Pipe Idol Returns/ American Pipe Band Championships/ New Fund in Eilidh’s Name

  Piping Live!’s prestigious international Under 21 competition is back, in person, for this year, and applications are now open, writes Helen Urquhart. With four heats through the week of the festival from Monday 8th – Thursday 11th August, and a final later on Thursday, this is a great opportunity for young solo players from around the world, who will be in Glasgow this summer and aged U21 on 11th…

Scottish Pipers’ Association Professional Results

The annual professional competition run by the Scottish Pipers’ Association was held at the Piping Centre in Glasgow today (Apr.30). There were low entries in the P/A/Open Piobaireachd but a healthy number of pipers elsewhere. SPA President Logan Tannock thanked the sponsors, the Piobaireachd Society and McCallum Bagpipes, for their financial support for the contest, the first live professional solo event in Scotland this year. Results: P/A/Open Piob (four tunes):1 William Geddes, Old Men…

Editor’s Notebook: Farewell to the Creeks/ Dan’s Book/ Rolf Obliers/ Williamsburg USA/ Inverness 1970

I read somewhere on the internet the other day of a new recording by Jack Lee of JB Robertson’s [sic] 6/8 march, Farewell to the Creeks. It’s a common mistake but the tune was of course written by James Robertson, Banff, Gordon Highlander, and not the famous Scots Guardsman. Robertson Banff was the teacher of my late comrade Joe Wilson and we have covered Joe’s early life with his teacher…

Inveraray Games Announcement and Letters on the Modern Pitch of the Bagpipe and on the Popularity of Amazing Grace

James Beaton, Piping Convenor of the well-run Inveraray Highland Games, has announced that entries for their piping competitions are now open. The games take place on July 19. All entry forms must be received no later than 24th June 2022, no late entries will be accepted and senior places are limited to the first 25 entries received. A draw will take place after the closing date and if required a…

In Praise of……..the Piobaireachd Society

The latest of my Newsletters to members of the Piobaireachd Society was issued this week. Two significant figures pop out: 1 We now have almost 1,000 members; 2 This financial year we will be giving away circa. £15,000 to help piping bounce back from the deleterious effects of the pandemic. By Robert Wallace I think that commendable. If we combine the numbers it means that roughly speaking the entire annual…