FMM Take First of Season’s Majors – Updated with Pictures and Grade 2 Comments

Field Marshal Montgomery laid down a statement of intent by winning the first pipe band major championship of the summer, the British at Bathgate, writes Robert Wallace. All the talk over the winter was that this could be the year that they were toppled from their dominant position as the number one pipe band in the world. Well, after this performance, some of the pundits will have to re-think their…

PP Editor’s Blog: Kilberry Bagpipes/ British Championships/Piping Live

Double Gold Medallist Douglas Murray has taken over Kilberry Bagpipes in Edinburgh and reports brisk business at his premises in St Mary’s Street just off the Royal Mile. The above pic shows Dougie outside his new shop. Visitors are welcome to call in for a chat or to have their pipes looked over by an expert. Douglas will be leading his much-improved Fife Constabulary band onto the field at the…

Marathon Man Jack Completes Major Recording Project

Canadian piper Jack Lee (pictured above with Silver Medallist son Colin) has completed his recording of all the tunes in the Piobaireachd Society collection. The tunes are available for download from his company’s website. Jack, P/Sgt. of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, is a double Gold Medallist and winner of all the top solo awards as well as six World Championship titles with SFU. To let readers understand the magnitude…

Iain Dall MacKay Contest/ New Letters/ Govan Piping

Details have been announced for the 2015 Iain Dall MacKay contest to be held in Gairloch, Wester Ross, in September. The Iain Dall ‘Young Pipers’ Festival’ will be held in Gairloch Primary School on September 26th. The purpose of the festival is to encourage pipers aged under 18 to compete and enjoy their piping in a friendly and relaxing competition. There are eight classes: 1: March on practice chanter – primary…

The Army’s Ben Duncan Triumphs at Blair Games

The Army’s Ben Duncan picked up three first prizes at a cold and breezy Blair Atholl Games. Ben place first in the B Piobaireachd with the Lament for MacSwan of Roaig and first in the open MSR and H&J, thus continuing on the early season promise he showed at the Highlands & Islands Festival in Oban earlier in the month. A decent sized crowd were entertained by the band of the…