If you were unimpressed by my earlier comments on a nightmare scenario and the possibility of a blank 2021 piping season then you may like to consider the latest scientific findings that the trumpet and clarinet worst of instruments for spreading coronavirus.The bagpipe might not be far behind. We need a proper study to determine risk. Could the virus remain in the bag and for for how long? How do…

Tunes and heats have now been allocated for this year’s MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd Competition promoted by the Highland Society of London and organised by the Argyllshire Gathering. The competition is for young professional pipers aged 22 on the date of the competition. It is one of the most prestigious in world piping. Four pipers from each heat will go forward to a final, format to be confirmed. It is usual…

The promoters have sent this… After a summer of cancelled events, Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival have announced they’ll be live-streaming a mini-programme of this year’s event between 8 – 14 August. In April, festival organisers had to cancel this year’s event due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  But after months of careful planning, the festival board decided that if audiences couldn’t come to Glasgow, then they’d bring Piping Live! to millions of pipers…

Ireland’s Seamus Russell gave us an insightful piece on the background to a painting held by the Black Raven Pipe Band [above]. The painting of the band at the off with banners flying certainly caught my eye, writes MacStig. Seamus deprecatingly said it wasn’t an entry for the Piping Press Arts Competition but I think it deserves an honourable mention and the story was engaging.  Betty Ann Muckle’s memory piece…

Here at the but an’ ben I’ve been more or less self isolating since March. Can you believe it?, four months when I should have been charging about the country in the old jalopy reporting on Grade 2. We would have been well into the season by now with a few championships under the belt and excitement building for the Worlds. Instead, all we can do my friends is think…