World Solo Drumming – Steven McWhirter is the Champion (updated)

Steven McWhirter  of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band is the World Solo Drumming Champion for 2016. He emerged with most points after two hard fought disciplines at the championships held today at Glasgow Caledonian University. It is Steven’s sixth consecutive title and his seventh in total. The prize list in the Adult Final, livestreamed to thousands of viewers around the world for the first time, was: 1st Steven McWhirter…

Piping Results from the Royal National Mod

Complete results from last weekend’s Royal National Mod Piping are now available. They show a very successful day for US piper Decker Forrest now domiciled on Skye. This year the Mod was held on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Ceol Mor 1st J. Decker Forrest, Isleornsay, receives the James R. Johnston Memorial Quaich and £150 2nd James MacPhee, Inbhir Nis, £100 3rd Brìghde Chaimbeul, An Caol, £75 Ceol Beag 1st J. Decker Forrest £100 2nd James MacPhee £75 3rd Brìghde Chaimbeul £50 H&J 1st…

World Solo Drumming – An Interview with Maestro Jim Kilpatrick MBE

Saturday sees the RSPBA’s World Solo Drumming Championship being held in Caledonian University in Glasgow. As a warm up for that event, and as a possible assist to competitors, we run the following interview with master drummer Jim Kilpatrick MBE, the record winner of the top title, and now retired after a wonderful pipe band and solo drumming career. The interview comes to us courtesy the Association and their official magazine…

Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping Results

A very large entry at this competition held yesterday in Ardrossan High School, Ayrshire.  Event Co-Ordinator Gerard McClumpha sent this: ‘The competition had over 200 entries playing in seven different arenas covering 20 disciplines – which all went like clockwork. (Being the event co-ordinator, I couldn’t say that without being biased, so I have repeated what many players, parents and judges said to both myself and the other volunteers on the day!) As a date…

Northern Ireland’s Piper of the Year Results

Organiser Ken Stewart has sent this about this important annual contest held in the Province…..The annual Piper of the Year competition was held on Saturday 8th October 2016 in the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena. This competition is promoted by the Northern Ireland Piping Society and is an invitation only event. Competitors are selected on merit determined by their competition results, in Ireland, during the current year. Each player is…