News

Pipe Major James Robertson, from the cover of the June 1961 'Piping Times'.

P.M. James Robertson’s family / Ali Levack / Irish Piobaireachd Society

Tobar an Dualchais, the archival project that digitises, catalogues and disseminates Gaelic and Scots sound recordings online, is seeking information on the surviving family of Pipe Major James Robertson, Gordon Highlanders (b. 1886-d. 1961).  Recordings of Robertson, the composer of Farewell to the Creeks, have been discovered – both spoken […]

September 18, 2018. Inchdrewer House, home of the The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. Pipe Major Ross McCrindle holds his Northern Meeting Silver Medal.

Army School to mark 20 years at Inchdrewer House

A commemorative dinner is being held tomorrow night at Inchdrewer House in Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, the home of the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. The dinner is to mark 20 years of the Army School moving there from its previous home, Edinburgh Castle. Many retired Army officers, […]

Alisdair McLaren. Photo: Piping Hot Photos

Alisdair McLaren to return home to Australia

Alisdair McLaren, who last September succeeded Iain MacPherson as Pipe Major of Glasgow Police Pipe Band, has stepped down ahead of a return home to western Australia. A spokesman for the band said in a statement: “Glasgow Police Pipe Band announce [sic] that Pipe Major Alisdair McLaren has, with regret […]

Scots Guards KO: MacColl Jnr through to semis

Scots Guards KO: MacColl Jnr through to semis

Jimmy Banks of the Scots Guards Association reports: “Angus MacColl Jnr won through to the semi final of our Knockout competition, beating Callum Wynd on Sunday. We had good audience of approximately 45 who listened to some very good piping,  “The next quarter final heat sees Callum Brown and Bradley […]

Bruce Thomson, 1930-2020

Bruce Thomson, 1930-2020

Bruce Thomson, MD, died at home in Crieff, Scotland aged 89 on January 13. Bruce was a piper and pipe composer of considerable merit. He made around 450 tunes in his lifetime including the Haddington Turnpike and Tommy McDonald of Barguillean, played by Shotts & Dykehead at the World Pipe […]

Important changes to PDQB drumming syllabus

Important changes to PDQB drumming syllabus

The Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board (PDQB) has made changes to the drumming syllabus for both snare and bass/tenor examinations. The changes relate mainly to the performance element of the examination and was implemented to align with the performance requirements of the piping examinations. This work was carried out by […]