In what will be seen as a welcome taste of normality, the two major solo piping competitions in the world have announced that they are now accepting entries for next year’s competitions at the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting. The AG is at Oban on August 25 and 26 and the NM at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on September 2 and 3. The last two dates represent a return to…

I would like to make readers aware of a new product we have developed, Twist-Trap Goose Pipes, writes Alastair Dunn, Managing Director of RG Hardie Ltd. Our goal is to make learning to play bagpipes as easy as possible, and along with Twist-Trap Practice Pipes, they provide a smooth transition from practice chanter to Highland Bagpipes.  Twist-Trap Goose Pipes are unique in that they can be played with either a…

This short piece recalls the grand old days of BBC piping broadcasts. It is taken from the Radio Times of 1957. Headlined ‘Broadcasting from Scotland – The Big Music of the Pipes’, it features the late Ronald Morrison. The caption to the picture above reads ‘Piper Ronald Morrison from South Uist, making his first broadcast, plays ‘MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart’ in the Scottish Home Service’. The accompanying article reads.. Only a minority…

The US’s Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming is offering a weekend-long Winter Workshop for Pipers and Drummers, February 19-21, 2021, for a fee of $275USD. The promotional material reads: ‘Students who refer new students to us will receive $50 off the price of the Workshop for every new student referred. ‘Workshop attendees will receive instruction on the great Highland pipes, Scottish smallpipes, and Scottish snare drum. Our guest piping…

The SPA’s annual competition for young pipers aged 18 and under was held under video submission rules for the first time. Main sponsors were MacCallum Bagpipes. The contest attracted a large entry with the results announced this weekend with a very high standard of piping particularly in the U-18 category. The winners were: 18 & Under Piobaireachd1 Cameron May, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay2 Hazel Whyte, Battle of Auldearn No…