I read at the weekend that Scottish local authorities can only raise around 12% of their own inciome from local taxes (down from 20% some years ago).As such I am not sure we should be too critical of them when we consider the worrying situation of music teaching in our schools. These councils have their hands tied. Direct much of your ire to the Scottish ‘government’ at Holyrood. In the…

The Principal of the Northern Winter School, Ronnie Bromhead, ex-Scots Guards, tells me that registrations for this year’s school will open in the first week of March. Venue is as before at Lohheide in Lower Saxony and an excellent facility I might add. Ronnie has pledged to keep prices as affordable as possible but there will be no reduction in the quality of the world-class teaching on offer. Check the…

A set of old Lawrie silver and ivory pipes is offered for sale today on Piping Press. The pipes are pictured above. Get more details and pictures from our Online Advertising Service here. This service is available to all readers for only £25 per ad. Got something to sell? Use this service to reach thousands of pipers and pipe bands worldwide. I read at the weekend that yet another minor…

It is pleasing to see that the Scottish Government’s Education Committee has ruled that music tuition in our schools should be provided free of charge to pupils, writes the Editor. Pleasing, but unless the administration puts money where it matters it will just be another blast of well meaning hot air. It is a fact that pupils learning a musical instrument, and that includes pipers and drummers, do better at…