PP Editor’s Blog: Highlands & Islands/ Skye Gathering/ Oz Livestream/ SPA KO

Spare a thought for piper Darach Urquhart who suffered the opposing emotions of elation and disappointment at the Highlands & Islands Festival on Saturday. Firstly the piping steward read out his name as the winner of the March, Strathspey & Reel contest only for him to realise much later – and after he had been photographed with the winners’ trophy – that in fact there had been a mistake and the prize…

PP Editor’s Blog: Highland & Islands/ May’s Funeral/ BB Championship/ MacArthur Book Deal

All roads lead to Oban this weekend for the annual Highland & Islands Festival. A good entry in all piping events. Check out the order of play for the seniors here. Check here tomorrow evening for results. Still on solo piping, the entry form for Ardrossan on June 9 can be downloaded here. Check out the updated 2016 Guide to the Games here. May McLellan‘s funeral will be held next…

PP Editor’s Blog: PP Advertising/ Worlds Tickets/ FM Concert/ Johnstone PB/ Lochaber Gath./ Donald Bain

Firstly a message to those commercial enterprises that keep posting their goods on our Facebook page. I’m afraid you cannot get a free ride gents. Advertise with Piping Press and post all you like on our Facebook pages.  Producing Piping Press  costs – but is totally free to readers thanks to the generosity of our current advertisers. It is wrong that they should be expected to subsidise your enterprises too….

Review: ‘Ceol Mor: Light & Shade’ – Beauty and Drama in This New CD from Patrick Molard

By Peter McCalister Patrick Molard has done a masterful job in this new CD, bringing to life well-known (and previously unpublished) tunes with the help of a small group of musicians. He rightly calls the album ‘light and shade’: there are moments of beauty and drama throughout. The first piece is an unpublished tune from the Campbell Canntaireachd (Patrick is a noted master interpreter of this manuscript) One of the…

PP Editor’s Blog: New Piob Recording from Donald MacPherson/ Pipe Band Formations/ Oz Results/ MacGregor Entries

A treat for all piobaireachd lovers today. Posted on the PP Audio archive is maestro Donald MacPherson playing that beautiful tune, Lady MacDonald’s Lament. It is Donald’s winning performance from the 1977 Clan Donald competition held aboard a ship, the SS Calypso, moored off Sleat, Isle of Skye. Donald’s superb technique, extraordinarily resonant and steady pipe and masterful phrasing are all in evidence. Lady MacDonald is a wonderful piece of…