Highland Games Begin a Slow Revival – Updated With Results and Pictures

The first Highland games on Scottish soil for almost two years took place today. The Grampian Highland Gathering was staged in the Princes Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. The last full Highland Games were staged at Braemar in September 2019. Today’s games were a reduced event but were organised to keep interest in piping, dancing and sports alive. HRH The Prince of Wales, currently resident…

Memories of My Father, Donald Morrison

Our earlier articles on the renowned piper Donald Morrison led to contact with his daughter Sheona MacDonald, Aberdeen. Seona agreed to share with us her memories of her father and also his extensive archive of photographs, letters and newspaper clippings. We will publish what we can over the coming weeks. Sheona has also kindly given permission for her father’s book of tunes to be published for download. Again this will…

Masters Piping Results: Lament for the Earl of Antrim Wins on the Day 9th Earl is Laid to Rest

Seventeen pipers toook part in the ‘Masters’ piping competition held yesterday at the National Piping Centre as part of Piping Live! The winner earns an invite to the Glenfiddich competition on October 30 in Blair Castle. The ‘Masters’ competition is open to Gold Medallists and winners of ‘A’ grade light music events at Oban and Inverness. Callum Beaumont, from Bo’ness and the piping instructor at Dollar Academy, was the overall…

A Day at Piping Live! and Stories of the Big Spree

It was a pleasure to perform at the National Piping Centre yesterday as part of the Piobaireachd of the Day series sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society, writes the Editor. From the moment of arrival until departure late afternoon, the staff at the Centre did everything to make the experience enjoyable – crucial for someone like me who had not done a recital in Scotland for seven or eight years. Indeed…

Piping Live! Well Underway – Time to Make Your Contribution!

This year’s Piping Live! got underway last weekend and as Scotland enters a new phase of freedom, the Glasgow festival is set to host another six days of world-class performance and piping competition between now and Sunday, 15 August, writes Claire Hutchison A number of exciting in-person shows are being staged for up to 1,200 attendees as part of the annual event at the National Piping Centre, alongside a rich programme of…