NOTES FROM PIPEY'S CORNER

Volume VI Number 5; November 2000

TURKEY TIME?

It's November, when the RSPBA announces their annual regrading, and there aren't any real surprises. Lothian and Borders Police back to Grade I; MacTarnahan's Prince Charles moves to Grade 1, making two Gr.I bands on the Left Coast; hell, if SFU ever decides it's safe to cross the border again there might be a Grade I competition in California next year - well, we'll see...or will we?

Also recently announced: Prince Charles is forming a Grade III band and is 'actively recruiting' - but they're saying they don't want to take people from other bands. Hmmm - if they don't get them from other bands, where are they going to come from? I imagine several pipers living in Marin County won't hesitate to leave their current band to play with the formidable P.C. organisation, which will boast four bands next year - almost as many as The Borg (Simon Fraser). I only hope Bill Merriman can keep them all marching in the right band....or the left one!

ONCE AGAIN THE 'BIG YIN' WINS AT BLAIR

Willie McCallum, the 'Pride of Bearsden,' has won the Glenfiddich Championship for a record fifth time. The contest, held on the 28th of last month, featured performances by Bill Livingstone, who won the piobaireachd; Gordon Walker, who took the MSR; Stuart Liddell, Willie's cousin; Mike Rogers, of the COW band; Mike Cusack; Angus McColl, Greg Wilson, Rob Wallace, and Bruce Gandy. This win puts the cap on another banner year for Willie! Congratulations on his FIFTH Glenfiddich Championship, and good luck at the Bratach Gorm this month.

Last month we featured the MacDonald Memorial, which takes place on the tenth of next month. I'm pleased to say I made a donation to this competition and I hope other businesses and organisations will do the same. It's the most important open solo competition on the Left Coast, and more players should consider entering, for several reasons. First, the winner qualifies for the USPF competition in Washington D.C. next June, and second, gets trip expenses for that contest. The winner of the USPF qualifies for the Glenfiddich, and gets expenses for THAT contest. Get the picture??????

Now, the problem is, there are several entrants in the MacDonald who do NOT play piobaireachd, and are only entered in the MSR event. This has the potential for spoiling the contest for those who play both music styles. In addition, should the previous winner take the piobaireachd, it will effectively shut out anyone else from qualifying. The thing is, if you qualify for the USPF at any one of the regional competitions, you are qualified for life. So, say you're Joe Blowhard from Oxnard and you win. You can enter the USPF any time - next year, five years from now, whatever.

The organisers have intelligently stipulated that the overall winner of this year's competition MUST represent the west coast at the USPF next June (last year's winner didn't bother to go, to the chagrin of the organisers and the disgust of many). I think they should take it TWO steps further: Previous winners should be barred from the competition; and professional entrants should have to play in BOTH events to be considered for the USPF qualification. Otherwise it throws the results off. If player A enters both events, wins the piobaireachd and finishes fourth in the MSR, he may be shut out of the qualifying because players B and C played in the MSR and took first and second, but didn't play in the piobaireachd. Player D might get the qualifier by taking second in the piobaireachd and third in the MSR; it's just too baroque for words - but typical of WUSPBA, and similar to figuring out the 12-Meter formula!

The Pipe Band Association, in a typical misreading of its own bylaws, has told the organisers to require four piobaireachds and three MSR sets in the pro class. Look, boyzngurls, the winner of this show is going to have to work up SIX piobaireachds and FOUR sets for the USPF. Might as well get started with this contest; that's the way it's done at the other qualifiers around the country!

Time to grow up so we can play with the big kids....

Once again I dig into my magic bag of gripes and pull out one of my favourites: Judging. As the CPA recently announced in Edinburgh that there would be new faces on their Judges List, I think about the level of judging out here on the Left Coast and shake my head in dismay. There are several eminently qualified people not on the WUSPBA judge's list - and a number of unqualified people whose names ARE on that list. All the dithering of the last three years has yet to produce a set of standards for band and solo judges; several people have offerred to help in establishing standards, but their help has been refused by the eminent Advisory Board (speaking of which, just who IS on the board now???). The time has come for those in power to either use the facilities or get off the hopper. Or just flush the whole thing.

And yes, kiddies, Christmas IS just around the corner, and there's lots of stuff here for your delectation. New sets of pipes, Fagerstrom chanters (black only - sorry guys), new CDs, including the World's AND the concert held two nights prior - a MUCH better value, for my two cents' worth. We can now order the hardbound Willie Ross and Donald MacLeod collections - expensive, but they DO come with your name stamped on them Call us for pricing and order information.

Also of major importance to piobaireachd players: thanks in part to the efforts of Black Part, the long out-of-print David Glen Collection of piobaireachd will soon be available from Cuillinn Craft. This six-volume set of priceless tune settings was one of the standards of late Victorian competition, and is regarded by many as finer than the PS settings in use today. Ranking with Donald MacDonald and Simon Fraser as an authority, the David Glen collection is a must for any serious student of piobaireachd!

Black Part Speaks: - later this month!

John Eric Partanen, Ph.D.

Note: The opinions expressed by Black Part in his monthly column are HIS and HIS alone. The fact that the management of Cuillinn Craft wholeheartedly endorse his position is entirely coincidental!

until next month....