Florida Academy/ Pipe Band Association History/ Piobaireachd Comment/ RSPS

FullSizeRenderOnly a week to go until the first South Florida Pipe and Drum Academy and the registrar reports a total of 31 full-time students plus others on a part-time basis. Principal Robert Wallace said: ‘This is a very gratifying figure considering this is the first ever academy and reflects on the hard work of our organising staff in Fort Lauderdale and is recognition of the quality of instruction that will be available to students. We can guarantee a week of expert tuition in an atmosphere of relaxed enjoyment.

‘All students should remember to bring their Highland dress if they have it, practice chanters, drumsticks and pads, instruments, recorders, cameras, notebooks and pencils and any music books they feel they may need.

‘The school will be following the RSPBA’s Structured Learning books and these can be downloaded for free from the Association’s website.’ [Click on ‘Forms’ on the RSPBA home page.]

Instructors for the week are Robert Wallace, P/M Barry Donaldson of the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band, Grade 1 drummer Tommy Johnston, joint proprietor of the Pipe Dreams reedmaking firm, and Donald McBride of Kansas, USA, and twice a runner-up in Gold Medal contests.

The South Florida P&D Academy has been generously sponsored by leading bagpipe makers RT Shepherd & Co, McCallum Bagpipes, and David Naill Bagpipes plus Pipe Dreams.

The SFP&DA is open to all pipers and drummers at whatever level and also to complete beginners who want to learn how to play pipes or drums.[wds id=”3″]


If you are interested in pipe band history, in particular the early days of the Scottish Pipe Band Association then read a report from 1935, in our pipe band history pages. It’s from the 1935 ‘Piping and Dancing Journal’ and was written only five years after the founding of the Association.


Interesting comment from J David Hester of
altpibroch.com regarding our ‘Everyman’s Piobaireachd’ article.


Interesting comment too from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers re the SFU concert ‘sell out’ appeal.[wds id=”4″]


The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society have announced the following:

imageThe Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society, the world’s oldest amateur piping society, has voted to admit female members. The members voted overwhelmingly for this change in the Society’s constitution.

A spokesman for the Society said, ‘The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society is delighted to admit women members after more than 130 years as an all-male society. We are glad that our Society will now recognise the excellent contribution made to our art by female pipers.’