South West Scotland Boost for Piping & Drumming

Piping and Drumming in south-west Scotland has received a major boost with the formation of the new South West Scotland Piping & Drumming Academy. The Academy will take the form of a Summer School, a series of teaching workshops and piobaireachd weekends. Andrew McCartney (left), Chairman of the SWSPDA, reports: Our website address is www.swspda.co.uk, and details of our Summer School and programme of events are as follows : SWSPDA Summer School:  13th…

PP Editor’s Blog: Muirheads Recordings/Roderick Cannon/UK Champs/ FMM Deal

Three new tracks have been added to our pipe band audio archive today. They are of the famous Muirhead & Sons Pipe Band and were all recorded in Toronto, Canada, in the 1970s. The quality is not the best, but listeners will get a good sense of the expert leadership and teaching of P/M RG Hardie and L/D Robert Turner. If any reader has a recording they would like to…

Edinburgh Police/Logan the Publisher/Lochaber Gathering/Drumming Column etc

Our drumming editor Stewart Gardiner, himself a former drummer with the Lothian & Borders Police PB, has weighed in with some of the names of those in the above photograph published earlier. The pic of the City of Edinburgh Police PB under P/M Ian MacLeod. Stewart writes: ‘Re the ECP photo you posted, I think I have a list of just about everyone in it and can look it out…

New Drumming Column/ Piob Soc. Bk 16/ Stormont Details/ etc

Today we launch our new Drummer’s Call column for pipe band drummers of all persuasions: tenor, bass and side. The first article is a review of new drumsticks by Steven Creighton of the St Laurence O’Toole band.  The Piobaireachd Society has announced that their latest book in their celebrated series – Book 16 – will be officially launched at Piping Live! in August.  It is scheduled for 12.00 noon on Wednesday…

Responses to 2/4 March Articles & Some Tune Suggestions

Among the responses to the articles about 2/4 marches are a well thought out letter from US piper Nick Hudson and a snappy riposte from a member of the Scottish Power band, Rory Grossart. Rory first. It is good to see pipers in a band showing loyalty and support for their pipe major’s choice of music. (Incidentally, Rory chose not to tell us that he was a piper in Scottish Power). Loyalty…