Hector Russell 1945 – 2022

I am saddened to report the sudden passing of piper Hector Russell, writes the Editor. Hector suffered a heart attack at his home in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, and died on Saturday. He was 77. His death comes only a few weeks after the completion of his ‘Pipe Music of Alex M MacIver’, a book he compiled in tribute to his former teacher and which was recently reviewed with acclaim on Piping…

Composer Niall Adds Another Success to his Growing Catalogue of Pipe Music

Niall Mathieson of Easter Ross has a reputation as a composer of merit and two weeks ago added yet another tune to his burgeoning oeuvre when he won a competition for a tune to commemorate the 170th anniversary of Pitlochry Highland Games, writes our Special Correspondent. Mr Matheson’s prize was £500 and he attended the games on September 10 and performed the tune for the first time in public before…

Editor’s Notebook: Look Back at the Season/ Inverness/ Worlds MSRs/ BB Fears/ South West School

So summer’s lease has come and gone and I think we can look back on a very successful return to competition in both solo and band worlds. Next year will be even better I feel, all things being equal. I think the standards in the Grade 1 bands were every bit as good as before the shutdown – but maybe not so in the solos. A lot of weak interpretation…

Piobaireachd by the Sea/ New P/M Post for Canadian Piper

Piobaireachd enthusiasts from Brittany and beyond (Holland, California) met for the 16th Pibroch en Bord de la Mer – Pibroch on the Seaside – held at Cancale on the beautiful Brittany coast. Brainchild of Jakez Pincet who came to Scotland in the 1960s to learn from R U Brown, it has successfully brought pibroch into the public eye, as well as giving players the chance to meet, to play and…

Bowhill Games Results/ Drum Tutor Wanted/ South West Scotland P&D Academy

Here are the results from the very first solo piping event at the recently rekindled Bowhill Highland Games where I am the new piping convenor, writes Greig Canning. The contest, held on September 11, had nine entries in the Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey and Reel contests and we held an impromptu Jig contest on the day too with just the one prize, a bottle of malt whisky to the winner….