Author: Robert Wallace

The Importance of Schools Music Education

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In Scotland we have become inured to idiotic statements from well paid public employees and politicians struggling to connect the family brain cell with their vocal cords. This produced another candidate for dunce of the decade last week. In a live-streamed statement the Head of Education at East Ayrshire Council declared her opposition to schools music teaching by stating that she was ‘no [not] really seeing the point of a…

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Review: The Inaugural London Recital

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As pukka piping dos go it would be hard to better the London Recital. Black tie, beautiful room, superb wines, Raasay whisky, and gourmet canapès, and – more important than anything – brilliant piping from the fingers of two of the best, Iain Speirs and Angus MacColl. So here’s how it went. We gathered last Thursday evening in Dover House in Whitehall by kind permission of the Secretary of State…

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Invited Pipers for Lochnell Championship Announced

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The Argyllshire Gathering Trust is delighted to announce that the Lochnell Intermediate Championship will be held at Lochnell Castle, Benderloch, on Saturday, 11th October 2025. This is by kind permission of the Earl of Dundonald and arranged by his son Lord Archie Cochrane and Hattie Mellor. Invited pipers are all prominent winners on the 2025 solo circuit and are aged under 22: Bobby Allen, Douglas Baird, Kyle Cameron, Calum Dunbar, Christopher…

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Editor’s Notebook: Worlds Comments/ RT Shepherd/ Eilidh’s Trust/ PS Summer School

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A respected figure in the pipe band movement has commented on the Worlds and the current arrangements at Glasgow Green. His views follow yesterday’s from RSPBA Chairman Bob Niven but are not related. Our correspondent asked us not to publish his name. He writes: ‘Did everyone enjoy the World Championships this year? I listened to the Grade 2 MSR in the morning and, with the exception of Glasgow Skye, who…

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Reflections on the Northern Meeting Part 2

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Friday, after attending to duties with the juniors, I headed into the Clasp. The music and instruments heard here were alone worth the £27 admission, writes the Editor. I heard all but the first four performances. The top three were hard to split. Callum Beaumont had, for me, the sort of bagpipe you encounter but rarely. The top hand had a bell-like quality, chiming with the drones throughout the Daughter’s…

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