The 2018 Worlds are go! Piping Press reporters are already out and about on a grey, overcast Glasgow Green listening to the Grade 1 bands preparing for the biggest performances of their year. There are two heats with six from each going forward to tomorrow’s final. Qualifier 1 MSR 1 11:00 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia 2 11:10 New Zealand Police – New Zealand 3 11:20 St Laurence O’Toole – Eire…

Ángel Hernando, President: Dear Friends: We inform you that the Band of Gaitas (Galician bagpipes) Lume de Biqueira has just arrived to China, to participate in the China International Wind Music Festival. The performances will be made basically in the coastal city of Dalian, to finish in Beijing and a concert in the Great Wall of China. According to our information, Lume de Biqueira is the first Spanish band (of any genre) that…

Midst all the mayhem of Worlds Week, where the pipe band rules no question, piobaireachd, classical pipe music, could still be found by those looking for a more measured and contemplative bagpipe experience. The Piobaireachd Society was to the fore in providing just such an opportunity and here we have reviews from two recitals the Society promoted over the past seven days, the first in Edinburgh and the second in…

Overall Winner – Stephen Ross (pictured above receiving a new trophy, the Dr Colin Caird Quaich, from Frances Bullick (Dr Caird’s daughter) in memory of her late father, a prominent member of Piobaireachd Society and an amateur piping champion in his own right. Pictures courtesy Alastair Sinclair. Results: Grade 1 – Piobaireachd 1st Andrew Park 2nd Robert Wilson 3rd Stephen Ross Grade 1 – MSR 1st Stephen Ross 2nd Charles…

The 2018 Worlds Grade 1 competitions will be streamed live over the internet tomorrow (Aug 17) and Saturday. The Grade 1 qualification tomorrow (Friday) will be streamed live (from 10.30am) from the main arena by promoter Glasgow Life. Viewers will see one performance from each the 22 G1 bands, 11 bands from Qualifier 1 playing their MSR in the morning then the remaining 11 bands from Qualifier 2 playing their…