Author: Robert Wallace

A Few Days on Mull of the Cool High Bens

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Time stood still this week on the island of Mull. The sun shone on calm water and soaring summit. But the idyll belied an inner tension. The ‘tier zero’ island is confronting an influx of bug carriers, or so it thinks. It means restrictions more stringent than in covid city, Glasgow. By Robert Wallace It will be a time before we learn to live with this but we need to…

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Editor’s Notebook: Medals Find/ Bands and Piobaireachd/ EUSPBA Go Ahead/ Set Tunes

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Reader Robert Baker in Australia writes: ‘I recently secured two piping medals at auction in the UK. They mention the Lorn Ossianic Society and the ‘Loch Lubnaig Gathering’. ‘These very interesting pieces are now on their way to me in Australia. Once I receive them, further research will have to be undertaken. ‘I also picked up a ‘Silver Star’. I will keep you updated as I will eventually will find a…

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Editor’s Notebook: Piping’s Poor Show/ Willie Ross/ Piping Live/ Controversy of Pipers

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Chatsworth Games in the south have now been officially called off, organisers citing Boris Johnson’s four-week delay to ‘Freedom Day’ as the reason. There will be no band or solo contests in England this year. Here, the authorities in Inverness have confirmed that ‘Under Canvas’, an outdoor summer music festival co-curated with Fèis Rois, will run from 1 July – 30 September, providing ‘a three-month programme of music on the…

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Editor’s Notebook: Alasdair Takes a Break/ School’s Piping Lessons/ Donald Main/ 1976 Results

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The late, great Alasdair Gillies takes a seat on the competition platform while warming up at a games in the US. I was always impressed with his finger positioning. Perfect. Look at the bottom hand. Thumb exactly where it should be, between fore and middle fingers. Top hand digits beautifully aligned. And no, the pinkie is not touching the chanter, though the camera angle makes it seem so. Posture relaxed,…

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Editor’s Notebook: RSPBA Latest/ D McD Cuach/ NZ Piping Centre/ Seumas’s Citadel/ John Cruickshank VC/ Brisbane Contest

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Well done to Walter MacGregor and Nigel Greeves, RSPBA directors, for jildying up their colleagues about the inaction over any sort of pipe band summer programme. They let loose at last month’s Association Board Meeting. According to the minutes just published: ‘W MacGregor informed the Board that the London and South England Branch had held its third online solo competition with over 100 performances, reporting it had been a great…

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