Editor’s Notebook: Judging and Teaching/ 277 Argylls/ Perthshire League/ Strathendrick Boost/ ‘Redundant’ A

I want to double down on one of my comments in Brad Davidson’s report on my workshop in Ontario. Any rule or legislation in piping which discourages teaching, directly or indirectly, should be deplored by all right-thinking persons. Judging and teaching should not be seen as mutually exclusive, yet we now have experts, proven winners at the top of our business, who have turned their backs on the latter in…

Review: Piobaireachd Workshop in Ontario

A piobaireachd workshop was held in the Sergeants’ Mess of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday May 10, the day after the Livingstone Memorial Invitational Piping Competition. As someone who has received piobaireachd instruction over many years starting with P/M Donald MacLeod and his protégé, Garth Neel, to Colin Maclellan, Ed Neigh, Willie Connell, and finally John Cairns, I can attest to the value of hearing…

Atholl Gathering Details

The 2026 Atholl Gathering is this Sunday, May 24. It has attracted a very large entry. Piping Convenor Jack Taylor: ‘It is a busy field, although manageable due to a fair number of withdrawals.  ‘The weather is looking fair – 22 degrees, sun/light cloud, so it should be a good day all round for the first outdoor contest of the season. ‘Competitions start at 9.30am sharp. Pipers must check in on the…

Walter Cowan 1936-2026

Walter Cowan, who passed away peacefully in a nursing home in Annan last Friday, took his piping seriously – but not himself. It was an endearing quality which made him popular with everyone. When espousing knowledge and instruction in classroom, band hall or judging bench, there was always his pawky humour to lighten the load. His contribution to piping and pipe bands in the south west of Scotland and further…

Editor’s Notebook: Frasers Fundraiser/ 277 Argylls/ CNE Memories/ Atholl Gathering/ Malcolm and Angus

The 78th Fraser Highlanders band from Ontario have launched a crowd-funder to help pay for a professional recording of their pre-Worlds concert on August 12th. Entitled ‘True North Strong’, the concert will celebrate piping and drumming with a distinctly Canadian flavour. The 78th Frasers are a self-supporting organisation, the band’s members paying their own way to rehearsals and competitions at home and abroad. The fundraiser is intended to help offset…