Category: Features

Playing Requirements for 2026 Band Season Announced

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The Board of Directors of the RSPBA met last Saturday at their Washington Street HQ in Glasgow and among other things confirmed the band playing requirements for the 2026 season. These are as follows: To download a copy of this sheet click on the two right-pointing arrows top right. Marketing and Media Convenor Jackie Allan also issued the following press release: The RSPBA’s Board of Directors had a busy weekend….

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Editor’s Notebook: Uist & Barra/ Airdrie Recital/ London Irish Rifles/ Singer Pipe Band/

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The first major solo contest of the year, the Uist & Barra Invitational, has been confirmed for March 7. As before, it will be held at the Piping Centre in Otago Street. The competition is under new management and it looks as though they have hit the ground running. Invites to a dozen or so pipers have already been sent out and they are merit-based. They include both 2025 Gold…

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History: The First Pipe Band Competitions

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We continue our look at the early days of the pipe band movement…. One of the first pipe band competitions was held at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow in the 1890s under the auspices of the Govan Police sports committee. The winners were the Govan Police pipe band themselves, and among the bands taking part were volunteer battalion bands under Pipe Majors John MacDougall Gillies and Farquhar MacRae. The next competition…

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P/M Iain Macey 1955-2025

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We report the passing of Pipe Major Iain Macey, a well-known professional competitor in the 1980s and 90s. He was 70. Iain was from the north east of Scotland and joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1971. His early instruction was from Major John Allan and Captain Andrew Pitkeathly at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle. He passed his Pipe Majors’ Certificate with distinction in 1978. He later moved to…

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History: Pipe Bands From Early Days in the Army to a Worldwide Fraternity

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The following is taken from a special supplement produced to mark the 75th Anniversary of the RSPBA in 2005. It was written by piping historian Jeannie Campbell and edited by Robert Wallace…. Though the bagpipe had been in use in the Army for a long time the pipe band as we know it did not come into existence until the mid 19th century. Marching in step was introduced, at first…

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