the Pipemagazine Band P/M Duncan Nicholson: My Hopes for the Future Pipe Band Magazine is the o cial publication of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association April 2014 PB Mag Apr 14.indd 1 17/03/2014 18:16 October '13_PB Mag 16/09/2013 16:06 Page 2 THE SHEPHERD WAY WHAT IT MEANS TO WIN WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN ¦ Join the Champions, use SHEPHERD Bagpipes, Reeds & Pipe Chanters SHEPHERD PIPES, REEDS and CHANTERS are consistently the predominant products played by successful bands THROUGHOUT THE GRADES at the WORLD PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS ‘If you want to know what the best is . listen to what the best are playing’ RT SHEPHERD & SON (SCOTLAND) LTD 164 JAMPHLARS ROAD, CARDENDEN, FIFE KY5 0ND Tel: +44 (0)1592 720130 • Fax: +44 (0)1592 721875 Email: [email protected] www.shepherd-bagpipes.com PB Mag Apr 14.indd 2 17/03/2014 18:17 No.357 2014 No.2 CONTENTS Pipe Band magazine 3 By the Right O cial Publication of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association - AGM report PATRONS 6 Lady of the Dance e Earl of Elgin & Kincardine e Earl of Mans eld - Christine Lacey President - George Ussher Chairman - Gordon Hamill Vice-Chairman - John Hughes 9 Know Your P/M Honorary Presidents Alex Mosson Ian McLellan - Duncan Nicholson Hon. Vice-Presidents George Purves 14 Branch News Scottie MacLean Matthew Connell Alistair MacDonald Kevin Reilly 16 Letters Chief Executive Ian Embelton HQ O ce Manager: Aliki Papageorgiou 45 Washington St.,Glasgow G3 8AZ t: 0141 221 5414; f: 0141 221 1561 www.rspba.org 20 All Our Yesterdays - HMS Empress Branches and Directors Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway ... M McCrindle 26 Tributes Dundee, Perth & Angus..................P McAndrew Fife ...............................................................I Finlay - George Black Glasgow & West ..............I MacAskill, N Greeves Lothian & Borders ..............W McCa erty, S Orr - P/M Bill Hepburn London & South of England ........W MacGregor Midlands ..................................................... D Frith NE England ............................................... K Reilly 32 Ulster's Teaching NW England ............................................ P Brown North of Scotland ........................R Niven, J Gibb - Province leads the way Northern Ireland .............M Herron, K Crothers Stirling ........................................................A Grant 34 2014 Diary RSPBA A liated Associations Alberta Society of Pipers and Drummers Australian PBA Bagpipe Association of Germany British Columbia PBA Front: P/M Duncan Nicholson of Greater Glasgow Police Eastern United States PBA Scotland Pipe Band is the subject of this issue’s interview. Irish PBA Midwest US PBA Turn to page nine. Netherlands PBA PBA of Scandinavia PBA of South Africa PBA of Switzerland Pipe Band Magazine is produced and published by PP Publishing for the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association. Pipers and Pipe Band Association of Ontario Pipe Band Magazine, c/o 16-24 Otago St., Glasgow G12 8JH, Scotland, UK Royal New Zealand PBA For Editorial and Advertising call 07957818672 or email [email protected] Southern US PBA VAT No. 703 7056 54 Western US PBA Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Association. APRIL 2014 Pipe Band Magazine 1 PB Mag Apr 14.indd 1 17/03/2014 18:17 the R ! By ight HEADQUARTERS NEWS All Change At the Trigger he commands ‘Band ‘shun!’ and ‘Get Ready!’ could become a thing of the past following a new rule change agreed at the TAssociation’s AGM. From now on bands that wish to remain with their instruments on the shoulder at the contest arena ags will be entitled to do so. Previously the rules were that pipes had to be taken down and placed under the arm before the pipe major brought the band to attention ready for the two introductory rolls. Some bands felt that this system was harking back to a military past and had nothing really to do with musical presentation. Moreover, every time the pipes were moved there was a risk of something going wrong, a drone top coming o , or tuning being a ected. Now it is up to bands to choose for themselves the routine they adopt. One prominent pipe major told the Pipe Band Magazine: ‘ is is something I have felt strongly about for a number of years. Bands are trying to give of their best and surely it is the music they produce that matters, not the ceremony prior to their performance. Anything that increases CHRISTINE HONOURED The Association would like to off er its heartiest congratulations to its Dancing Convenor Miss Christine Lacey who was honoured by HM The Queen with an MBE in her New Year Honours List. Christine is seen receiving her award from HRH Prince Charles. Read more about Christine's wonderful achievement and career on p6. 2 APRIL 2014 Pipe Band Magazine PB Mag Apr 14.indd 2 17/03/2014 18:17 the R ! the R t! By ight By igh from HQ to You! the chance of a band playing well has to be a good thing and from now on bands who want to keep their ‘pipes up’ can do so without any penalty.’ e rule change was mooted last year but, possibly because it would have been compulsory, it narrowly failed to gain a majority. is time it was made optional and passed unanimously. e AGM heard that Association funds continue to be bouyant with an £89,000 surplus for the nancial year ending December 31 - and this despite a 52% increase in prizemoney during 2013. e exact gures show that in 2012 the prize fund for the ve majors was £76,000. Last year that was increased by AGM ....forced re-location £38,000 to £115,000. Chief Executive Ian Embelton said: ‘We are keen to pass on as much of our surplus as is prudent to our winning bands and hence the large increase last year. What does not go in the prize fund is held to pay for our running costs and the rest placed in reserve to pay for the planned re-location of the Association’s Headquarters once a new site has been identi ed and a development project agreed. anks to the contracts which we were able to negotiate over the past few years, we are in a healthy position nancially and we aim to continue this in the future. Contracts are in place for the championships for 2015 and negotiations for the years therea er will begin in the autumn.’ Only 31 bands were represented at the AGM (held on March 8th in the Trades House in Glasgow), although the number of delegates attending was just under 100. Association o cials admitted to being RT Shepherd & Son slightly disappointed at the turn out from member bands but accepted the view that when things were (Scotland) Ltd going well bands seemed to be happy to leave the www.shepherd-bagpipes.com running of the Association to elected o cials and the Board of Directors. e AGM and the earlier meeting APRIL 2014 Pipe Band Magazine 3 PB Mag Apr 14.indd 3 17/03/2014 18:17 4 APRIL 2014 Pipe Band Magazine PB Mag Apr 14.indd 4 17/03/2014 18:17 of the Board was a ected by a power cut which blacked out much of that area of the city on the Saturday morning. ‘Directors JAMES KING t is with sadness that the Association in the dark again,’ one delegate said good- reports the death of outstanding humouredly. A er relocation to another leading drummer James King, Iformerly of the Dysart and Dundonald part of the Trades Hall building the meeting Pipe Band. He was 58. With P/M proceeded without hitch. R.T. Shepherd, James won two More details on the Worlds: e plan is for World Pipe Band Championships with the band in the 1970s. A full the Grade 1 arena to be used throughout the obituary to this fi ne musician will Saturday with the Juvenile contest taking be carried in our next edition and the Association's condolences go place there in the morning, followed by the to all those who mourn their loss. two legs of the Grade 1 Championship and then following that will be the Grade 2 nal. participants is making it next to impossible to All events will be live streamed over the internet have everything on the one day. However, having and also lmed by the BBC Scotland Television Saturday as the main day allows bands and Outside Broadcast unit. e Grade 1 Quali er on their followers to have the traditional ‘Sunday the Friday will be live streamed over internet. A a er the Worlds’ downtime, a chance to relax decision on how the results of the Quali er will and re ect a er the big day. Marketing and be announced has still to be taken but there may Media Committee Convenor Walter MacGregor well be some form of ceremony to nish the day, reported to the AGM: ‘In 2013 the BBC once the top bands going through to compete on the again provided live streaming of the Grade 1 Saturday. A large crowd is expected on the Friday performances and for the rst time the Juvenile to hear a showcase of what will be, in the main, the Grade nal. I am sure our young competitors, top 20+ bands in the world. their families and supporters...much appreciated e two-day Worlds looks like becoming a this unexpected innovation. Funding for the live permanent arrangement. Sheer volume of streaming of the Grade 1 qualifying heats formed part of a substantial nancial support package provided by Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Live and Events Scotland. Notwithstanding this your Association needs to develop...the Worlds experience for spectators and maximise for itself some of the potential bene ts of the continuing and growing prestige of the event.