The Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society (LBPS) held its annual conference on Saturday in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders region. The conference – the ‘Collogue’ – was held in Old Gala House, which dates to 1583. The Society held two competition categories that were unable to be included at its […]
It was around 30 years ago one very dark and blustery Hallowe’en night. I shall never forget it. The previous week I had received a letter whilst busy conducting research for my latest book on the Campbell Cainntaireachd (my ninth) and had become bogged down on the intricacies of Gaelic […]
Jack Lee took home the overall prize at the 2021 Glenfiddich Piping Championship, held yesterday in front of a live audience in the Ballroom of Blair Castle in Perthshire, Scotland. Jack’s 2nd place in the Piobaireachd and 3rd place in the MSR secure him the overall title. Competitors are asked […]
The 2021 Glenfiddich Invitational Solo Piping Championships kicks off this morning from a wet and windy Blair Castle in beautiful, autumnal Perthshire. Ten of our leading competitive pipers will shortly make their way from the Atholl Palace Hotel, six miles away in Pitlochry, be allocated their tuning rooms in the […]
By MacGregor Kennedy Much sartorial elegance was in evidence, as usual. One particularly admired David Tait and his cohorts strutting around in their new grey lambs wool geansies with the Grant’s motif on the breast; John Napier MacAskill resplendent in a new Napier kilt was, as ever, something else. He […]
The St. Andrews Caledonian Pipe Band of Tasmania toured Scotland In the summer of 2019, the. As was the case with many bands, this proved to be the outfit’s last trip for a while. JOHN RALPH, the band’s Pipe Major, recounts the band’s incredible visit On paper, St. Andrews Caledonian […]
A reader in North America has contacted us regarding the book, The Piobaireachd of Simon Fraser and about Fraser’s controversial theories on ceòl mòr. Simon Fraser had a remarkable piping background. He was a pupil of Charles MacArthur’s great grandson and his father had seemingly been a pupil of lain […]
Black Donald’s March – Piobaireachd Dhomnuill Duibh – is a piobaireachd in the secondary classification that has been adapted successfully into a 6/8 march, a jig and a hornpipe. It has been popular with pipers ever since it appeared in Donald MacDonald’s book in the early 19th century. Pipe settings […]
By MacGregor Kennedy If they should enquire of you, “Why do you love old Scotland so?” it will be apparent that they have never encountered the bright prospect of making for the Vale of Atholl on a brilliant autumn day such as we had on our way to the 14th […]
Pipers can now study at the National Piping Centre for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Music. The Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Scottish Government body responsible for accrediting educational awards, approved the course recently. The HND is part-funded by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for eligible Scottish students […]
