Category: Pipe Bands

Next Year Marks Significant Anniversary of Composer, John McLellan DCM, Dunoon

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I am helping to promote a very famous relative of mine, John McLellan, Dunoon, who made quite an impact with his music and continues to do so today, writes Duncan MacGregor. My role has been to promote his works and his life by setting up a tribute website. I’ve spoken to my cousins, Jim and Alasdair Henderson at various times and have their support with this project. It’s the 150th…

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History: P/M Angus Lawrie, Oban Pipe Band

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The recent upgrading of the Oban Pipe Band from Grade 3A to Grade 2 was richly deserved after a season which saw them crowned World Champions in their grade. Their founder was Pipe Major Angus Lawrie, ‘Old Toastie’ immortalised in the hornpipe of the same name written by his nephew, also Angus Lawrie. (Old Toastie’s son was Ronald Lawrie, Gold Medallist and former P/M of the City of Glasgow Police…

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Disturbing Legal Action in Canada/ Ken Eller Memorial Gathering

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Some of you will be aware that our Canadian piping and drumming cousins are currently involved in a bit of a brouhaha. On the one side we have a disgruntled judge who believes he has been unfairly treated after alleged transgressions. On the other we have the governing body, Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario, which believes that, in taking what it saw as the required disciplinary action, it…

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Editor’s Notebook: RSPBA Fundraiser Job/ Sun Belt Info/ Historic Piper of Year Pictures/ Letters

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The decision by the RSPBA to appoint a fund-raising officer is long overdue. Given the millions the Association brings into Scotland each year via the Worlds and feeder events such Piping Live and the Worlds Week concert, it has a strong ethical case for public funding. Given the work bands do in education and in preserving an important Scottish tradition, the new man should be able to tap into cultural…

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News from Across the Water: Piper of the Year/ Solo Piping & Drumming Champs./ New Leading Drummers

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Saturday, September 28th saw the annual Piper of the Year competition in the Adair Arms, Ballymena. There was a decent attendance to listen to the eleven invited pipers who competed in the afternoon in the Piobaireachd section and then in the evening’s MSR and Hornpipe and Jig. The pipers played in the following order: Andrew Pattison, James Frazer, John McElmurry, Alastair Donaghy, Andrew Nelson, Kris Coyle, James Stone, Marc Warnock, Scott…

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