PP Editor’s Blog: Uist & Barra/ BB Contest/ Letters/ Eden Court Fears etc.

To the Uist & Barra contest tomorrow for the annual professional competition. I hear that the tuning times have been restricted to four minutes in the piobaireachd, three in the MSR and one (if needed) for the H&J. Tuning lights will be in force to ensure these times are stuck to but by my calculation we will still have to endure a collective two hours of tuning time during the…

Scottish Bands to Participate in US Tattoo and New Championship

Pipe bands from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States have confirmed participation in the Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship on Saturday, April 23, 2016, in Norfolk, Virginia.  The press release reads: ‘The Virginia International Tattoo will host the first annual Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship, a contest open to Grade 1 and Grade 2 pipe bands. Inveraray & District Pipe Band and Police Scotland…

Recognition for South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy

South Florida Pipe and Drum Academy has received an official recognition from the City of Sunrise, a city close to the school’s venue in Boca Raton. City of Sunrise Mayor, Mike Ryan, who was a student at the school and who won the Most Promising Chanter Student award, has issued the following statement: ‘As Mayor of the City of Sunrise, I want to thank you for developing an Academy dedicated…

PP Ed’s Blog: South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy Concludes

The South Florida temperature cooled off to the pleasant high 60s during the week and it was amusing to see so many students lamenting the cold and shouldering their pipes and drums wearing fleece jackets and sweaters whilst the Scots instructors, in short sleeve order, commented on how summery things were. It’s about what you are used to. I think it would be fair to say we have had a…

Be a Better Piper – What to Look for When Selecting an Instrument Part 2

The following guide to selecting a bagpipe first appeared in Piper Press in the 1990s. It came from the renowned pipemaker Jimmy Pettigrew who for many years was the leading bagpipemaker for RG Hardie & Co……. Bagpipe making today is not as skilled as it once was. There is not enough good training these days. No one seems to do a full apprenticeship. When I started everything was done by…