Another week goes by; the trial continues. But pipers (and drummers) are responding, the internet alive with endeavours and challenges. I was pleased the Piobaireachd Society’s own received such a hearty welcome. Hopefully the tunes will continue throughout the lockdown. Organiser in chief is Dr Peter McCalister and he has nominated PS member Callum Wynd to play next. Who will Callum nominate? Following a couple of queries, I must point…

As part of our Lockdown Challenge we asked for submissions from readers: essays, pictures, drawings or tunes. Young champion piper Brodie Watson-Massey has submitted this article. It is printed exactly as submitted without editing. All essays will be judged by our correspondent MacStig and a prize awarded to the winner. Readers who have a view on what Brodie writes are welcome to voice it in our Comment section. Music education…

Do you enjoy listening to pipe tunes on the fiddle. More especially, do you enjoy 2/4 marches on the fiddle? Read on. Douglas Lawrence has been a friend since he played with the Whistlebinkies 40 years ago, writes Robert Wallace A native of Buckie on the Moray coast, he is a brilliant fiddler, winner of major awards and a former member of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. A teacher of…

Well here we go with my thoughts on this band’s latest album, recorded live during a concert in the town of Chilliwack (British Columbia), in February this year. Thankfully Covid-19 had not impacted Canada at that time otherwise this album would never have been produced – and it is a corker. Pipe Major Alan Bevan has put together an array of pipe band music, 17 tracks including, competition medleys, arrangements…

The Eilidh MacLeod Memorial Trust is calling for guidance and advice to create a bespoke support scheme for youth music education across Scotland to enable tuition to continue during the Covid-19 outbreak. In order to shape this special funding scheme, Eilidh’s Trust wants to hear from existing youth groups and tutors about the best ways of teaching and how continuity of learning can be delivered remotely over the coming weeks….