News

Piping features at Scots Trad Music Awards

Piping features at Scots Trad Music Awards

Piping features heavily in nominations at the 2019 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards which will be held in Aberdeen next month. Known as the Folk Oscars, the award ceremony has been held annually since 2005 to recognise excellence within Scotland’s thriving musical culture. Approximately 100,000 public votes are received […]

A contemporary account of Willie Lawrie’s death

A contemporary account of Willie Lawrie’s death

Tomorrow, Remembrance Sunday, millions of people around the world will commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. At 11:00 thousands of pipers will participate in ceremonies at cenotaphs and churches and elsewhere. During the First World […]

Diary: tune for Finlay Johnston/Grampian Police

Diary: tune for Finlay Johnston/Grampian Police

Glenfiddich champion, Finlay Johnston has been left ‘reeling’ after colleague, John Mulhearn exercised his creative juices and came up with this stomping tune for him. John can be seen and heard playing his newly-composed four-part gem, entitled Finlay Johnston, Champion Piper, below. John and Finlay are instructors at The National […]

Bob Shepherd: a remarkable legacy

Bob Shepherd: a remarkable legacy

Bob Shepherd’s funeral took place on Tuesday in Kirkcaldy, Fife. The crematorium was, as expected, packed with many having to stand at the back of the hall.  A mini band comprising some leading names – and some contemporaries – from the pipe band world played as the cortege approached. Fittingly, […]

Niven photograph identification

Niven photograph identification

We received quite a number of responses to the photograph that appeared on bagpipe.news recently showing the legendary actor David Niven dancing as a group of six pipers played. It seems the photograph was taken in 1947, around the time when the Queen Mary was refitted for passenger service following […]

Malin Lewis and Jarlath Henderson.

Diary: Cowal/Bob Shepherd/Celtic Connections/John Wilson

Cowal Highland Gathering may not be the piping and pipe band event it once was but its organisers are celebrating winning a leading tourism prize. Cowal has just been awarded the Best Cultural Event or Festival title at last weekend’s The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards. Cowal beat the HebCelt […]

North of Scotland solos

North of Scotland solos

The RSPBA’s North of Scotland held its annual solo competitions yesterday at The Gordon Schools in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. The results are: PIPING: Ceòl MòrOpen – 1. Jeffery Lawson.15 Years & Under – 1. Jake Robertson. 18 Years & Over Hornpipe – Jeffery Lawson; 2. Scott Oliphant; 3. Owen Chalmers.March – 1. Scott Oliphant; […]

Piping Society revives programme of recitals

Piping Society revives programme of recitals

The Lewis & Harris Piping Society is reviving its programme of recitals over the winter, beginning with a performance from Callum Beaumont in Stornoway on Saturday, November 9.  The Society ran a popular programme of recitals from the time it was formed in the 1970s until about a decade ago. Its […]

Henderson to feature at LBPS conference

Henderson to feature at LBPS conference

The Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society (LBPS) holds its annual conference (‘collogue’) next month. The conference is open to all. This year the society, founded in 1983, has another interesting day of presentations and music lined up. A central feature of the day is the centenary of the birth of […]