Just as the optimism rises you suddenly come to the realisation that I t is not looking good for piping and pipe bands. Two announcements in the last few days here in the UK have, in my estimation, put the kybosh on the 2021 season as we know it. Firstly the Chairman of Events Scotland, co-sponsors of the Worlds said that he thought it highly unlikely that there would be…

It is with sincere regret we announce the passing of one of the most influential pipers of the 20th century, Jimmy McIntosh MBE. He was 95. Jimmy passed away peacefully at his home in South Carolina after being cared for in his final days by his wife Joyce and son Cameron. Jimmy was born and brought up in Broughty Ferry near Dundee and was sent off to the Army when…

We should temper our reading of this week’s story on the introduction of school’s piping instructors almost 50 years ago with the unpleasant fact that not all appointments were a success. I could name three or four tutors from back then who were just not up to the job. Many children suffered from the negligence and incompetence of these poor teachers. Worse, public employee union tape meant they could not…

This touching story is from Andy McCartney of the South West Scotland Pipe & Drum Academy: ‘Just prior to the beginning of lockdown in 2020, William Marchant a 9-year-old pupil at Penpont Primary School, started chanter lessons with me. They were done via the internet to his home. ‘Both William’s dad and his grandfather are pipers, so it seemed natural that William would also want to play pipes. He was…

Thirteen years ago we were going through another major crisis – the financial crash. Fortunes were lost; governments in a panic; western capitalism on the brink. At the time I penned a piece which suggested how we pipers could cope. I’ve updated it for our current ordeal…. The nights are darkly dim. Black forces rattle on the window pane. The insidious virus threatens to wrest the porridge spoon of prosperity…