By Gilbert Cromie I was unable to attend either of St Laurence O’Toole’s concert performances at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow in the week before the 2018 Worlds or recently in Northern Ireland at the Armagh City Hotel where they launched the CD of the 2018 event. While I had heard some excerpts from both concerts on social media I had decided that I would purchase the CD because…

It is with sincere regret that we report the passing of one of the leading pipers of the 20th century, Hugh MacCallum. Hugh was aged 76 and had been ill for a few months. Hugh was a winner of multiple solo titles including both Gold Medals, Former Winners MSRs five times, the Open Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering six times and four Clasps at Inverness. He was also a six…

The following press releases were issued to day by Piping Inverness, the promoters of the European Pipe Band Chanpionships, and the National Piping Centre promoters of the Piping Live! festival. Firstly Piping Inverness….. Piping Inverness takes place next month, with over 140 bands competing, including eight from Australia (Knox Grammar School Pipe Band, Sydney, pictured above) one from the USA, and one from Switzerland. Piping Inverness encompasses the European Pipe…

By Yves Tyson From the middle ages until today the problem for pipers has always been in finding good drone and chanter reeds. Perhaps less of a problem these days, but still the subject you will hear most pipers talking about are their reeds. Compared to a a few centuries ago we have it easy, but I think it fascinating to look back at how our forebears coped with the…

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has published the draws for the second and third major pipe band championships of the 2019 season. The first, the UK Championships, will be held on June 15 in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. A total of 101 bands will take part, the majority in grades 4A and 4B. The full draw is available here. Here is the list for Grade 1 with the time each…