Intermediate Lochnell Championship Launches Fund Raising Page/ Balmoral Classic Entries and Details

Hattie Mellor: The Argyllshire Gathering Trust are raising £5,000 for the Intermediate Youth Piping Championship which will return to Lochnell Castle, Argyll, on 22nd of October 2022. Eight leading young professional pipers under the age of 22 will compete in Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey and Reel.  We are delighted to announce the presentation of two new trophies for the Championship. The first is the ‘Jimmy McIntosh MBE Memorial Trophy for…

Hector Russell 1945 – 2022

I am saddened to report the sudden passing of piper Hector Russell, writes the Editor. Hector suffered a heart attack at his home in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, and died on Saturday. He was 77. His death comes only a few weeks after the completion of his ‘Pipe Music of Alex M MacIver’, a book he compiled in tribute to his former teacher and which was recently reviewed with acclaim on Piping…

2022 Glengarry Cup Result

On Saturday, September 24, the Ottawa Branch of the Pipers’ and Pipe Band Society of Ontario held the Glengarry Cup. This event marked the first in person event for the association since February 2020 and drew a crowd of almost 100, filling the room at the Army Officers’ Mess, in Ottawa. By Karine Mayers, President, PPBSO Ottawa Branch The event was held this weekend as it coincides with the National…

Composer Niall Adds Another Success to his Growing Catalogue of Pipe Music

Niall Mathieson of Easter Ross has a reputation as a composer of merit and two weeks ago added yet another tune to his burgeoning oeuvre when he won a competition for a tune to commemorate the 170th anniversary of Pitlochry Highland Games, writes our Special Correspondent. Mr Matheson’s prize was £500 and he attended the games on September 10 and performed the tune for the first time in public before…

Pipe Band Formations – Transforming from the Circle Part 3

As already mentioned the RSPBA previously undertook a number of trials of the semi-circle format in 1998.  I participated in the trial at Bathgate Highland Games.  As far as I am aware no advice was given to the bands about how the pipers and drummers should form up in the semi-circle, so there were wide variations which resulted in different sound projections.  One band even had the drummers facing backwards…