lunch (45 mins) 13 1.50 Iain Bruce, The Prince’s Salute 14 2.08 Andrew McCabe, Little Spree 15 2.23 Andrew Roach, Nameless – hiharin dro odro 16 2.39 Ian Godson, A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick 17 2.52 Roy Gunn, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay 3.11 Afternoon Tea (20 mins) 18 3.30 Ross Campbell, The Battle of Bealach nam Brog 19 3.47 Kristian Stanfield-Roche, Clan Campbell’s Gathering 20 4.00 Iain Bruce, The Battle of Auldearn #2 21 4.16 Lachlan McPhee,Too Long in this Condition. The sensible organisers have limited tuning time. That alone will guarantee an enjoyable day for everyone.

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Traipsing rapidly across a couple of oceans Rory Sinclair has sent this from Ontario: ‘This appeared in the Canada’s largest daily newspaper The Toronto Star on Friday They have had a regular weekly feature for the last two months called “Local Hero” and somehow yrs trewly made it http://www.thestar.com/living/article/1273629–gus-sinclair-renovates-pipes-and-keeps-community-in-step-local-legend In the interest of full disclosure about what disreputable things your brother piper may be up to – this link is offered. Shows a certain desperation for news on the part of the Toronto Star possibly.’ See and meet Rory as his real self at the Piob Soc conf in March.

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News has reached the west of a new pipe band contest for school bands. Sounds a highly commendable development considering the number of these bands we have, so well done to whoever came up with the idea. David Johnston of the organising committee has sent this: ‘The Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships. Every school needs a pipe band! The first ever Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships is to be held at Broughton High School, Edinburgh on Sunday 10 March 2013. There is a section for every school band – from those fresh from winning the world championships to a school having a go at competing for the first time. Entry is free and there may be help with accommodation for bands travelling long distances to attend the event. The Championships are being run with the blessing of the governing body of such events: The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association – but is not an official RSPBA event. The rules are similar to RSP BA competitions – but the association has generously decided to waive the restriction on players registered with one band performing with another to allow those registered with non-school bands to pipe or drum for their school. If you are interested in taking part as a school please click here to contact the championships administrator, Patrick Gascoigne. http://scottishschoolspipebandchampionships.com/’ The Piping Times and Pipe Band magazine will be happy to help this initiative in any way we can.

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For those interested the Young Laird of Dungallon, another of the set tunes for next year’s GM has been added to CoPiobaireachd.

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A CD arrived this week from Jack Lee in BC. It’s of SFU’s concert in NYC a few months ago. Good offering it is too. The CD celebrates the band’s 30th anniversary. Couple of tracks on Nov CoP Radio. Quite an achievement to keep a band at the top for that length of time. I know they have their critics on the west coast, but could Canada have two finer ambassadors than Terry and Jack? And I don’t just mean in the piping/pipe band sphere either. How did that guy from Lanarkshire end up in their ranks? Ticket man, he said wan tae Burnbank no Burnaby ya mug.

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Nov PT now available in the CoP Bookstore app for iPad, Android and Amazon. Next book to go into the app will be the excellent John MacColl collection by Dale Brown. The book has sold out and is being reprinted in hard copy as I write. Those with the app will get notification of when it’s in there.

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I hear,  perhaps in error, that US bagpipe maker Atherton is winding down production. Times are hard for our manufacturers and it is sad to see this happening. But hey you makers, give yourselves a chance of getting through this difficult patch by advertising in the PT. It works, it really works.

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I should say for those who couldn’t manage along, there was a very nice service for Bert Smith in Grangemouth last Friday. Quite a few pipe band friends in attendance and good piping from Andrew Frater who played Farewell to the Creeks in slow time as the congregation filed out of the church. As Hamish Henderson proved 40 odd years ago when he set it to his song The Banks of Sicily, the melody has more poignancy at the slower tempo and on this occasion worked so very well indeed.

Got a Kindle? Well now you can get your PT on the popular eReader device. Just go to the Amazon app store and download CoP Bookstore (it’s free) and there you’ll see the magazine and all the other publications we have in there so far. The app should be available from today onwards. Hard copies of some of our books are also available via Amazon too: Tutors 1- 4, Tutor 1 German, Tutor 1 French, the brilliant Glasgow Collection, Essential Tunes 1&2, Joe Wilson’s even more brilliant book, and the stupendous John MacFadyen Bk1.

Any book publisher who wants his or her book in the app please get in touch. It is really just a digital version of the CoP Shop. If the College sells your book in hard copy then why not in digital? Sales of tablets are going through the roof and the new iPad mini will do nothing but help the flow. CoP Bookstore is on Apple (iTunes app store), Android (Google Play store) and now Kindle (Amazon app.store)
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PT November issue has gone to bed and will be out on time next week. Reports include the Northern Meeting, Archaic Pipes, Remembrance Pipers and the Gesto Cant. plus all the other usual features.
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We are heading for a full house for the Echoes of Oban on November 24. Of all the champions from this year’s Argyllshire Gathering, only March winner Cameron Drummond and MacGregor winner Angus MacColl Jnr. have still to confirm. Hope you can make it gents. The line up so far is Stuart Liddell, Gordon Walker, Finlay Johnston, Alastair Dunn, Peter McCalister, Jonathan Graham and Innes Smith. They’ll each play their winning piece(s) from Oban plus a couple of other tunes if time. £6 at the CoP door. Copious refreshments.
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I hear new Shotts P/M Ryan Canning has 33 pipers signed up; no suggestion they will all get to play but indicative of a surge in enthusiasm for the new P/M and his P/Sgt, Glenn Brown. One of those joining is Sarah Muir who moves from Inveraray. Going the other way is top young drummer Grant Cassidy the World solo drumming champion in his grade. He of course joins leading tip Steven McWhirter who only last week retained his adult World Solo crown.
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Hector Russell reminds me that this week saw the 50th anniversary of the death of Archie MacNeill (left), the blind piper, and the man who was really the progenitor of the College of Piping. Archie died on Oct 23rd 1962. His nephew was Seumas MacNeill and his son, also Alex, went to Montreal I believe. A remarkable man in many ways he will live forever through his masterful compositions David Ross of Rosehall and Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban. Here is Archie’s death certificate signed by Seumas, or James, as he was back in 1962:

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Sorry to hear of the passing of Dundee song writer, top performer and all round good guy Michael Marra. Mike is responsible for some of the best lines about contemporary Scotland. I’ve probably got this wrong, but among my favourites are:

‘I’m a hermless wee man,
‘Naebuddy bothers wi’ me
‘Ah go tae the libray and tak oot a book
‘Then a go hame fur ma tea’

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The CoP Xmas Class runs Thurs Dec 27 and Fri Dec 28 and Thurs Jan 3 and Fri Jan 4. The four day course will be conducted by Willie Morrison at the College beginning 10am. It is an excellent opportunity to get the fingers sorted out during the holiday period. Click here. £60.
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Leaving now for Bert Smith’s funeral in Grangemouth. I am sure there will be a big turnout.