Pipers for the Inaugural Argyllshire Gathering Intermediate Championship Announced

This prestigious competition for junior professional pipers will be held at Lochnell Castle, Benderloch, Argyll, on October 2. Ten leading young pipers aged 22 and under have been invited to take part. Most were finalists in the recent MacGregor Memorial Competition run by the Argyllshire Gathering on behalf of the Highland Society of London. Others have developed significant track records since leaving the junior ranks. Those invited are: Bobby AllenRuairidh…

Editor’s Notebook: Band Practices are Go/ Dan’s Book Controversy/ Wedding Disaster/ Ivory Pipes

The way now seems fully open for pipe bands in Scotland to practice and perform. From September 3 the following applies under covid law: ‘These regulations (which come into force on 3 September 2021) amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (‘the principal Regulations’). ‘Regulation 2 amends ….requirement to wear face covering in certain indoor places [and] inserts ‘rehearsing for a performance’ as an activity falling within the…

Review: Piobaireachd is for Everyone by Dan Nevans

Reading of this book, I imagined it would make ceòl mòr more accessible to pipers who had little interest in it, hopefully inspiring them, and that it would help listeners gain greater enjoyment from performances. This has been attempted in the past and proved a tall order. There have been publications on the theme of piobaireachd appreciation before and Seumas MacNeil’s ‘Piobaireachd’ [available here] is one of the more successful….

Donald Morrison Archive: Downpour at the Northern Meeting 1930

The following is from a clipping from the Inverness Courier found in Donald’s papers. The headlines read ‘Great Washout at Northern Meeting’, ‘Disastrous Effect of Ceaseless Deluge’, ‘Handful of Spectators Watch the Games’ and ‘Balmoral Ghillie’s Piping Triumph’. In these days the Meetings were held out of doors in the Northern Meeting Park. The report goes on: Rain ruined the Northern Meeting Gathering which opened at Inverness today, even more…

Review: Piobaireachd Society Annual Recital 2021

What a busy month August was. From the Silver Chanter through to the annual Piobaireachd Society recital, August has delivered a bumper crop of piping in every format one could ask for after such a drought. It is only fitting that this big month has been bookended by the big music.  The Piobaireachd Society recital has been held in St. Cecilia’s Hall at the University of Edinburgh in previous years…