Army Pipe Majors to Take Up Civilian Teaching Posts After Combined Service of 39 years

Army piping has suffered a significant loss with the imminent departure of two of its leading Pipe Majors. P/M Ben Duncan (above left), Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, is leaving after 15 years service to take up the job of Assistant PIpe Major at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. Ben begins at Watson’s in September. P/M Peter MacGregor, 4 Scots, The Highlanders, is leaving to become the piping Instructor at Erskine…

Markinch Games Results/ Aberdeen Games

Results from Markinch Highland Games, Sunday June 5. It was a lovely sunny day, but the piping boards were in the usual shaded and blustery part of the park which was a little cold at times. Seventeen pipers entered. Open Piob:1st Greig Canning2nd Peter McCalister3rd Andrew Hall4th Angus J MacColl Open MSR1st Angus J MacColl2nd Jonathon Simpson3rd Robbie McIsaac4th Greig CanningOverall: Greig Canning Junior Piob1 Callum Lowther2 Christopher Drummond3 Finlay Peden Junior MSR1 Arran Green Stirling2 Callum Lowther3 Finlay Peden4 Brooklyn…

Readers React to Robert Mathieson’s Groundbreaking Thoughts on the Future of the Pipe Band Medley

Last week Piping Press ran a series of articles from RSPBA Adjudicator Robert Mathieson. The reaction is almost as important and interesting as the original thoughts. We print a selection here… Robert McCarthy: Mr Mathieson is saying out loud what has been on many peoples’ minds for years. The contest format has been mired in antiquated rules long enough; they are strangling bands. The ‘prescribed tune list’ and restricting them…

Atholl Gathering Results

A cold and sometimes wet day on the Perthshire slopes at Blair Atholl for one of the first major Highland gatherings of the season. There were strong entries in all grades with circa. 50 pipers on parade over the grades. Champion Piper was Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge. P/A/Non CPA Piobaireachd (three tunes):1 Angus MacColl, snr.2 Sandy Cameron3 Sarah Muir4 Ben Duncan5 Steven LeaskJudges: P Henderson, W Morrison B Piob (three…

Famous Pipers: Fifty Years Since the Passing of Robert U. Brown, Balmoral – Part 2

We continue with excerpts from the tribute edition of the South Australian Pipe Band Newsletter from 1972 which marked Bob Brown’s death after a teaching and recital tour there. The above photograph of Bob was taken during the trip. The caption reads: ‘Pipe Major RU Brown at Port Pirie Highland Games in South Australia. Invited as Official Guest to open the Games. Driven 200 miles north of Adelaide. Occupants of…