Editor’s Notes: Post Covid Bands/ NPC Talk/ NPC Gathering/ Janette’s Tune/ Reedmaker Search

It was heartening to read of the RSPBA’s determination to get band contests moving again in 2021. As John Hughes the Chairman said, everything must be done to restore our band tradition to its rightful place in our cultural life. I was interested in his reference to band formations. Wouldn’t it be ironic if it took the tragedy of this pandemic to get bands to change from the old fashioned…

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Canadian Association Launches Online Interview Series/ Nicol-Brown Goes Online

In the absence of collective physical gathering this summer, most pipers and drummers are seeking a bit of inspiration and entertainment and looking for opportunities to stay engaged with the piping and drumming community from home, writes Andrea Boyd. As a result the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario has launched ‘The PPBSO In Conversation’, a series of entertaining and educational webinars featuring prominent pipers and drummers from Ontario…

Rallying Call to International Pipe Band Movement as it Faces Toughest Period in History

The worldwide pipe band movement is facing the biggest challenge in its history the Chairman of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, Mr John B. Hughes, said today. In a wide-ranging interview with Piping Press, Mr Hughes revealed that as a result of the pandemic: The World Solo Drumming scheduled for this October may have to be postponed Bands might have to get used to a more hygienic formation than…

Finlay is Head Teacher at NPC

Helen Urquhart of the National Piping Centre marketing department has sent this: The Board of the National Piping Centre is delighted to announce that Finlay Johnston will step into the new role of Head Piping Teacher at The National Piping Centre from 1st July 2020. Finlay has worked with the Centre since 2015 but has been part of the Centre’s development, attending schools and teaching here throughout his piping career….

John D. Burgess Leads the March to Celebrate VE Day 1995

We celebrated the 75th Anniversary of VE Day a couple of weeks ago and I thought Piping Press readers might be interested in these old photographs my mum has looked out from VE day 25 years ago. The pipers in the picture above are as follows: Front Rank (L-R): P/M John D. Burgess, Alan Clark, Fiona Maclean (née Mackay), Stewart Mackay, Niall StewartSecond Rank (L-R): Alistair Stewart, David Macdonald, Paul…