Reflections on the Northern Meeting from P/M Ian McLellan

Time for a first look back at this year’s Northern Meeting, one of the great gatherings in world solo piping, writes the Editor. I had a chat with P/M Ian McLellan, a senior adjudicator on the Former Winners’ MSR bench. He is concerned about the homogenisation of bagpipe sound and the lack of depth in many instruments. Ian, of course, needs no introduction to anyone in the pipe band or…

Nicol – Brown Competition/ Winter Storm Dates

Paula Glendinning (left) of the Nicol-Brown Chalice Committee has sent this: We’re pleased to announce that the 35th Nicol-Brown Competition will be held at the First Reformed Church of Scotia in Scotia, New York, on Saturday, October 7, 2017. The contest will be judged by three of the world’s premier pipers, Ian K. MacDonald (Ontario), Andrew Lee (British Columbia), and Ben McClamrock (Maryland). We are especially proud that all three of these fine musicians competed at…

Northern Meeting 2017 Underway with Convivial Reception and Music

This year’s Northern Meeting got under way last night with a very pleasant reception in the city’s Town House hosted by Deputy Lord Provost McAllister, writes the Editor. In her speech Mrs McAllister talked of the long history piping had in Inverness and reminded us of one of its finest sons, John MacDonald, piper to Kings and the first Piping Instructor appointed by the Piobaireachd Society to run the Army Class…

PP Ed’s Blog: Northern Meeting/ SPA/ Wedding Piper/ MSR Playing

To Inverness today for the 2017 Northern Meeting. Proceedings begin this evening with a reception in the city’s Town House hosted by the Lord Provost with the Queen’s Own Ex-Members Pipes and Drums parading at 7.45pm. The competitions at Eden Court are tomorrow from 9am with the Gold and Silver Medals, the ‘A’ MSR and the Formers Winners’ MSR. Results will be known from late afternoon onwards so watch this…

Review – ‘Jock’s Jocks’, A One Act Play by Gary West

National Piping Centre, 8th August………….. Those who survive war often say nothing of their experience, writes Dr Jack Taylor.  So Gary West’s discovery that Jock Duncan, father of P/M Ian and the late Gordon, had taped, then typed out, reminiscences of some 60 World War 1 survivors over 50 years is a precious one, especially as it was done in dialect, mostly the Doric of Jock’s Aberdeenshire.  They could speak…