Margaret Dunn to Give Talk at Piobaireachd Society Conference

The Piping Centre announced a couple of weeks ago that their instructor Margaret Dunn would be giving a paper at the Piobaireachd Society Conference in March, writes the Editor. Her subject was to be the Centre’s popular CLASP series of competitions for amateur pipers. Margaret is the main organiser and one of the reasons for its success. Students tell me of how helpful and encouraging she is and certainly she keeps the…

PP Ed’s Festive Blog: Gordon Stobo/ Neil Robertson/ Cheughters/ PB Mag/ Roddy MacDonald

Short item I missed from the article on the British Legion contest programme of 1969. An advert reads: ‘Se an duine an t’aodach – Clothes Maketh the Man. What goes under a Heilandman’s kilt and other fascinating questions about Highland Dress can be answered by Gordon Stobo at Highland House, 328b Lawnmarket, Edinburgh – pipe bands kitted out – assistance with financing.’ Older readers will remember Mr Stobo. He was…

Latest from the Midwest Highland Arts Fund ‘Winter Storm’ Event

The organisers of the annual ‘Winter Storm’ piping and drumming weekend have sent this from Kansas City, USA: ‘MHAF Winter Storm continues to grow in 2017.  Since 2001, The Midwest Highland Arts Fund has been striving to continuously build, improve, and grow one of the premier piping and drumming events in the world – Winter Storm. ‘This year marks as the inaugural year for amateur grades 1, 2, and 3…

History: The British Legion Contest 1969 Part 2

As I said in our first look at this competition from nearly half a century ago, the programme contains some candid thoughts and interesting comments, writes the Editor. This first part may bring a lump to the throat of many an old soldier who reads it, and in this year of the Somme centenary we should remember that in 1969 many who fought there would still be around to relive the…

PP Ed’s Blog: Judging Debacle/ NPC Juniors/ Martin at New Year/ Boghall Concert/ Blackthorn

The interesting aspect of the Argyllshire Gathering’s statement on the recent judges debacle is the very fact that they were prepared to say anything at all. Reading between the lines they clearly have misgivings about this shameful ruling, a ruling based on no evidence but which implicitly (perhaps explicitly) deems that there has been corruption in the past and that the judges themselves have admitted it. Oban have said they will…