Record Entry for British Pipe Band Championships

The number of bands scheduled to compete at the British Pipe Band Championships next month is a record for the competition. A total of 147 bands have entered for the contest which will be held for the first time at St James Playing Fields near Paisley, a town few miles to the south and west of Glasgow, on May 21. Usually around 110 – 120 would take part in the competition,…

History: Roderick MacDonald and His Pupil Kenneth MacDonald

John MacPhee, former President of the Glasgow Uist & Barra Association, has kindly supplied an old cutting from the Oban Times newspaper from 1959. It features well known post war tutor and piper Roddy MacDonald and the late Kenny MacDonald.  Their story reads: ‘One of the happiest men in Scotland is Roderick MacDonald, a Glasgow policeman and tutor to Kenneth MacDonald and this year’s winner of the Highland Society of…

Willie McCallum Snr., Campbeltown

The death has been announced of one of the best known gentlemen in the solo piping world, Willie McCallum Snr., Campbeltown. Willie (87) passed away after collapsing after attending the Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, where his son William placed second in the competition. He was pictured at the event only hours before taking ill. Willie McCallum was a dedicated servant of piping, though not a…

Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition Results – Pix Added

The Annual Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition was held today  in Stornoway, isle of Lewis, with eight of the world’s top pipers vying with each other for overall champion title. The champion was Stuart Liddell who is pictured above receiving the winners’ trophy from Donald’s daughter Fiona. Results: Piobaireachd 1 Stuart Liddell 2 Callum Beaumont 3 William McCallum 4 Angus MacColl MSR 1 William McCallum 2 Stuart Liddell 3 Angus MacColl…

Letter from Senior Judges Explains Reasons for Resignations

Two senior pipe band adjudicators who recently resigned their positions within the RSPBA’s Adjudicators’ Panel Management Board (APMB) have written to Piping Press to clarify their position. Former Convenor John Wilson and Vice Convenor Joe Noble resigned following a decision by the Board not to re-instate newly qualified adjudicator Ian Duncan. Mr Duncan had resigned after a series of correspondence between the board and himself. Mr Duncan is now taking legal advice as…