By Seumas MacNeill From August to November 1773 Dr. Samuel Johnson and his disciple, Mr James Boswell, made a tour in Scotland, most of it in the Western Islands. Iain Dubh MacCrimmon was 42 years of age and living in Skye but the two travellers did not meet him. Donald […]
This year’s Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Piping Championship has been cancelled due to uncertainty over COVID-19 pandemic, Major Gordon Rowan, the Director of Army Bagpipe Music, said yesterday. The annual competition, organised by the Army School of Bagpipe Music & Highland Drumming in Edinburgh, Scotland, has gained in popularity […]
This year’s Lorient Interceltic Festival may be cancelled but its organisers are planning a live bagadoù concert. Entitled simply ‘2020 Bagpipes Celebration’, the concert will take place on the evening of August 8 at the Stade du Moustoir in the Breton town. Four leading bagad are taking part: Bagad Quimper, […]
We are grateful to Bruce Hitchings MBE BEM, Kirknewton, Scotland and to Bob Shlaer of Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the following story. Last November, Bob read an obituary that appeared in American newspaper, The Week. The deceased was Branko Lustig (87) who, as a 10-year-old Croatian Jew, had been […]
As lockdown restrictions are eased further in Scotland, The Pipers’ Tryst – the National Piping Centre’s quality restaurant and hotel – will re-open next Thursday (16th). A spokesman said: “In line with the Scottish Government’s latest advice, we have been busy making the necessary adjustments to the interior and to […]
Double Gold Medallist, Niall Matheson has composed another excellent piobaireachd, this time in tribute to the 51st Highland Division. The tune comes a few months after we aired his tribute to the late Alasdair Gillies, with whom Niall served in The Queen’s Own Highlanders. Listen to Niall play the ground […]
Continuing Edith Paterson’s (née McHardy) story of her father. On one memorable night, my father stopped the band and made a speech pointing out the impossibility of proceeding unless the tumult could be reduced by half. I do not recall that there was any noticeable diminution thereafter. On rare occasions […]
As the pipe band world looks forwards with nervous optimism to 2021, the RSPBA’s Music Board has confirmed the tune requirements of the 2020 season will be carried forward into the 2021 season: The decision was approved at the Board of Directors Meeting on June 27, 2020. Meanwhile, at the […]
By Stuart Letford for Bagpipe.News Prepare for the long haul regarding the Coronavirus, folks. That was the message from a webinar discussion into the future of piping and pipe bands post-Covid-19. Further, there is a chance there may be no pipe band competitions held in 2021. The webinar took place […]
By Euan Anderson With pipers all over the world trapped indoors going stir crazy, this is a grand time to launch a book. This particular one is A4 in size with a glossy black cover that has a coo’s face on it. It will certainly stick out on the shelf […]
