Category: History

Pipe Major's Job in Australia/ Ulster Scots Juveniles Concert/ Jock MacPhee, HLI

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Queensland Police in Australia are looking for a Pipe Major. To be based in Brisbane, the job specification reads: ‘You will provide supportive leadership, direction and coordination of the musical selection and performance of the Queensland Police Pipes and Drums (QPP&D), and contribute to strengthening relationships between the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and the community through engagement and crime prevention initiatives.’ The job is full-time, ‘permanent’, paying a max. of…

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PP Ed's Blog: Government Funding for Piping/ Argyllshire Gathering/ RSPBA Indoor/ Mystery Piper

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I have some sympathy with composer Sir James MacMillan’s stance on Government interference in the arts. ‘Art for art’s sake’ it has to be. Sir James was writing after the latest tranche of grants was announced by Creative Scotland, the Government’s cash for culture coordinators. Sir James reminded readers in The Times of a meeting called by Fiona Hyslop the Scottish Government’s Arts Minister last May. ‘National Culture Strategy’ was…

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NZ Piper Stuart Finlayson Talks of His Lessons with P/M Donald MacLeod

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Stuart Finlayson is the renowned piper and composer from New Zealand. A prizewinner at the highest level, Stuart is well known to all generations via his outstanding compositions – tunes such as Stuart Chisholm’s Walkabout and the Motley Crew. As a teenager he left his homeland and took the long boat trip to Scotland where he studied piping with P/M Donald MacLeod and Duncan Johnstone. In this first part of…

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PP Ed's Blog: Band Dates/ Andy's Tune/ South Florida

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Spotted this on the internet and it may be a handy reference for the coming pipe band season: Download a printable PDF here. Northern Ireland piper Andy Wilson (above) achieved a highly commendable second prize in the ‘B’ piobaireachd at the recent Winter Storm contest in Kansas. Here’s part of his prizewinning performance of The Fingerlock: Chieftain at the last European Pipe Band Championships to be held at Forres in…

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Boys Brigade History Down South / Piobaireachd Composing Competition

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John Shone has written to the Editor on a still-thriving English BB company….. It was good to read your earlier story about the Boys Brigade history and in particular your own company the 214 Glasgow. Readers may not be aware that one BB company and its band is still thriving down in the deep south! It’s good to be able to report that the 5th Croydon BB Pipes and Drums…

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