Two-Day Skye Gathering Underway: Strong Entry in Dunvegan Medal

The focus of the piping world is this morning on the island that gave so much to our music – Skye. The competition for the coveted Dunvegan Medal is already underway in the island’s capital, Portree, writes the Editor. Twenty nine pipers have entered, each submitting four MacCrimmon piobaireachd of their own choice. The order of play is: Andrew Carlisle, Mike Fitzhenry, Steven Leask, Nick Hudson, Keith Bowes, Darach Urquhart,…

Inverkeithing Games Results

Editor’s Notebook: Juvenile Bands/ Piper Appeal/ Morar Games/ Renfrew Band Appeal/ Ken Eller

We don’t give prominence to anonymous commentary unless it has some sense or truth about it. Here’s one on the dearth of bands in our Juvenile grade. We received it this week following Alistair Aitken’s review of the Scottish Championships: ‘Until those running the best Novice A bands have the courage to accept promotion when it’s awarded, I think the Juvenile category will remain fairly sparse. ‘A few observations to…

Scottish Pipe Band Championships: Grade 1 Review Part 1

I have railed already about the dearth of good strathspeys among our bands. At Dumbarton, some pipe corps fought manfully against the 12/8 drumming tide, notably Inveraray, the Power, and Field Marshal, but the ‘band strath’ was in evidence throughout the Grade 1 contest. The other great carbuncle on the handsome face of today’s bands is a form of tune soup, or melody salad, that we are hearing at the…

Editor’s Notebook: Scottish Championships/ Aboyne Games/ Zampogna in Edinburgh/ Hawai’i Pipers

All roads lead to Dumbarton tomorrow for the third major of the pipe band season. Weather is looking pretty good (for the west of Scotland), with perhaps a few showers early on; dry by the March Past. A highly respectable 132 bands have entered for what will be the 25th Scottish Championships to be held under the shadow of the Rock. The sponsors, West Dunbarton Council deserve all credit for…