Time to harness the creative thoughts and banish the lockdown blues with a new piobaireachd. Piping Press is once more partnering the Shasta Piping Society in the US and Canada’s Burley Bagpipe Co. in promoting their composing competition 2020. Judges for the contest will be Piping Press Editor and Piobaireachd Society President Robert Wallace, South African piobaireachd expert Chris Terry and New Zealand’s double Gold Medallist Greg Wilson. Steve Rooklidge,…

The RSPBA have just confirmed that the Scottish Pipe Band Championships scheduled for Dumbarton on July 25 have been cancelled due to the virus epidemic. In a statement the Association said: ‘In response to the current Coronavirus outbreak (CoVid-19), and after careful consideration and discussions with West Dunbartonshire Council, we have made the decision to cancel the 2020 Scottish Pipe Band Championships in Dumbarton. ‘Our decision is based on the…

At 8pm UK time millions of people in the UK will be clapping their hands in public to show their appreciation of frontline virus health staff. Pipers are already gearing up for a blast of Scotland the Brave to go along with the clapping. Now Oban High School Pipe Band and their pipe major, the world famous Angus MacColl, are calling all bands, pipers AND drummers – to join them…

The Centre have issued this statement today… ‘The Board of the National Piping Centre is delighted to announce that Finlay MacDonald (above) has been appointed to the position of Director of Piping of the National Piping Centre. ‘He will assume this position on 1/6/20. He has worked at the NPC since 2002 and for the last 12 years has been an outstanding and creative Head of Piping Studies. We look…

The following article was by Donald McIntosh and early advocate for the then SPBA. It appeared in the November 1935 issue of ‘Piping and Dancing’ Magazine…controversy over grading and proposed extension of the SPBA into Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The above picture is of Stonehouse Pipe Band from Lanarkshire, winners of the first Grade 1 contest Cowal for civilian bands in 1909. We are grateful to Alan…