Advertising Promo: Peter Henderson Bagpipes Launch New ‘Heritage’ Range

Bagpipemakers R.G. Hardie & Co have taken advantage of our advertising feature facility by forwarding us news of their new ‘Heritage Bagpipes’ range. If you are an advertiser with Piping Press why not send us in a story about your products and services? There are no charges and advertisers can also advertise on our Facebook pages absolutely free. Reach thousands of readers worldwide by advertising on Piping Press NOW! All…

PP Ed’s Blog: Fife Police/ Silver Chanter/ Ensemble Judging/ Cameron’s Winning Tune

Congratulations to P/M Douglas Murray and his brother Jim for their ten years at the helm of the Fife Police band. It is a very difficult thing to take a band from nowhere and lead it into Grade 1 – and then start to pick up prizes among the elite. Jim, now in Western Australia, kicked things off and Douglas built on his work to such an extent that the…

Dr Roddy Ross and the Fingerlock/ SFU and Pachelbel’s Canon/ Silver Chanter Letter

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…

Obituary: P/M James Jackson 1941 – 2018

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…

Funding Cuts Deal Blow to the Silver Chanter Memorial Recital

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…