Editor’s Notebook: Teaching At the Highest Level is the Only Answer to Decline/ Atlantic Canada Challenge

Michael Grey, the invigorating new President of Ontario’s Piping and Pipe Band Society, lamented on social media the decline of bands and piping in his province. Mike’s bout of mild depression was occasioned by his perusal of an old programme from 1972 of the Canadian National Exhibition Intercontinental Gathering held in Toronto. Ontario then was second only to Scotland in the piping empire. Dozens of bands in every grade. Top…

Can Anyone Help Me Identify My New But Ancient Bagpipe?

It was always a dream of mine that one fine day up in Highlandshire, when it was pouring down and I am making my way through the 43rd charity shop of the holiday, I would spot a manky old wooden box holding up a tea set in the display window.  Removing the china, I would fish out and blow the dust off the box to reveal on the lid the…

Antrim Contest Look Back – and Look Forward to Euros at Inverness

Last Saturday the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens echoed to the sound of pipe bands as it hosted the third of the local RSPBA NI Branch’s 2022 competition programme. Twenty one bands and twenty six drum majors competed on the day and despite the absence of a number of the leading bands there was a good attendance of spectators. Closkelt once again won the Grade 1 contest unopposed however they…

Aberdeen Games Results

There was a good crowd and plenty of entertainment including a Father’s Day race and the potential nucleus of a new North-East Pipe Band, surely to be known as the Hazelhead Giants, writes Dr Jack Taylor. There were a number of call-offs from the pipe band competition leaving Buchan Peterson uncontested in grades 2 and 1. Champion Piper Ben Duncan is pictured above playing part of Beloved Scotland to earn…

US Piping Foundation Results

Congratulations to all the participants in the 35th annual United States Piping Foundation Professional Piping Championship, held in memory of founder Maclean Macleod on 18 June 2022 in the Arts & Humanities Hall at the Community College of Baltimore, Essex. By Mike Rogers This was the first in-person event held by the USPF since 2019.  Due to pandemic-related facility limitations, no amateur events were held this year. In the professional…