Historic Picture of Ontario Band/ MacGregor Memorial Competition

The above photograph has been languishing in the PP files for some time and we wonder if any of our many readers in Canada can identify the band or the personnel. It is an historic photograph, 100 plus years old, and is dated on the back July 10th, 1914. The place is given as simply ‘eastern Ontario’. Interesting to check out the attire of the bystanders. Dress seems to have been…

BC Pipers Results

Successful day for James Troy and Alastair Lee at the BC Pipers Annual Gathering in Vancouver last weekend. BC results: Piob: 1 James P. Troy 2 Callum Beaumont 3 Jori Chisholm 4 Liam Hilder 5 Ed McIlwaine 6 Andrew Lee MSR: 1 Alastair Lee 2 Callum Beaumont 3 James P. Troy 4 Andrew Lee 5 Jori Chisholm 6 Brian McKenzie Jig: 1 Alastair Lee 2 Andrew Lee 3 James P. Troy 4 Callum…

Letters/Guest Blogger Responds on Piobaireachd Embellishments

Three new letters added today. Guest blogger Duncan Watson has sent this in response to the response to his original post:  Embellishments in ceol mor are undoubtedly an important aspect of the music irrespective of setting or style of playing and I suppose there is danger in going on ad nauseam on this subject and forgetting about the music. Undoubtedly the methods of writing those embellishments has changed over the period…

Guest Blogger: The Three Wise Men and Some Thoughts on Technique

Your favourite web magazine, pipingpress.com, is open to all those who wish to blog about some piping or pipe band matter and who feel a shorter letter would not do their opinion justice. Today we turn a page over to piper, teacher and adjudicator Duncan Watson….. I read the letter from Jimmy McIntosh regarding the reference to piobaireachd embellishments and was reminded of, and amused with, the reference to  ‘The Three…

Iain Speirs Impresses at Piobaireachd Society 2015 Conference (video added)

The highlight of this year’s Piobaireachd Society Conference had to be the playing of Iain Speirs, writes PS Vice President Robert Wallace. Iain, the consummate professional, was asked to illustrate a paper given by John  Shone on the life and career of one of the greatest pipers of all time, Donald MacPherson. With a beautifully set pipe, Iain thrilled the large number of attendees with outstanding performances of ceol beag, the urlars…