From Thursday, July 31st to August 30th, the Burgh Hall in Dunoon will feature a small exhibition highlighting the life and achievements of Pipe Major John McLellan DCM in celebration of his 150th Anniversary, write the organisers.
The exhibition will feature a few of Jock’s personal items from his long and distinguished military career as a piper with the Highland Light Infantry and the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, including a number of his medals awarded to him during the Boer War and WW1.
The exhibition will also feature photos, posters, and pipe music related items which include a few of Jock’s tune sheets that have never been seen by the public or published.
We are currently collecting item’s from his many relatives in the Cowal Peninsula and beyond, and local organisations too. Recently, Castle House Museum in Dunoon kindly offered to loan the exhibition a unique set of Jock’s pipe tunes which have been mounted onto a print block. More information.
Here is a video of Inveraray Pipe Band playing a medley featuring John’s Dream Valley of Glendaruel tunes at a recent concert in Frankfurt, Germany:
Virginia International Tattoo
Eight pipe bands are registered to compete in the American Championship to be held in Norfolk this Saturday, April 26. Grade Three: Carnegie Mellon University, MacMillan Birtles, Maj. Sinclair Memorial, St Thomas Episcopal, Siren City, Wake & Dist. Public Safety; Grade Two: MacMillan, Ulster Scottish, Philadelphia.
Each band plays twice, an MSR then a Medley. G2: 1 $2,000, 2 $1,000, 3 $500; G3: 1 $1,500, 2 $1,000, 3 $500. The Drum Fanfare competition has a single ‘winner takes all’ $1,000 prize. Entry is free at Scope Plaza in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. The contest will be livestreamed on Facebook from noon Eastern Time. More information www.vafest.org/tattoo.
The band championship coincides with the Virginia International Tattoo, April 24-27 at Scope Arena. The Massed Pipes and Drums this year feature Camden County Emerald Society, Major Sinclair, Mesa Caledonian, Royal Caledonian Soc. of South Australia, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Tidewater Pipes and Drums.
Classic Strathspeys & Reels – Vol. 1 (A – F)
Some of the all time great competition strathspeys and reels are listed here. Each is played in full on the practice chanter by Robert Wallace. Firstly he goes through the tune very slowly at a practice tempo and then he plays it a little more quickly, closer to performance speed. Download your tune and then try playing along. If the tune you need is not listed email <a href="mailto:pipingpress…