Category: News

RSPBA Pipe Band College Controversy

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Piping Press has obtained a copy of a letter sent to all RSPBA exam assessors by the former Piping Principal of the Association’s Pipe Band College, Jim Campbell. Jim is a highly respected pipe band adjudicator and a lifelong servant of the Association. For the avoidance of any confusion or spin we reprint his letter in full (below). The background to it is the lengthy inquiry into the College commissioned…

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Piobaireachd Society News

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The Piobaireachd Society’s Annual Recital of Ceol Mor, ‘Scotland’s Hidden Treasure’, will be held in St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh, on August 9th. The invited pipers are Gold Medal prizewinner Sean McKeown, Ontario, and 2025 Silver Medallists Callum Wynd and Kyle Cameron. Each will play two piobaireachd. There will be three tunes before the interval and three after. The pipers play in continuous with no tuning in between performances. The tunes…

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Northern Ireland News

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The 2026 Ulster Adult Solo Championship took place at Cookstown High School on Saturday 18th April. There was a large entry from all over Ireland and indeed a few from England and Scotland. Top of the list was Rathfriland’s James Frazer whose wins in the MSR and Piobaireachd, together with a second place in the Hornpipe and Jig, made him Ulster Adult Piping Champion. Alex Buchanan became Ulster Adult Drumming…

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Highlands & Islands Festival 2026 – Updated With Full Results and Comment

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Very large entries in all Senior and Junior Grades. The competition was held in the Oban High School on Saturday, May 2. Judges reported a high standard in both P/A events. Of the MSR Barry Donaldson commented: ‘The prizewinners all played extremely well. There was very little between them. The pipes and fingers were impressive and those who failed to make the list generally had issues with pulsing and phrase…

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Editor’s Notebook: Band Attitudes/ Jennifer Query/ Chariots of Fire/ Ross Record/ Highland & Islands Fest

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I found some of the responses to the worries over the numbers of bands in Grade 1 disappointing but not untypical of grassroots attitudes in the pipe band world. Something’s wrong, therefore criticise those who offer solutions whilst offering none yourself. Strange, but not uncommon. We met the same grumblers when we proposed an open semi circle instead of the circle arrangement for Grade 1. Sadly the grumblers have prevailed….

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