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…
We are indebted to Breton piper Patrick Molard for supplying two outstanding recordings for the PP Audio Archive today. They are of two giants of the post war piping world, Hugh MacCallum and John MacFadyen Both were made at the Argyllshire Gathering, Oban, in 1971, and whilst for the ceol beag there is some interference from the announcer’s loudspeaker, one gets the true atmosphere of the games and one of…
We are grateful to Hector Russell, Helensburgh, for supplying these pictures of P/M Alex M. MacIver (above, leading march) and piper Alex F Ibell (below). Through the 214th Glasgow Co. Boys Brigade Pipe Band, Alex Ibell and MacIver were responsible for beginning the piping careers of P/M Ian McLellan of Strathclyde Police, Hector himself, Robert Wallace and many other Grade 1 pipers. Alex Ibell is pictured in the uniform 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…
The Northern Meeting has announced the lists of pipers who will compete at this year’s championship at Inverness in September. The Argyllshire Gathering and the Meeting are the pre-eminent piping competitions in the world. Just to get to play at either of these contests is an achievement. At Inverness, 25 places have been allocated for the Gold Medal and 27 for the Silver. Lists of reserves have been drawn up…
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