Possible Change of Date for the UK Pipe Band Championships

The RSPBA is canvassing bands over a change of date for the UK Pipe Band Championships. These are due to be held at Ingliston’s Royal Highland Centre near Edinburgh on July 12. The date has raised considerable controversy. It clashes with important parades in the Northern Ireland band calendar. By the Editor It also comes during a traditional family holiday period with Scottish and Northern Irish schools closed during July….

Silver Chanter Details Announced/ Ardmore Cup Results

The following pipers have been invited to compete for the 2025 Silver Chanter, qualifying win in brackets: Craig Sutherland, Crieff, (Inverness Gold Medal), Nick Hudson, Texas, (Inverness Clasp), Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, (Snr. Piob., Oban), Derek Midgley, New Jersey, (Dunvegan Clasp), Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, (Dunvegan Medal), and Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh, (Oban Gold Medal). The competition will be held in at the Gaelic College, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye, on August 6. The judge is…

Archie Kenneth Quaich Results and Report

This ever-popular amateur piobaireachd contest was held on 22nd February. This was our 33rd contest and for most of those years we have been the fortunate guests of the Royal Scottish Pipers Society (RSPS) in Edinburgh. If you haven’t been there, you may not know that they have excellent acoustics (especially the bar which is the final tuning room). The impressive collection of vintage piping photos on all the walls…

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Bill Livingstone, 1942–2025

Bill Livingstone, one of the great Canadian pipers and pipe majors, passed away yesterday afternoon. He was 83. Bill Livingstone was more than a piper—he was a singular presence in the world of Highland piping. His artistry, leadership, and unwavering dedication reshaped solo piping and pipe bands. Born on March 20, 1942, in Copper Cliff, Ontario, Canada, Bill’s journey with the pipes began at the age of four under the…

NZ Pipe Band Championships Attract Record Entry

With 57 entries, the 2025 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships in Invercargill will be the largest pipe band event outside of Europe, writes Liam Kernaghan, RNZPBA President. ‘The ‘New Zealand Nationals’ is a must-do for many pipe band aficionados and we are delighted to play host yet again to one of the biggest competitions on the planet. Bands from across New Zealand and Australia will compete over two days on Friday…