Editor’s Notebook: Jack’s Gfidd Dedication/ Cuts to Kids Lessons/ RCS Online Show/ Lament for Alan

Dedication? What about Jack Lee holed up in a cottage in Carnoustie for two weeks quarantine so that he can play at this Saturday’s Glenfiddich Championship? Can’t leave the house but for an emergency. Plenty of time for practice right enough. Jack flew in a week and a half ago from Vancouver and is now all set for the big day. I’ve heard a travel ban is coming for the…

Editor’s Notebook: RSPBA Fees/ Music School Wins Practice Time/ Pipers’ Fashion Shoot

I am a member of a club. It’s been closed by the lockdown. The committee has asked that members pay their subscriptions anyway. The club needs the money to tide it over this difficult period. Otherwise it might go under. I don’t want that to happen. I can afford to contribute. I’ve paid up. The RSPBA have now made the same request to their member bands and they too should…

End of the Piping Times: Excerpts from Past Issues

Last week’s story on the sorry demise of the Piping Times prompted quite a response from readers, writes the Editor. One suggested we make an offer for it (20 years ago maybe), and regular correspondent Ken Rogers from Calgary penned: ‘I read the submission regarding the final edition of the Piping Times fading into history. ‘For me, I retained 34 copies of the magazine of which you were the editor, …

Editor’s Notebook: Dress & Deportment/ Worlds Drumming/ Iain Murdo/ Clan Currie/ Evan MacRae

The committee of the Nicol-Brown amateur competition in the US deserve credit for instituting and maintaining a dress and deportment prize in their annual event. Looking at the photographs of the youngsters competing (above) is so much more pleasurable than had they been parading in shorts and t-shirts. The D/D winner, Kevin Darmadi, is top centre. The pipers are learning early on that the instrument and its music is deserving…

Editor’s Notebook: Red Hackle in 1953/ Young Musicians Fight Covid Restrictions/ Sandy’s Tune for the Long March/ Balmoral Classic Update

David Ogilivie has sent this regarding our recent articles on the Red Hackle band: ‘I loved the stories about the Hackle. There was a photo of the band that hung in MacLeod Highland Supplies in Bridgegate, Glasgow, for many years. ‘When Donald [Gibson] was retiring and closing up shop, I asked if I could have this photo as it was most likely getting binned. It’s from 1953 and would be…