Place is important in music, and understanding the place that one is from, bides in, or looks to for inspiration, is a central part of traditional music in particular. It is with this in mind that I am going to ask for your help. But first, bear with me while […]
A major problem in piping is keeping the instrument in good tune. The greatest number of requests we get is for information on choice of reeds, setting of reeds and how to produce best tone. Understandably, reed-makers are not all that desperate to reduce their incomes by teaching everybody to […]
Continuing his daughter’s story of James – Jamie – McHardy, second piper to Queen Victoria from 1878 until 1881. When the Highland Games season was in full swing Jamie went the rounds. He would walk over the Lecht the dozen miles to Tomintoul Games and back again and then, next […]
Thousands of pipers around the world joined in yesterday’s tribute to commemorate the 80th anniversary of St Valéry. On June 12, 1940, around 10,000 Allied soldiers were taken prisoner there. The 51st (Highland) Infantry Division suffered huge losses. The event was organised by PoppyScotland. Those participating included former Armed Forces […]
The RSPBA has announced the dates for next year’s major pipe band championships. They are as follows: British Championships – May 22 at St James Playing Fields, Paisley, Scotland. United Kingdom Championships – June 12 at Lurgan Park, Lurgan, Northern Ireland. European Championships – June 26 at Bught Park, Inverness, […]
Finlay Cameron (18) of Roybridge, Lochaber, Scotland has maintained a consistent standard throughout his years competing as a Junior and, since 2018, in the adult sphere. He won the MacGregor Memorial at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2016 (aged 14) and gained a third place place in the Silver Medal at […]
The Lewis & Harris Piping Society is this month holding a virtual piping competition for the first time in its history – inviting entries from any players under the age of 18 anywhere in the Outer Hebrides, from the Butt to Barra. The Outer Hebrides are sometimes called the ‘Long […]
Piobaireachd Dhuneideann – The Edinburgh Piobaireachd – was composed by Captain John MacLellan (1921-1991) in 1981 to mark the many piping occurrences which have taken place in Scotland’s capital city over the past couple of centuries. “At the beginning of the 19th century,” MacLellan wrote in the October 1981 edition […]
Ewan Henderson has been appointed as Pipe Major of Glasgow Police Pipe Band (GPOL). Henderson, who stepped down last week as Pipe Major of Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band, succeeds Duncan Nicholson who stepped in as interim Pipe Major in February on the departure of Alisdair MacLaren. A spokesman for […]
The Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Contest is the latest solo piping competition that will adopt video submissions and remote judging for 2020 in order for it to take place. Organiser, Paula Glendinning said: “We are delighted to announce that Jack Taylor and Patrick Molard will judge the Piobaireachd event, and Matt […]
