In the second part of the 2017 College of Piping Lecture, ALAN FORBES talked about the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society. At the start of Alan’s presentation, the audience was treated to a performance of Roddy Campbell’s Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society by Andrew Frater, Robert Frater and John Frater. The Scottish […]
1958-1959 By Jeannie Campbell MBE The ten tunes set for the Open competition in 1958 were The Battle of the Pass of Crieff, Lament for Donald Bàn MacCrimmon, Donald Gruamach’s March, The Earl of Antrim’s Lament, Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute, Scarce of Fishing, Colin Roy MacKenzie’s Lament, The Park Piobaireachd, […]
1953-1954 By Jeannie Campbell MBE At the beginning of 1953, in an effort to extend the season, hoteliers in Oban asked the council to hold the Argyllshire Gathering a week later. However, the stewards of the Gathering decided against altering their arrangements.Competitors for the Open Piobaireachd in 1953 were required […]
By Captain John MacLellan The year 1781 has much more significance to piping than the fact that it was the first time that a properly organised competition for ceòl mòr was held. As to the past, we can only surmise that competitions were held – none are on record. Apart […]
We hear that the life of Evan MacRae (1922-1991), who is mentioned briefly in the Lochaber Gathering report from 1996 (below), will be the subject of a new book. Evan is remembered by many in Lochaber today from his time there working as a piping instructor in the schools. Born […]
Roderick MacDonald was born on South Uist in 1901. He was a member of Glasgow City Police Pipe Band from 1923 to 1956. He served under two Pipe Majors, Willie Gray, then the famous John MacDonald, his brother. At the Argyllshire Gathering, Roderick won the March in 1928, the Strathspey […]
Peter Bain was a prominent piper and judge of the post-war era. Taught his piping by William MacDonald, Lairg, Peter joined the Scots Guards in 1927 and was appointed Pipe Major of the Holding Batt. in 1941 then the 4th Batt. In 1944-45 he was Pipe Major of the 2nd […]
The first ‘Piper Above all Others’ competition was an invitational one that was held in Glasgow from the late 1970s to the early-mid 1980s. Andrew Wright won it in 1979, Donald MacPherson in 1980, Pipe Major Angus MacDonald in 1981. Fred Morrison won the 1985 one. The 1980 competition is […]
With the 2020 invitational solo piping competition organised by The Glasgow Uist and Barra Association coming up on March 7 at The National Piping Centre Otago Street, we found the following critique from the 1978 competition interesting. Competing that day were many who have become some of our leading judges […]
We kick off today with an appeal for a unique practice chanter. June Ross, a relation of Pipe Major George MacKenzie, Seaforth Highlanders, wishes for the return of the instrument. Unfortunately, we do not have a photograph of it. June says: “It was presented to my great uncle by the […]
