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Geordie Syme, town piper of Dalkieth in the mid-18th century, Geordie Syme, the piper of Dalkeith, was allowed, beside a small wage, a suit of clothes: this consisted of a long yellow coat lined with red, red plush breeches, white stockings and shoes with buckles.

LBPS annual competition results

The annual competition held by the Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society (LBPS) took place yesterday online. Competitors from all over the world played live via video conference software. Founder member, Gordon Mooney, who adjudicated from his home in Florida, USA, remarked that it had been nearly 40 years since the […]

Results: CLASP and Lochaber

Results: CLASP and Lochaber

A record number entries were received in the latest video submission competition organised by the the National Piping Centre’s Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (CLASP). Results: Overall: Grade 1 – Trevor DeMass; Grade 2 – Hans Grothusen; Grade 3 – Alasdair Beaton. Grade 1Piobaireachd – 1. Charles David Mitchell (Massacre […]

Piping Live! online for 2021  … with possible in-person gigs

Piping Live! online for 2021 … with possible in-person gigs

This year’s Glasgow International Piping Festival – Piping Live! will go ahead from August 7-15. With the success of the reduced programme last year, this year will see the livestreaming and premiering of as many events as possible across the nine days of the festival. However, with the Scottish Government […]

Jock Duncan, 1925-2021

Jock Duncan, 1925-2021

Jock Duncan, a true Scottish legend in every sense of the word, died yesterday in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. He was 95. Jock, one of Scotland’s finest traditional singers, was born on the farm of Gelliebrae by New Deer in rural Aberdeenshire and grew up in the farming life at a […]

Duncan Johnstone celebration recital to be broadcast

Duncan Johnstone celebration recital to be broadcast

A new event to celebrate the life and works of Duncan Johnstone, the influential piper, teacher and composer, took place in early March at the National Piping Centre (NPC) in Glasgow, Scotland. The event was recorded at the National Piping Centre in strict adherence to all Scottish Government social distancing […]

Scottish Pipe Band Championships, Dumbarton, 2009. ©JohnSlavin@designfolk.com/Bagpipe.news

Scottish and Worlds in the balance

The RSPBA’s Music Board has eased the playing criteria for the two remaining championships for the 2021 season. The revision is as a result of ongoing COVID-19 situation and an appreciation that preparation time will be dramatically reduced to participate at these Championships – should they go ahead. The organisation […]

Stuart Letford: One picture, many stories

Stuart Letford: One picture, many stories

This is not a photo essay. Rather, it’s an essay on a photo, the one shown here. That said, the purpose of a photo essay is nothing if not a way to tell a story or evoke emotion from the viewers through a series of photographs. And I think there […]

Bands in France striving to maintain their cohesion

Bands in France striving to maintain their cohesion

Since the first lockdown in March 2020, pipe band practices have been taking place online with a varying degree of regularity. We are aware of some bands meeting weekly, some monthly and some that have hardly met at all. With the COVID-19 situation in France evolving rapidly – a month-long […]

The Ballad of How MacPherson Held The Floor

The Ballad of How MacPherson Held The Floor

Today is World Poetry Day. It is a day first declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999 and its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world. It was formerly marked in October but was moved to […]