I wonder if you have ever heard the old joke – “Why is the Free Kirk so opposed to sex before marriage?” Answer – “Because it might lead to dancing.” I am first going to make the assumption that everyone reading this regards the pipes as a musical instrument and […]
The 2021 Celtic Connections festival surpassed all expectations, organisers say. The Glasgow festival, which was held entirely online over the last 19 days, closed last night. A spokesman said: “It has been a huge success with sales (tickets and passes) surpassing expectations with 27,000 sold to audiences from over 60 […]
One of the most eagerly awaited piping books in many years will be published this spring. I Piped, That She Might Dance is a novel based on the life of Angus MacKay, the man who became the most famous piper of his own lifetime and whose legacy continues to this […]
Today – February 1 – in Aberdeenshire, Scotland there will be celebrations on ‘beats’ of a different kind to those of the musical variety. The traditional opening of the salmon fishing season on the 87 mile-long River Dee, one of the most important salmon rivers in Scotland – and, in […]
Our third member of the Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (CLASP) to be profiled is Mariko Arimoto. Where are you from and how did you get into piping?I am from Japan and I started learning the pipes when I was 20 while I was studying at the University of Stirling […]
Dean Castle in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland, the former stronghold of the Boyd family, is currently undergoing a major redevelopment. The castle was known as Kilmarnock Castle until the 1700s. East Ayrshire Leisure’s Dick Institute is responsible for the operation and management of the castle and estate, and has been […]
We have received a couple of interesting responses to the two items that appeared in yesterday’s post. Firstly, piping historian, Jeannie Campbell of Glasgow, Scotland has provided more information on those early piping competitions held in London. Jeannie says: “The first reported Highland Gathering in London took place on the […]
A few weeks ago we carried a couple of articles on old Angus MacPherson and the early competitions that took place in London and wider southeast of England. Readers may recall Roddy Livingstone, London, sent us interesting additional information. Roddy wrote: “It is recorded (although I can’t remember exactly where) […]
Our second member of the Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (CLASP) to be profiled is Dagmar Pesta from Germany, pictured. CLASP is the National Piping Centre’s circuit of graded solo piping competitions for adult amateur pipers. There are now 107 members worldwide – a record – and its latest […]
Despite the restrictions placed on us all by the coronovirus pandemic, many a Burns Supper took place around the world last night. All were held online, of course. More will take place tonight and tomorrow. For a couple of members of the Bagpipe.News team who ‘attended’ events last night, the […]
