Author: Piping Press

History: The Founding of the Scottish Pipe Band Association

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Twenty years ago the RSPBA celebrated its 75th Anniversary. To mark the occasion the Association produced a special supplement for Pipe Band Magazine. It included this short history by former President Bob Black and Dick McGrory on the founding of the Scottish Pipe Band Association……. Big Oaks from Little Acorns – 75 Years of the RSPBA…. Pipe band contests are on record as early as 1905 and even in those…

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Piobaireachd Society Conference/ RSPBA Graeme Johnston Juvenile Contest

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The Piobaireachd Society has formally announced details of its 2026 Annual Conference. It will be held in the Royal George Hotel, Perth, from March 27-29. The conference features four presentations: ‘The Life and Music of Bill Livingstone’ by Michael Grey, Ontario, the ‘Origins of Piobaireachd’ by Dr Hugh Cheape and Dr Peter McCalister, ‘Let Piobaireachd Flourish’, a look at ceòl mòr from a Glasgow perspective by John Mulhearn, and ‘100…

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A Look Back at the Northern Meeting 1978

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We are grateful to the reader who forwarded the complete programme from Inverness 1978. We are sure it will jog the memories of all the pipers who were there. Prizes of note include the Gold Medal going to Dr Bill Wotherspoon (Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon), the Clasp going to John MacDougall (MacLean’s March) and the Former Winners going to P/M Angus MacDonald. John was looking to complete the ‘big…

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History: The Rise of Inveraray Pipe Band, Part 2

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The following is the second instalment from an article in the Pipe Band Magazine of July 2009. Headlined: ‘Seventy Years On and the Bells of Inveraray Herald Town’s New Band’, it charts the resurrection of a band first founded in the 1890s. Now they are the current World Champions and P/M Liddell has four such titles to his name….. The band’s Pipe Major, Stuart Liddell, said, ‘I always had a…

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The Kettlewell Legacy: Inspiring the Next Generation of Pipers

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I have just finished my term as President of the Glasgow Highland Club. One of my last duties was accepting a most generous donation from the family of the late David Kettlewell. David spent a lifetime teaching youngsters the pipes and a stipulation of the gift is that it should be used as a prize for junior piping. By Colin Kerr The spark that ignited David’s lifelong love of piping happened…

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