The trip to Australia is drawing to a close and the only negative thing to report is the rather weird competition scenario that I heard happened recently in the state of Victoria. Pipers were invited to compete but without a judge, the performances recorded (high quality mics etc) and sent off to Canada and Scotland for adjudication. Presumably everyone was notified of the results later. I was so nonplussed by…

Three bands were awarded £500 from the RSPBA’s National Juvenile Pipe Band Fund recently. They were Sgoil Lionacleit from the Western Isles, Bucksburn and District from Aberdeenshire and West Lothian Schools. The fund was established a few years ago now to help youth bands with their expenses for travel and teaching and it continues to be in healthy state with 1% of RSPBA revenue added each year. It should be…

In Adelaide for the RU Brown Gold Medal competitions. On arriving one is yet again impressed by this most English of cities and of the state in general. The coming place? South Australia has arrived. Everywhere one looks is spectacular development, order, parkland, litter-less walkways, a wonderful autumn climate ……. and piping’s doing well too. Local teacher Brett Tidswell tells me of hundreds of youngsters studying the piob mhor, this…

All congratulations to P/M Ross Cowan and his North Lanarkshire Schools pipe bands on their successful visit to New York for Tartan Week. By all accounts they were very well received and it was reported in the Scottish press that they ‘brought Grand Central Station to a halt’ with an impromptu performance on the concourse. You can see the band in action on Facebook (875,000+ views!). Such was their impact…

Skye Gathering may have suffered from the depressing loss of the Silver Chanter contest last year but the organisers are hitting back in the best way possible. They are pushing the kids. This year will see a new emphasis on Under 18 Piobaireachd and MSR competitions at Portree. These will take place on the Tuesday of the gathering and will be an important feature of a day which sees top…