New Band Competition Announced/SPA Winners

The Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch of the RSPBA has inaugurated a new competition for full pipe bands and solo drummers. The contest will take place on 25th April 2015; venue: Coatbridge High School. The band contest is indoor, full band and covers Grades 1 to Novice Juvenile and is open to all bands. Solo Drumming Sections are: Adult, entrants aged 18 years and over on date of contest, any…

Scotland’s Jim Murray Wins ANZAC Tune Competition

P/M James Murray of Western Australia Police Pipe Band has won a prestigious composing competition for a tune to commemorate 100 years since the bravery and sacrifice of the Gallipoli landings during WW1. The tune, complete with harmony, is being made available here for the public with the composer’s permission: A press release issued by the promoters of the competition, Pipe Bands Australia and the New Zealand Pipe Band Association,…

Glasgow Police Recording Now Available/ New Letter

The long-awaited recording of the Glasgow Police’s much-lauded concert during World’s Week 2014 is now available for purchase. A statement issued by the band reads: ‘Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band are pleased to announce that the ‘Ceolry’  CD album has now been released. ‘We trust that you will find the music contained therein will reflect the fantastic display and atmosphere at Glasgow Concert Hall in August last year where an exciting…

Piping Association in Lost Trophy Appeal to Public

One of the world’s longest established piping societies, the Scottish Pipers’ Association, have launched an appeal for the return of trophies, or parts of trophies, that have gone missing over the past several years. The trophies are associated with the SPA’s list of historic competitions for juvenile and professional piping. [wds id=”3″] SPA Treasurer Jeannie Campbell: ‘I’ve made a list of lost trophies. Any help with finding them would be appreciated….

John MacDonald, Inverness, Letter; Govan Piping Initiative

Today we publish an interesting letter from John Macdonald, Inverness, to Archibald Campbell, Kilberry. It discusses two tunes, ‘Lament for the Union’ and ‘Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonnell of Glengarry.’ Read more here. [wds id=”3″] The newsletter of the Govan Weavers Society reports major progress with the piping initiative in this well-known, but not well off, suburb of Glasgow. It reads: ‘In July it was intimated that the Piping Initiative…