College of Piping Prince Edward Island Gets Government Cash

The College of Piping and Celtic Performance Arts of Canada in Summerside, P.E.I., is getting $2.7 million in funding from the Canadian government for a new performance space. The school, the only year-round one of its kind in North America, offers classes in piping,  drumming, Highland dancing and Island step dancing to more than 250 year-round students and 200 summer students, as well as workshop participants. Principal of the school is the well-known…

PP Ed’s Blog: Capt. John Contest/ Florida Hurricane/ Three Wise Men/ Austria School

The Captain John MacLellan Memorial Competition is being held at the Army School, Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh, tomorrow. All grades are covered and I hope the Edinburgh piping fraternity turn out to support this worthwhile contest in the Captain’s good name. Here are the draws:                     I hope my friends and students in South Florida have battened down the hatches in preparation…

Silver Medal Tunes/ James Campbell Letters/ Composing Competition/ John Wilson

The third part of Duncan Watson’s article on the value of James Campbell’s Masters of Piobaireachd letters is published today. Of consideration are the playing of crunluath breabach, the ‘strange’ crunluath found in Battle of the Pass of Crieff and MacKays’ Banner, Variation 1 of the Prince’s Salute and the ‘chelalho’ movement found in the Lament for the Viscount of Dundee. Read Duncan’s piece here. Slight tweaks to the rules of…

PP Ed’s Blog: Angus’s Funeral/ Shotts Contest/ Fergie Book/ Trad Awards

The dates for Angus Nicol’s funeral in Oban and mass in London have now been set: Tuesday 18th October – Oban RC Cathedral: Funeral Mass: 11.30am followed by Kilninver interment and Knipoch Hotel wake . Friday 21st October – Brompton Oratory: Requiem Mass: 11am with wake afterwards at St Wilfrid’s Hall. Angus, a great lover of piping and self-taught Gaelic speaker, died last week after a long bout of ill health. Throughout his life he did a great deal…

Pipe Bands: Police have First Practice/ Medley Harmonies/ World Solo Drumming

Greater Glasgow Police Scotland Pipe Band have held their first band practice with new leading drummer David Henderson at the head of the corps with a ‘very positive’ outcome. The GGPS corps is still largely intact despite the recent upheaval following the departure of long-serving Eric Ward. Of the nine side drummers that played with the band at the World Pipe Band Championships in August, six have stayed with the…