Editor’s Notebook: Highlanders Recital/ Skye Tunes/ CLASP Chanters/ SPA/ Carrick Juniors/ PS AGM/ Piper Search

Steven McCabe: We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting The Highlanders Piping Recital featuring some incredible guest performers! Join us for an evening filled with music and tradition. Pipers of 4 Scots, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Captain Stuart Samson MBE, and the Highlanders Cadet Force will be performing at the recital in Fort George Chapel on June 14. All proceeds will go directly to supporting The Highlanders…

RT Shepherd & Sons Officially in Liquidation

The liquidation of the once world-beating bagpipe and reed manufacturers RT Shepherd & Sons has been announced. It will be a sad day for all friends and followers of the founder, P/M Bob Shepherd, who started the company in the 1970s following his Worlds-winning spell with Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band. Bob died in 2019. The company’s chanters and reeds were played worldwide and it was responsible for some outstanding…

RSPBA Report on their Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association was held at our Washington Street Headquarters on March 8th, writes Jackie Allen of RSPBA Marketing & Media. Delegates and band representatives heard that the year focused on restoring our financial position, delivering a successful season of major competitions, and developing our education and training programs. The number of bands in membership in 2024 was 366. The Standards and…

Some Reflections on Changes at the Worlds

Thank you to all those who have contributed to the debate over the recently announced changes at the Worlds, the main one being the decision to hold Juvenile and Novice grades on the Friday. I have a few thoughts to share in response. The problem with making the Friday of the Worlds ‘heats’ day – as has been suggested by a number of correspondents – is overseas bands. By the…

Editor’s Notebook: Piobaireachd Society Conference/ Uist & Barra/ Tribute Band/ Scottish Pipers

One of the highlights at tomorrow’s Piobaireachd Society Conference will be a tune from Duncan MacGillivray. Duncan will be playing on John Macdonald, Inverness’s bagpipe (as above). It will help illustrate my talk on John Shone’s new book on Macdonald entitled ‘Life, Times and Music’. (Available this weekend on the PS webshop.) Duncan got the pipes from his father Donald. Donald was a student of Macdonald’s and the maestro gifted…