I was sorry to learn the other day of the passing of Pipe Major Archie Cairns. Archie was aged 87 and throughout his life piping was central to everything he did. An obituary in Canada’s ‘Your Life Moments’ reads: ‘Peacefully at home on 1 April, 2016, at the age of 87 with daughter Fiona at his side. He was a loving and devoted son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. Archie…
One of the best pipe majors of the recent past was undoubtedly Robert Mathieson, firstly with Polkemmet Grorud and then House of Edgar Shotts & Dykehead. His five World Grade 1 championships alone have earned him the right to break bread with the greats of the game. Now retired from competing, Robert is Secretary of the RSPBA’s Adjudicators’ Panel (recently in the news) and will be on duty judging throughout the…
The funeral of Willie McCallum Senior will be held on Saturday, 16 April, at 1pm at Highland Parish Church, Campbeltown. Willie (87) passed away after collapsing after attending the Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Willie was an unfailing servant of piping, though not a player himself. He was instrumental in establishing the Kintyre Piping Society and dedicated himself to its promotion over a 60 year period….
John MacPhee, former President of the Glasgow Uist & Barra Association, has kindly supplied an old cutting from the Oban Times newspaper from 1959. It features well known post war tutor and piper Roddy MacDonald and the late Kenny MacDonald. Their story reads: ‘One of the happiest men in Scotland is Roderick MacDonald, a Glasgow policeman and tutor to Kenneth MacDonald and this year’s winner of the Highland Society of…
Pipe Band Magazine is now live and free, at www.rspba.org and from the Piping Press Shop. As was reported at the Association’s AGM, each issue has circa 4,000 downloads. Readership has tripled since the magazine went fully digital in 2014. Articles include those on consultative judging, playing in a circle, ensemble, and a review of Reid Maxwell’s new drumsticks. Breton piper Patrick Molard has forwarded a copy of his new piobaireachd…
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