Ontario Piping Strikes New Membership Deal With Piobaireachd Society

The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario and the Piobaireachd Society today announce a new educational initiative aimed at further supporting solo amateur piobaireachd players. The PPBSO, beginning this year, will purchase PS memberships for all pipers who compete in at least two of their (PPBSO) solo amateur piobaireachd competitions in any given year, in-person or online.  These memberships will enable each amateur piper to access the extensive database…

Editor’s Notebook: Jubilee Pipers/ Lorient Faux Pas/ Ivory Pipes/ Graingers and Reeds/ Donald’s Tune

I know it was a week ago, but I do not want this column to pass without recognising all those pipers, both military and non, who made their contribution to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Reading reports and watching the ceremonies live, it was clear that we pipers did our bit on what was a uniquely historic occasion. The jewel in our crown was P/M Stuart Liddell whose composition Diu…

UK Pipe Band Championships – FMM Home in on Title

Field Marshal Montgomery were declared the new UK Pipe Band Champions today at Lurgan Park, Northern Ireland. FMM played Lord Alex. Kennedy, Shepherd’s Crook and Charlie’s Welcome. The other G1 places went to: 2 Inveraray, Argyllshire Gathering, Bogan Lochan, John MacKechnie3 Fife Police, Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France, Blair Drummond, Smith of Chilliechassie4 Scottish Power5 Shotts6 SLOT with the drumming going to Inveraray. Each band had to submit two MSRs,…

Piping Still Has a Long Way to Go to Achieve the Respect it Deserves

By Robert Wallace The central problem in Army piping is that pipers are not considered musicians. They are soldiers first. This is not the case with their counterparts in the military bands. They are musicians, front and centre. Pipe Majors are constantly having to justify their existence to unsympathetic senior officers. Come parade time, sure they want to be proud of their Pipes & Drums. That’s different; the world and…

Army Pipe Majors to Take Up Civilian Teaching Posts After Combined Service of 39 years

Army piping has suffered a significant loss with the imminent departure of two of its leading Pipe Majors. P/M Ben Duncan (above left), Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, is leaving after 15 years service to take up the job of Assistant PIpe Major at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. Ben begins at Watson’s in September. P/M Peter MacGregor, 4 Scots, The Highlanders, is leaving to become the piping Instructor at Erskine…