Tag: Seumas MacNeill

Memories of London greats

Memories of London greats

Jeannie Campbell’s recent article on Owen MacNiven contained a few passages that triggered in solo piping judge, Roddy Livingstone a few memories of some of the leading lights of the London piping scene of yesteryear. He writes: “During the 25 years I was a pupil and friend of James Campbell […]

Famous pipers: John A. MacLellan

Simply put, Captain John A. MacLellan MBE (1921-1991) was one of the most important pipers of the 20th century. A military man, he joined the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders as a boy piper in 1936. In 1941, he was appointed Pipe Major of the 9th Battalion, Queen’s Own Highlanders: he […]

Stories of the Tunes: The Edinburgh Pìobaireachd

Stories of the Tunes: The Edinburgh Pìobaireachd

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 […]

The case for a ‘second’ chanter

The case for a ‘second’ chanter

By David V. Kennedy In the last few years, pipers have recognised that the pitch of the chanter of the Scottish piob mhor has risen to approximately B flat from A natural. Chanter makers seem to have responded to a popular demand to make higher pitched canters – mostly from […]

Jimmy MacMillan and a young Jack Lee pictured in 1981 at a homecoming party to celebrate Jack winning the Inverness Gold Medal.

Remembering James MacMillan, 1911-2005

• From the September 2005 Piping Times. By Jack Lee I have often wondered how piping would have turned out in Vancouver if Jimmy McMillan hadn’t taught here. Would Terry and I have stuck with piping? Would the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band (SFU) even exist? Jimmy was the defining […]

Cameron MacFadyen: Skye high

Cameron MacFadyen: Skye high

By Cameron MacFadyen Skye Highland Games has been held in Portree for nigh-on 150 years, with piping being a constant and important feature but it is improbable to think that there was no competitive piping before that. Given the importance of patronage by the various clan chiefs towards piping and […]

SPA Knockout

SPA Knockout

This Saturday evening – May 4 – sees Stuart Liddell and Gordon McCready play in the first heat of the Scottish Pipers’ Association’s (SPA) ‘knockout’ series for the Piping Times Trophy. Stuart is the current holder of the trophy. The other invited players in the series are Cameron McDougall and […]

Christian Krohg's depiction from 1899 of
King Olaf presenting a sword to Icelandic skald, Sigvat the Skald (995-1045).

The origins of ceòl mòr, a theory – part 1

• From the March 1980 Piping Times. Mrs. Bridget MacKenzie, nee Gordon, was, until her marriage to Dr. Alex MacKenzie, lecturer in Old Norse in the Department of English Language at Glasgow University. A graduate of Oxford and Glasgow, she is a daughter of the late Professor E. V. Gordon, […]

SPA Knockout, Heat 3

Heat 3 sees of the Scottish Pipers’ Association’s prestigious knockout series for the Piping Times Trophy sees Steven Leask take on Sarah Muir. The series was began in 1964 by Seumas MacNeill and the trophy was given by the Piping Times. Duncan Johnstone was the first winner.

SPA Knockout, Heat 2

Heat 2 sees of the Scottish Pipers’ Association’s prestigious knockout series for the Piping Times Trophy sees Cameron McDougall take on Callum Beaumont. The series was began in 1964 by Seumas MacNeill and the trophy was given by the Piping Times. Duncan Johnstone was the first winner.