Category: Pipe Bands

News from Across the Water: James Warnock 1919-2024/ UK Drumming/ Down Solos/ Long Service

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The death took place recently of James Warnock, one of the great pioneers of the Northern Ireland pipe band scene. His area of expertise, like that of his father Joe and brother Andrew, was the manufacture of chanter and drone reeds and pipe chanters. James and his family made such an impact on both the local and world pipe band scene.  For an insight into Jim’s life in pipe bands…

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More Information on Michael Colliery Pipe Band

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We are grateful to piper Martin Kessler, Bonn, Germany, for forwarding two newspaper cutting about a Fife BB pipe band and the Michael Colliery Pipe Band. This was in response to the query by reader Gary Clacher a week or so ago. Gary wrote: ‘My dad, Adam Clacher, won the World Solo Drumming Championship in 1959 when he was with the Grade 2 Michael Colliery band. Not sure if this…

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Editor’s Notebook: P/Ms Succession Planning/ George Sherriff Memorial/ Mystery Band/ Cancale Piper

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Succession planning is everything when its comes to changing Grade 1 pipe majors. Get it right and the prizes continue unabated. Wrong, and a once great outfit tumbles and expires. That’s what happened with Muirhead & Sons in the ’70s. There are more modern examples too.  One of the most successful handovers came when Tully Senior handed over to Tully Junior at St Laurence O’Toole a few years back. Alen…

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Unifying Set Tunes Worldwide, James McGrady, Norman Meldrum and Neville McKay

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I would like to comment on a few articles on Piping Press over the past several weeks. Firstly, Scott Nicholson’s plan for a unified system of Piobaireachd Society set tunes for Australia (PP, July 2). This has great value. It motivates aspiring competitors to commit to learning these tunes and if they are successful with them and accepted for Oban and Inverness, they are likely to be well prepared.  My…

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Captain John Contest Entries/ Schools Teaching Jobs/ CLASP Practice Chanters

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Entries are now open for the Captain John MacLellan Memorial competition run by the Army School of Piping in association with the Competing Pipers’ Association. The competition is only open to CPA members. It is on October 5 at 9am and the venue is the Army School at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh. Entries, via the CPA website, close on Friday (Sept.20). There are piobaireachd and light music contests for all grades,…

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