New Recordings of Ronald Lawrie and Jimmy Young/ Benbecula Young Piper of the Year

Thanks to Piobaireachd Society President Dr Jack Taylor for forwarding new archive recordings to Piping Press. They are from the Society’s Robert Reid audio archive and feature P/M Ronald Lawrie and Jimmy Young playing at the 1956 ‘Echoes of Oban’ concert held at the College of Piping. P/M Lawrie, Gold Medallist and Pipe Major of the City of Glasgow Police Pipe Band, plays his own tune Glenfinnan Highland Gathering –…

Duncan Johnstone Memorial Results

This annual competition was held in the Piping Centre, Glasgow, on March 10. It is run by the Centre in conjunction with the Competing Pipers’ Association. Winners and members of Duncan’s family pictured above. Read about the master piper here. B Piobaireachd: 1 Steven Leask 2 Kristopher Coyle 3 Steven Gray 4 William Rowe 5 Ben Mulhearn Judges: P Henderson, A Johnston B MSR 1 Ross Miller 2 Calum Brown…

PP Ed’s Blog: South Florida/ Duncan Jonstone Contest/ RSPBA AGM/ Steven’s Drum/ SSPDT Easter School

Splendid school; splendid weather. Never more than 80 degrees, a cool breeze hovered around all week in Boca Raton. The 48 students were mostly local though some had travelled from as far as Connecticut to be there, drawn as much by our reputation for excellence in teaching as for the weather. The South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy is housed in the HQ of the Boca Fire Department and at…

The Piping Centre’s Triumph is Complete and the College of Piping is No More

Dispel any notion, if you will, that yesterday’s momentous news concerning the National Piping Centre and the College of Piping is any sort of merger, some coming together of like-minded individuals who will hereafter share responsibilities, join arms in common cause, and operate as a union of equals. Be in no doubt; this is a crushing victory for the Centre. It is all over at Otago Street. The statement yesterday…

National Piping Centre Takeover of the College of Piping (further updated)

The following statement has just been received  by Piping Press…. The Boards of the College of Piping and The National Piping are pleased to announce that they have agreed, in principle, that The College of Piping will transfer its charitable and commercial activities to The National Piping Centre.   This will create one single national centre of excellence for the study and performance of Scotland’s national instrument. The two charities have…