The Scottish Pipers’ Association celebrates its 100th Anniversary next year. Our showpiece event in the annual piping calendar is the professional contest to be held this Saturday in Glasgow. In my programme note I write: ‘Welcome to the Annual Professional Contest of the Scottish Pipers’ Association. ‘The SPA was founded in 1920 by the leading pipers of that era and continues to this day encouraging all pipers, young and old…

House of Scotland Tartan Day Solo Piping Competitions in Balboa Park, San Diego, April 7, 2019 Prize Pipe Piobaireachd Competition.Combined Amateur Event for Grades 2, 3, and 4. Competitors were asked to submit one tune of their own choosing. Result: 1st: Arnold Edwards2nd: Alan Wood3rd: Megan Kenney4th: Stephanie Trudeau5th: Kurt Hoeger6th: Frisco Adams Judge: Neil Clark  1st place won a vintage set of Robertson Bagpipes donated by the Shasta Piping Society, and J. Dunbar Bagpipes…

Cullybackey College on April 6th was the setting for the 32nd Cullybackey Pipe Band Solo Piping and Drumming Championships which had an entry of eighty three across the twenty one sections. This event has traditionally provided competitors with an opportunity to warm up ahead of the Ulster Solos, which take place on the April 20th, however many of the senior players particularly the drummers didn’t enter as they usually would. This…

All congratulations to P/M Ross Cowan and his North Lanarkshire Schools pipe bands on their successful visit to New York for Tartan Week. By all accounts they were very well received and it was reported in the Scottish press that they ‘brought Grand Central Station to a halt’ with an impromptu performance on the concourse. You can see the band in action on Facebook (875,000+ views!). Such was their impact…

Bobby Allan from Chryston, Lanarkshire, was the overall winner at yesterday’s (April 6) junior piping competition run by the Kintyre Piping Society. Events were held in the Ardshiel and Seafield Hotels. Margaret Anderson Youngest Competitor trophy: Cara MacPhersonBest local in event 1: Maia McNeillageBest local in event 3: Calum McAllisterBest local events 4&5: Matthew McKerralBest local in events 19 & 11: Callum McKillopBest girl with most points: Catriona NormanMost promising…