Final rehearsals today for tonight’s pipes and organ recital in the magnificent Paisley Abbey. Organist George McPhee is a remarkable musician. At 83 he’s been the Abbey’s man at the keyboard for more than 50 years. Another unsung musical hero from the west of Scotland. George tells me the Abbey organ is the same as the main one in Notre Dame and that thankfully the Parisian ‘kist o’ whistles’ survived…

The first major championship of 2019 is only 12 days away and pipe bands throughout the country are making the final adjustments to their performances as the big day at St James Playing Fields, Paisley, nears. The promoter, Renfrew District Council, have issued the following press release with good information on parking, access and admission: ‘Thousands of the world’s top pipers and drummers will again descend on Paisley for one…

By Robert Wallace The late Archie Kenneth once opined that bagpipe competition would always exist because of our thirst to see ‘blood on the carpet’. Not for us the douce, well mannered formality of the recital, we must have a WINNER! Die you LOSER! Well, I wonder if that is waning. There were scant few around for the first heat of the Scottish Pipers’ Association Knockout contest, the acme of…

Another successful competition was held in the Oban High School today (Sat, May 4). P/A Ceol Mor for Cooper Salver (1st) and Dugald MacColl Memorial Trophy (2nd).1 Sarah Muir2 William Geddes3 Sandy Cameron4 Cameron MacDougall5 Darach UrquhartJudges: A Maclean, J Taylor P/A MSR1 Ben Duncan2 Steven Leask3 Sarah Muir4 Allan Russell5 Darach UrquhartJudges: P Henderson, W Morrison B Ceol Mor1 Ben Duncan2 William Rowe 3 John Dew 4 Finlay Cameron…

A big day of solo piping sees the Scottish Pipers’ Society Knock Out First Round today and also the Highlands & Islands Festival Piping in Oban. The first leg of the SPA KO contest for the Piping Times Trophy is in the National Piping Centre, Otago Street. Contestants are Stuart Liddell, the holder, and Gordon McCready.    Entry is £10, 7 for 7.30pm and there is a bar and a raffle…