The World Pipe Band Championships, earns millions for the local economy and brings considerable prestige to the city of Glasgow. Today they can’t get enough of the Worlds. But it wasn’t aways so. In this article from 1948, the SPBA’s then Secretary, Mr RC Whitelaw, explains the schism with Cowal Gathering, the search for a new home for the Association’s first official World Pipe Band Championship and the difficulties he…

I am attempting to find details of the uniforms that were created for the pipe band of the Royal Company of Archers (RCA). I am in the process of creating models of the RCA pipe band based on a very poor photo of the band I have found. The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign’s Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed…

The following is abridged from an article by Stephen Sedley in a recent edition of the London Review of Books … In 1957 Vera Lynn, who died this summer aged 103, recorded a song called ‘Travellin’ Home’. It was an instant hit, selling thousands of copies. On hearing it, London publisher J. Curwen & Sons noticed a striking similarity to their song ‘Westering Home’ published in 1939 and by Sir…

The award-winning Lochgelly High School band are looking for a new instructor. The band, for years taught by dedicated teacher and former RSPBA Music Board official Tam Brown, have multiple championships to their name and Fife Council are anxious that this success continues. The new instructor will be based at the school and teach and its five feeder primary schools. The job spec reads: Fife Council is looking to recruit…

The winner of the Shasta Piping Society of California’s ceòl mòr composing contest, P/M Ben Duncan, was announced on Monday. Today we enjoy the other excellent pieces that made the prizelist in the 2020 contest. The composers are pictured above (l -r): Jori Chisholm, John Dew and Zephan Knickel. The second place tune was by Jori Chisholm. Jori writes: ‘My tune title is Nameless, A Lament (2020). Thanks again to…