Uist & Barra Results (Updated with Comment)

As would be expected with such a stellar line-up, this was a day of first rate professional piping. A large crowd heard the very best of both ceol mor and ceol beag. Comment on the performances and  the winners are as below but listed among the latter should be the audience too. Here are the complete results: Ceol Mor: 1 Faye Henderson, Lament for the Earl of Antrim 2 Douglas…

PP Editor’s Blog: Uist & Barra, AKQ, Piping Centre Auction etc

All eyes on the Uist & Barra contest tomorrow, the first professional event of the year. Once more the organisers have attracted a top class field of pipers. Stay tuned to pipingpress.com for first results and comment on the day. U&B Piping Convenor John Angus Smith has sent this:  ‘The Glasgow Uist and Barra Association announces the running order and piobaireachds for Saturday’s Annual Piping Competition:   Pìobaireachd 1. Roderick…

Important New Piobaireachd Work Available from Piping Press Shop

Respected ceol mor teacher and adjudicator, Duncan Watson, has  reviewed Jimmy McIntosh’s new book ‘Ceol Mor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, presented in The Balmoral Tradition’, exclusively for pipingpress.com. In a very detailed and expert analysis, Duncan, himself a long-time pupil of RB Nicol, looks at how the music is set out, comments on notation, the teaching of John MacDonald and the Bobs of Balmoral, and adds entertaining anecdotal information…

Florida Academy/ Pipe Band Association History/ Piobaireachd Comment/ RSPS

Only a week to go until the first South Florida Pipe and Drum Academy and the registrar reports a total of 31 full-time students plus others on a part-time basis. Principal Robert Wallace said: ‘This is a very gratifying figure considering this is the first ever academy and reflects on the hard work of our organising staff in Fort Lauderdale and is recognition of the quality of instruction that will…

Argyllshire Gathering Contestants for 2015 Announced

The Argyllshire Gathering has confirmed the following names for this year’s prestigious piobaireachd competitions to be held at Oban on August 26th, 2015. There will be 28 competing for the Silver Medal with two reserves, and 29 for the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, no reserves. Last year’s winner of the Oban Silver Medal, Decker Forrest, is pictured above with the Duke of Argyll, the Chieftain of the Gathering. Read…