RSPBA AGM a low-key affair

The annual general meeting of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association on March 8th at the Quality Inn Hotel in Glasgow had approximately 40 bands represented, lasted only an hour-and-a-half and was described as a “low-key affair.”The association’s accounting statement showed a surplus of more than £14,000, a long way from the organization’s dire financial situation of several years ago. While gross revenues from the 2007 World Pipe Band Championships declined by more than £15,000 when compared with the 2006 World’s, the association’s statement showed that net financial gain for the event alone was more than £26,000.Few new rules were enacted, but one of them was that only bands fielding at least one bass-drummer and one tenor-drummer would be eligible for the “Best Bass-Section” prize at non-championship contests.The organization’s Music Board had no new substantial developments, with the only competition change in 2008 being the introduction of a third two-parted 2/4 march for the heats of MAP competitions, as well as the addition of eight new MAP tunes. The change, announced earlier, brings the total number of MAP 2/4 marches that Grade 2 and Novice Juvenile bands can choose from to 22. There was a brief discussion about the need for increased coverage of Juvenile and Novice Juvenile bands by the BBC at the World Pipe Band Championships.After many years serving as Vice-Chairman, George Purves announced that he was retiring, giving way to Gordon Hamill of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch. Purves was made Honourary Vice-President by the RSPBA.p|dWhat do you think? We always want to hear from our readers, so please use our comments system to provide your thoughts!Do you have news? Be sure to send your information to pipes|drums. We can’t report what we don’t know about! Please remember to support the businesses that advertise and make the not-for-profit p|d possible.