Steven McCabe: We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting The Highlanders Piping Recital featuring some incredible guest performers! Join us for an evening filled with music and tradition.
Pipers of 4 Scots, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Captain Stuart Samson MBE, and the Highlanders Cadet Force will be performing at the recital in Fort George Chapel on June 14. All proceeds will go directly to supporting The Highlanders Museum, Fort George, helping to preserve our rich heritage. Tickets available here.
Mark your calendars, stay tuned for more updates, and come along enjoy a fantastic night. We can’t wait to see you there.
Skye Tunes
I can’t help but feel a little sadness at the thought that the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp could be won by a piper who does not submit a MacCrimmon tune.
The great attraction of the Skye Gathering is the quality of music on offer, the great classic tunes, your Patrick Ogs, your Donald Bans. With the introduction of tunes from the senior list for Oban and Inverness, as announced this week, the competition’s unique feature could be lost.
I understand the need to boost entries, but the increases in prize money and the introduction of a £150 appearance guarantee should surely have been enough to entice former winners of the Dunvegan Medal to Portree.
The other bonus is an invite to the Silver Chanter for the winner. This will only be the second year that this benefit has had a chance to filter through.
One thing I can say is that whilst I have any say in the matter, the Silver Chanter will not be diluting its MacCrimmon/ Skye heritage.
CLASP
Margaret Houlihan: We recently introduced a series of practice chanter events for adults. There were four events, Piobaireachd Ground, two part 2/4 March, two part Strathspey and Reel and two part Jig. This event is sponsored by ES Session chanters.
Overall winner was Eve de Jong from the Netherlands (pictured). Piobaireachd Ground: 1 Dermot Gavin, 2 Eve de Jong, 3 Allan Collie; 2/4 March: 1 Smader Bernstein 2 Allan Collie 3 Eve de Jong; S&R: 1 Smader Bernstein 2 Eve de Jong 3 Allan Collie; Jig: 1 Eve de Jong 2 Richard Johnston 3 Smader Berstein
All events were judged by Eilidh MacDonald. The next adult practice chanter competition is in September 2025.
Scottish Pipers‘ Association
The first open professional contest of the year is tomorrow at the Piping Centre, McPhater Street, Glasgow, from 8.30am. Admission at the door is £5. Stay tuned to PP for all results.
Carrick Lowland Gathering
Rhona Walker: This Juvenile Solo Piping competition is taking place on Sunday 1st June 2025. To enter, interested parties should complete the online entry form here. We hope to encourage young local pipers to enter.
Piobaireachd Society AGM
The Society’s AGM is online this Sunday at 7pm BST (GMT+1). All members have already been notified. Any member who has not received the Teams link please get in touch.
Piper Search
Reader Chris MacKnight: ‘I’m looking for information about a piper, William Shaw. I have two manuscript books of pipe music by him. On the inside front cover of one of these he describes himself as piper to ‘A’ Company of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, Inverness-shire. From some of the tunes in the books it appears he was also piper to Sir Joseph White-Todd, Morenish, near Killin. He has several tunes in the Dunoon Highland Gathering collection of 1912 (the Banks of the Lochay, Leys Castle, Ben Wyvis and Stronachlachan). He may also have been Pipe Major of a Territorial unit of the Highland Light Infantry during WW1. I can be reached at chris.macknight@dal.ca. Thank you.
