Highlands & Islands Festival 2026 First Results

Very large entries in all Senior and Junior Grades. The competition was held in the Oban High School today, Saturday, May 2. P/A Ceol Mor for Cooper Salver (1st) and Dugald MacColl Memorial Trophy (2nd).1 Brodie Watson-Massey, Port Urlar2 Sandy Cameron, Earl of Ross’s March3 Sarah Muir, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay4 Angus MacPhee, Blind Piper’s Obstinacy P/A MSR1 Sarah Muir2 Ross Conner3 Callum Wynd4 Cameron May B Ceol Mor1…

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

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….

Band Judges Announced/ Atlantic Canada Results

The RSPBA Adjudicator Panel has announced the following piping, drumming and ensemble judging allocations for the forthcoming pipe band championship season. These allocations may be altered as required due to unforeseen circumstances: Entries have now closed for the British and UK Championships. Deadlines for the others are May 13 (Scottish), June 10 (Europeans), July 1 (Worlds). Atlantic CanadaOn Saturday, April 25th, we had the Atlantic Canada Piobaireachd Challenge which took…

Analysis: A More Authoritative and Pleasing Way of Playing a Particular Crunluath Motif

By Robert Wallace This article concerns the crunluath motif written in the Piobaireachd Society’s collection, before the 2019-2025 revision, as: What follows I first wrote about 22 years ago. I raised it again at the at the recent Piobaireachd Society Judges Seminar when discussing the tune, the Pride of Barra. The timing of this motif is important given that it features not only in the Pride of Barra – set…

Grade 1 Numbers: Readers Have Their Say

Last week in his Notebook, the Editor bemoaned the dearth of pipe bands entered for the Grade 1 British Championship (Ingliston, May 30). There are only nine, playing in this order: 1 SLOT 2 Police Federation 3 FMM 4 Shotts 5 Boghall 6 Fife Police 7 Inveraray 8 Scottish Power 9 Ravara. Given this low number in the grade, he once more urged a cap on numbers and also voiced…