Spent an enjoyable day at Johnstone Pipe Band yesterday assessing young pipers for their PDQB exams. A nice bunch of kids and before we began I got them together for a short pep talk. I explained that this was not a competition but an assessment and that all they had to do was play their five chosen tunes cleanly and correctly and they had to pass. I asked them to…
Reader Clive Douglas has followed up his programme from Oban in 1977 with excerpts from various Cowal programmes, in particular 1954. We are very grateful to Clive for forwarding information and photographs which we know will be of great interest to Piping Press readers….. Clive writes: ‘Nice photo of a very young Jim Henderson, winner of the Warner Trophy in 1952, and the wee girl dancer winning the AD Cameron…
Well done to Mike Grey for highlighting the band circle issue on his recent blog. Readers will know this is a particular hobby horse of mine. Mike writes: ‘I came across a pic today, courtesy of Barry Ewen. Here is a photo (thank you, Barry) of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band – near the beginning of the vintage of my membership – competing in a crescent-shaped stance. This was 1984….
Young piper Callum Wynd is conducting a survey on piping as part of his Glasgow University studies and has asked if he can enlist the help of Piping Press readers. Callum started learning the pipes aged nine. He was originally taught by P/M Sandy Davidson MBE in school. After Sandy retired, he was taught by Chris Gibb, and for the last ten years has received instruction from Andrew Wright. Callum…
Angus Lawrie’s funeral with be at Ayr Crematorium on Wednesday, December 19 at 1.15pm. Angus, five times winner of the Worlds crown with Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, passed away last weekend aged 88. Originally from Oban, Angus was taught piping by his father. After leaving the police he was briefly P/M of the Britoil and Johnstone Pipe Bands but then concentrated on his composing and on establishing his pipe bag…
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