New Recordings from John MacDonald, Inverness

Piobaireachd lovers will enjoy the new additions to the PP Audio Archive added today, writes the Editor. They are of the playing of the celebrated master piper John MacDonald, Inverness. He gives us the ground and first variation of the Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon, and the grounds of the Wee Spree and MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart. Of the latter, I think it is fair to say that we would seldom hear the…

PP Ed’s Blog: Scottie MacLean/ Gairloch Results/ Brighde Chaimbeul/ Army Contest

   London and the South branch Chairman Walter MacGregor has sent this regarding the funeral of RSPBA Hon. Vice President Scottie MacLean (left) who passed away two days ago aged 98: ‘Scottie’s funeral service is to be held at The Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Stevenage Old Town SG1 3DB on Tuesday, 11 October 2016 at 1pm. Anyone wishing to send condolences to the family  may do so by contacting  Mr D…

The Northern Meeting Highland Society of London Gold Medal 2016 – A Review

Today, in the second of our reports from the 2016 Northern Meeting piping competition, editor Robert Wallace reviews the contest for the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal…. At 8.30am on the big day I parked my backside in the main auditorium at Eden Court Theatre for an eight-hour listen to one of the most important contests in world piping. On first (not easy) was Dr Peter McCalister playing the Lament for MacSwan…

Judging, the Media and the Need for Fairness and Transparency

Well, we are where we are. But where are we? And are we where we want to be? Shouldn’t we be somewhere else? And if so how do we get from where we are to where we want to be? Don’t worry I’m baffled too, and I offer this writhing gobbledygook as an example of the sort of Rumsfeldian (known knowns etc.) mash talk ‘prose’ you will not find in the pages…

PP Ed’s Blog: Charity Figures/ Ross’s Baby/ Duncan MacDougall/ London Reminder

The Office of Scottish Charities Register (OSCR) has made the following account details concerning the College of Piping, the National Piping Centre and the Piping Live festival available to the public.   The College of Piping show an income of £544,896 and outgoings of £609,356 – a deficit of £64,460 – in their latest figures posted on 29th January this year. The National Piping Centre show an income of £2,157,165…