The Piobaireachd Society have announced that their popular series of online tutorials, ‘Talk Piobaireachd’, will return for winter 2024/25. Starting next month, the talks will highlight beginner tunes and tunes from the set lists for next year’s Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting Gold and Silver Medal competitions.
The dates and presenters, all members of the Society’s Music Committee, are as follows:
Nov 20 – Peter McCalister: Lament for Alasdair Dearg, Lament for the Viscount of Dundee
Dec 18 – Mike Cusack: Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute, MacFarlane’s Gathering
Jan 22 – Robert Wallace: Salute to Donald, Prince’s Salute
Feb 19 – Jack Taylor: Lament for the Departure of King James, Duke of Atholl’s Salute
Mar 19 – Alan Forbes: Chisholm’s Salute, MacLeans’ March
Apr 23 – Jack Lee: Munro’s Salute, Lament for Ronald McDonald of Morar
The talks are at 8pm GMT (April GMT+1) and are open to all members of the Society. Membership costs £18 or £7 (student) for one year. You can join here.
Archie Kenneth Quaich
The 33rd annual amateur piobaireachd competition for the Archie Kenneth Quaich is on Saturday, 22nd February, 2025, at the Royal Scottish Pipers Society rooms in Edinburgh.
Competitors must be aged 18 or over and members of the Piobaireachd Society. They must be amateur pipers (has never accepted a cash prize in a senior competition). Two tunes with entries. Members of the Competing Pipers’ Association ineligible.
Entries to the competition organiser Peter McCalister. Closing date: 10th January 2025. If there are significantly more than 25 entries there will be a ballot. Unsuccessful entrants will have a definite place in the 2026 competition.
Cowal Gathering
Cowal are looking for a manager for the games. The blurb: ‘Are you ready to step forward as the custodian of one of Scotland’s most historic annual events? Managing Cowal Gathering is a job like no other, and it is immensely rewarding.
‘Held on the last Saturday of August each year since 1894, Cowal Gathering hosts the World Highland Dancing Championships, the Cowal Pipe Band Championship, and the Cowal International Heavy Athletics Championship.
‘The Cowal Gathering Manager is responsible for planning, executing and reviewing all elements of the event. Salary range – £26k – £33k dependent on experience and workplace pension.’ Application form here. Closing date is 12 noon on 31/10/2024. Interviews week beginning 11/11/2024.
