Lochnell Intermediate Piping Championship Comment and Pictures

This was a very successful day at Lochnell Castle, Argyll. The audience was quite an increase on last year and all were treated to a sumptuous lunch courtesy our host Lord Archie Cochrane. Overall winner with a first in March, Strathspey and Reel and a fourth in Piobaireachd was Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane. He is pictured above on his way to victory as the judges Derek Fraser, John Wilson and Willie…

Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping

Gerard McClumpha, Event Co-Ordinator: Results from our competition held yesterday at Auchenharvie Academy, Stevenston, Ayrshire. It was our usual full packed, competitive event – only just glad to be back up-and-running again, after missing the previous two years. Junior Champion was Owen McCreadie and Senior Champion Gregor Grierson (pictured). 14 yrs & Under 1 Archie Johnston, Oban High 2 Owen McCreadie, Boghall & Bathgate 3 James Silcock, Falkirk Schools4 Caelyn…

Editor’s Notebook: Band Search/ Royal Tune/ Livingstone Bursary/ Piping Times Archive/ Jori’s Contest

Ulf Schönberg of the Stockholm Pipe Band: ‘Can you help me identify the band in this photo? The historic interest (to me) is that it is the very first time a Swedish audience could see and hear a pipe band – at the Gothenburg Exhibition in August 1923.  ‘The band travelled to Sweden by ship together with the Royal Artillery Band and played in Gothenburg and in Stockholm. It was much…

Editor’s Notebook: Band Medleys/ Mod Piping/ Hector’s Tune/ Barry Brougham

How many of you can add a nod of agreement to this statement from Danish piper Bernard Bouhadana? It was forwarded to PP the other day from social media: For next season he would like to see bands, ‘Throw the concept of reprise in every single medley into the garbage. All bands sound the same. Is it really much fun? Play the same tune again after the last tune. Play…

Editor’s Notebook: John Ban MacKenzie Gravestone/ Rule Change after 214BB Success/ Lochryan Pipe Band Tutor Search

Correspondent Duncan Watson has been in touch: ‘It might be of interest to add this to the bit re John Ban. The headstone is in the burial ground at Kinnetas which is up the hill from the village of Strathpeffer. ‘I have taken one or two people to the grave for some kind of inspirational visit. I have taken photographs of the headstone and of the one next to it which…