Grade 1 Numbers: Readers Have Their Say

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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…

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NZ Youth Band Album/ Wheel of Fortune Results

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A debut album released by the National Youth Pipe Band of New Zealand, ‘Bound by Sound’ comprises a ten‑track showcase of the country’s emerging talent, writes Liam Kernaghan. Recorded over three days in December 2025, the album blends the Scottish tradition with the modern Kiwi revival. Piping and drumming are booming again among young New Zealanders, and everyone on the album carries their own personal thread in that story.  ”Bound…

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Editor’s Notebook: Grade 1 Bands/ Scots Guards KO/ Scholarship/ Highland Pipers

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Knowledgeable attendees are reporting a very high standard of performance at last week’s band contest at Huntly, Aberdeenshire. I’m told four Grade 2 bands, Buchan Peterson, Grampian Police, Texo Deeside and Bucksburn, would not disgrace themselves in Grade 1. Given the dwindling numbers in that grade, this has to be good news. This week’s G1 draw for the British Championships at Ingliston on May 30 sports a grand total of…

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Guide to the Games 2026 – August & September

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We conclude our guide with thanks to the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association. Promoters please forward details on any information we have missed. August is an extremely busy month with 26 gatherings going on at various venues around the country. We have excluded competitions which are not essentially games events: CPA Bronze Medal, Skye Gathering, Northern Meeting, Silver Chanter, Lochaber Gathering. To promoters, please remember to send Piping Press your…

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Guide to the Games 2026 – May to July

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We are grateful to the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association for the bulk of this list of events this summer. It may not be comprehensive and if any reader knows of an event that has been missed, or any updates, please forward details. To pipers we say get out and support these contests, especially the non-graded ones. Graded events are well subscribed and often have to cap their list. Yes,…

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