The Times had a story yesterday stating that classical music has increased in tempo over the years. According to independent research, performance time of Bach’s double violin concerto had fallen from 17 minutes in 1961 to 12 minutes in 2016. Has the same accelerando affected piping? Perhaps in ceol mor. Perusing the Masters of Piobaireachd series you can listen to tunes played at what I would suggest is a more…

In the second of our unique videos from the 1995 Northern Meeting we see and hear performances from P/M Gordon Walker, Donald MacPhee, Angus MacColl and the late Gordon Duncan, writes the Editor. P/M Walker and Donald are captured performing in the Former Winners’ March, Strathspey and Reel at Inverness to a packed Eden Court Theatre. What a pleasure it is to see and hear Gordon. Dressed immaculately, he plays…

Soon he swaps the leathers for his furry onesy and heads off to the woods to join his ursine friends Yogi, Pooh and Paddington for his well-earned hibernation….he is the Piping Press’s MacStig. But we couldn’t let him go before he completed his report on the World Solo Drumming…. It was after the weekend that was, with a reflective moment on a grey skied beach, the sheer depth and strength…

The Shasta Piping Society in the US, in association with Burley Bagpipes, British Columbia, have announced the details of their composng competition for 2019. As before, the judges will be PP Editor Robert Wallace, Bill Livingsatone (Canada) and Chris Terry (South Africa). This competition calls for copies of original piobaireachds to be submitted by composers to the panel.  The piobaireachd submissions must be original to the composer(s), of any style,…

The 2019 Florida Pipe and Drum Academy has relocated to Jacksonville in the north-east of the state. Here are the details: Florida Pipe & Drum Academy 2019; Dates: Feb 13 -17 inclusive. Venue: The Fire Academy of The South / Florida State College Jacksonville @ 2700 Firefighter Memorial Dr., Jacksonville, Fl 32246. Tuition: $500; deposit $250; fee includes lunch. Further info and registration at www.pipeanddrumacademy.com The teaching team is as before: myself, Barry Donaldson,…