By Gilbert Cromie Congratulation to Pipe Major Richard Parkes MBE of the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band who has been named one of the eighteen leading figures from the world of business, science, sport, academia and the arts to become Honorary Graduates of Queens University Belfast for 2019. This is outstanding recognition for Richard who for over three decades has steered the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band to an amazing…

Piping Press editor Robert Wallace has been elected President of the Piobaireachd Society. Mr Wallace takes over from Dr Jack Taylor who has retired after 12 years in post. The appointment was confirmed at the Society’s AGM held yesterday (March 23) at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow. In proposing Mr Wallace Dr Taylor said the Society was following precedent in offering the vacant post to the Vice President and…

Pipe band drumming expert Allan Chatto OAM concludes his article (abridged) on how bands can improve drum corps work and ensemble… Snare drum scores should be arranged using motifs and phrases that are all within the capability of the members of the drum corps. There is not much point in including some tricky or catchy phrases that the leading drummer may like only to find some of the snare drummers…

I understand that this year both Oban and Inverness will have first prizes in excess of £1,000 for their senior ceol mor events, the Senior Piobaireachd and the Clasp, with a pro-rata for the other placings. Well done to the promoters and sponsors. Professional piping should be just that – well rewarded and at a level commensurate with the effort required to take these top awards. In return the pipers…

Gilbert Cromie reports…St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band (above) are doing an amazing amount of publicity for the restaging of their ‘Turas Ceoil Resume – Live in Ireland’ concert in Armagh City. Here is an extract from the recent blurb: ‘St. Laurence O’Toole (current Grade 1 UK and Scottish Champions) are taking last year’s pre-Worlds concert to Armagh City Hotel on 27th April this year. ‘The primary purpose of this concert is to…