Juvenile Indoor Season Preview

Our special correspondent reports on the forthcoming juvenile band contests….Following the cancellation of this weekend’s George Watson’s College (GWC) contest in Edinburgh we look ahead to the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Competition with its now traditional ‘second Sunday in March’,on the 11th, at Inveralmond Community High School, Livingston, West Lothian. The event, now in its 6th year, is presented by the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust, doing much to…

PP Ed’s Blog: South Florida/ Ulster Fundraisers/ Charles MacLeod Williamson

About half way through the South Florida school with good progress on all fronts. Temperatures here in the 80s with a nice breeze. Quite a contrast with the UK. The big hit at last night’s pub ceilidh was Andrew Elliot (Field Marshal) the bass and tenor teacher. Andrew did a spot with tyro teacher Jack Williamson (P/M St Andrews Society Band, Kansas) which had the audience transfixed. A great party…

Famous Pipers – Duncan Johnstone, The Piper’s Piper Part 1

Next month sees the annual Duncan Johnstone Memorial competition held at the Piping Centre. A few weeks ago piper, composer and adjudicator Stuart Finlayson, New Zealand, regaled us with tales of the late master piper who was so influential on so many people. Today we begin the first part of an interview conducted by our Editor Robert Wallace in 1996 shortly after Duncan had been awarded the Balvenie Medal for…

Boney Invitational Results and Report

Robert MacNeill of the BC Pipers’ Association reports: The 2018 Boney Music Memorial Invitational Piping Competition and Recital was a great success, raising over $2170 [£1,228 approx.] for brain cancer research for the British Columbia Cancer Foundation, $828 [£468 approx.] of it from the livestreaming viewers. The BC Pipers’ Association continued the event that Andrew Bonar began in 2016 to utilize piping to further advance charitable causes. The players Kevin McLean,…

PP Ed's Blog: South Florida/ Darach & Finlay Hong Kong Trip/ Charles MacLeod Williamson

To the US for some sun at the South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy at Boca Raton. I should have something to report – all good I hope. Around 50 students, 28 for piping with class sizes kept to five or six. This will be our fourth annual school and I think we are beginning to make an impression. Certainly standards improve year on year. Many thanks to our sponsors…