Editor’s Notebook: Atholl Gathering/ RT Shepherd/ SPA Professional/ William Kennedy Festival/ Florida School

Atholl Gathering Piping Convenor Jack TayIor: ‘Solo piping entries at the Gathering open today, Friday 14th March. The entry form is here on the Atholl Gathering website. ‘Held on Sunday, May 25th, it is the first outdoor competition of the season and is always busy, so pipers are encouraged to put entries in early.  ‘We will try and give everyone the chance to play, but if categories are too big we will have to restrict them on…

Editor’s Notebook: RT Shepherd & Co./ Entries at UKs/ Clan Fraser PB/ Correspondence/ Iowa Highlanders/ Scottish Schools

I am sure that we are not the only people who are have failed in our attempts to get in touch with bagpipe manufacturer RT Shepherd & Co. On a visit to Fife this week I called in to their premises in Cardenden to find the place locked up with curtains closed and blinds down. Local enquiries yielded scant information other than that around a month ago the premises had…

RSPBA Drop Change of Date for the UK Championships, AGM Imminent

The RSPBA has dropped the idea of a switch in date for the UK Pipe Band Championships. They canvassed bands over a possible change from July 12 to May 3. Returns showed the majority were against. Many had already booked buses, hotels, flights to Ingliston’s Royal Highland Centre. Others thought it too early in the season and had other commitments that day. By the Editor It remains to be seen…

New Cameronians Book of Pipe Music

Connor Jardine, Dan Nevans and myself have been working on publishing a collection of pipe tunes based on Lanarkshire tunes/composers. We’re now ready to announce the book publicly. We have been researching music within the famous, but now defunct, Cameronians army regiment and the wider Lanarkshire community with the aim of collating and preserving the music, new and old, to create ‘The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Pipe Music Collection’. By Cameron…

Possible Change of Date for the UK Pipe Band Championships

The RSPBA is canvassing bands over a change of date for the UK Pipe Band Championships. These are due to be held at Ingliston’s Royal Highland Centre near Edinburgh on July 12. The date has raised considerable controversy. It clashes with important parades in the Northern Ireland band calendar. By the Editor It also comes during a traditional family holiday period with Scottish and Northern Irish schools closed during July….