We are grateful to Alan Chatto, Australia, for forwarding this article from the ‘Piping, Drumming and Highland Dancing Journal’, the forerunner to the SPBA’s ‘Pipe Band’ Magazine. Many of those listed went on to become household names in the pipe band world: Alex Connell of Strathclyde Police, Betty Jeffrey, later wife of RG Hardie, Alick McCormick, Glasgow Police, Gordon Jelly, Billy Stevenson, Jock Kerr, Jim Hutton, Jimmy Catherwood…. THERE is…

Further to our concluding episode on pipers and pipe music of WW1, leading piper, composer and adjudicator Bob Worrall of Ontario, Canada, has submitted a poignant retreat march in memory of his grandfather who died in the conflict. Bob writes: ‘My grandfather Albert James Worrall was killed at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on Easter Sunday, 1917. He was 29, leaving behind his wife and five young children.  ‘About 3000…

A report by leading musicians and scientists has labelled the media’s demonising of the playing of pipes and other woodwind instruments during the Covid-19 pandemic as ‘simply wrong’ and that when suitable mitigations are in place the practice posed no aditional risk at social gatherings. Their comprehensive report is entitled ‘Following the Science: A systematic literature review of studies surrounding singing and brass, woodwind and bagpipe playing during the COVID-19…

The High School of Dundee is looking for a new, part-time, piping instructor to work two days a week under P/M David Wilton. The job spec states: ‘The successful applicant should have an extensive knowledge of, and be an expert practitioner in, the bagpipes. ‘In addition, he or she should be able to tune a pipe band and perhaps step in as pipe major of any school band if required….

The Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition, scheduled to be recorded at the National Piping Centre on November 27 has been cancelled due to travel difficulties associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. At the moment travel is discouraged between areas of Scotland which have a differing prevalence of the virus. Glasgow is currently in Tier 3 of infection. Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, with low infection rates, is in Tier 1. This meant…