Mull-based artist John Archbold has submitted the above for our lockdown painting challenge. John writes: ‘A piper friend of mine wondered if I would be interested in entering. So here it is. Title – The Chief’s Piper at Duart Castle; Medium – Mixed Media; Size – A2 (59 x 40 cm approx.). The piper is Calum MacLean, Tobermory.‘ John’s bio reads: ‘John Archbold DA (b. 1954) Studied at Glasgow School…

I’m rather concerned for the future of the pipe band movement. I read yesterday about the threat to choirs and other musical groupings. They won’t be able to play or sing indoors ‘in the foreseeable future’ said this particular gloomster. And this was in England, not in we-can-out-Lockdown-the-world Scotland. Add to that this week’s outburst from the Visit Scotland agency. They are calling into question outdoor festivals and events happening…

We had a very well attended piobaireachd tutorial the other night as part of the Piobaireachd Society’s ‘Talk Piobaireachd’ series, writes the Editor. The tune I went through was the peerless Lament for Mary MacLeod and amongst other things I spoke of how it was so very difficult to play properly. Indeed I don’t think I have heard it truly mastered with any consistency. Anyway, we then got on, inevitably,…