The Editor writes: Following yesterday’s Vale news I wonder if there will be sufficient Grade 1 bands at the Worlds to justify the Friday Qualifier? Possibly not.  We’ve recently had three bands downgraded from Grade 1: Denny & Dunipace Gleneagles, Buchan Peterson and Cap Caval. I understand that no New Zealand bands will be coming over next year nor will Toronto Police – and we have already had the sad news of…

Adrian Cramb has announced his resignation from the position of Pipe Major of the Vale of Atholl’s Grade 1 Pipe Band. The band will not be competing next summer whilst the band ‘takes this period to develop its way forward’. Adrian brought recent success to the band when they made the final of the 2018 Worlds. They are pictured above on their way to the circle. Last week it was…

Earlier this year our Editor commented on the lack of support given to minor contests by some bands. Ian Graham, Pipe Band Convenor at Pitlochry Highland Games, has responded below. The picture above shows Pitlochry Games massed bands in the 1970s.  I refer to your recent correspondent who wrote lamenting the diminishing amount of major bands attending local Highland Games. Your correspondent specifically cited Pitlochry Highland Games as an example, and…

My point on Monday about the quality of timing and phrasing in P/M Donald MacLeod’s 6/8 march can be illustrated by comparing this recording with Donald’s playing: This is from a leading prizewinning piper who shall remain nameless. Click here to brush up your 6/8s. Here’s an excerpt from the article: ‘The left and right beats are shown clearly. We give a little more to the left than we do to…