St Laurence O’Toole from Eire (pictured in the circle today) were declared the new British Pipe Band Champions today at a cold, grey St James Playing Fields in Paisley. Just over 120 bands entered for the contest, the first RSPBA major championship of the season. The G1 prizes: 1 SLoT2 Scottish Power3 Inveraray4 Boghall5 Field Marshal6 Fife Police with the drumming going to SLoT. Each band had to submit two MSRs,…

Jori Chisholm of Seattle, USA, is the winner of this year’s original piobaireachd composing competition organised by the Shasta Piping Society, California, and the Burley Bagpipe Company. Jori is a previous winner of the competition (2017) and picks up a cheque for £500 ($650) for his as yet unnamed tune. In second place came Karen McCrindle Warren from Cumnock in Ayrshire. She wins £250. Karen, compiler of the South West…

Ms Alex Duncan, Chief Executive of the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust: An opportunity has arisen for a Chanter/ Bagpipe tutor and a Snare Drumming tutor to teach during the school day in some of the Forres and/ or Elgin primary and secondary schools and to develop a schools pipe band in each location.   Applicants may wish to work in one, or in both locations. The roles are…

By Julie Stewart The 41st William Livingstone, Senior, Memorial Invitational, or, ‘The Livingstone’, to those familiar with the event, was held Saturday, May 11, in the historic James Street Armouries, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in the Officers’ Mess of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada. The Livingstone contest is one of the most challenging anywhere: players are required to prevail in both piobaireachd and ‘light’ music contests in order to…

A happy ending following our story of the other day. Malcolm Muir has his father’s pipes back. Writing in our comments section he says: ‘Wow here’s to the power of social media! Dad’s pipes have been found! ‘We’re over the moon and quite emotional as the owner, who despite his love of them and sentimental attachment, has agreed to come to an arrangement with us.’ Strapped for cash and against…