At the 2009 Piobaireachd Society conference the late Dr Roddy Ross astonished everyone with his performance of part of the ground of the Fingerlock, writes the Editor. He also impressed attendees with the passion he had for the music and his personal insight into the MacCrimmons and the land that bore them. Fortunately PS member Hector Russell was at hand with his video camera and recorded Dr Ross in full…
Jimmy Jackson was born in 1941 in the village of Jamestown near Balloch on Loch Lomondside. He was the fourth generation of James Jackson or ‘MacFhiachair’ as the family’s surname was known in their native Argyll. His grandfather, an Ardrishaig man who had been a Pipe Major in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was a contemporary of John MacColl and a good friend of Pipe Major William Lawrie of Ballachulish. His…
I am not sure everyone appreciates how hard it is to produce a piobaireachd to a high professional standard. At last weekend’s Scottish Pipers’ Association contest, there were 22 competitors, all of them first class pipers. Some play in world championship winning bands; others have won major solo awards. Yet of those I heard we really only had four tunes which reached the level described in my opening sentence. There…
After 51 unbroken years the Silver Chanter MacCrimmon Memorial Piobaireachd Competition will not go ahead this August. Funding cuts by the William Grant Foundation have meant that the organisers, the Skye Piping Society, have found it impossible to continue with the prestigious event. The Foundation, who funnel the bulk of their £150,000+ funding for piping through the National Piping Centre, intimated two years ago that they were cutting back. The competition/recital was…
What will be the first professional piping contest of the season (following the weather cancellation of the Uist & Barra) will be held this Saturday April 14. It’s the Scottish Pipers Association contest and it will be held at NPC West (College of Piping, Otago St. to us old timers) with a good entry in all categories. Last year’s overall winner was Sarah Muir (pictured top with her trophies) who will be…
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