Captain John MacLellan Memorial Solo Piping – Updated with Pictures and Comment

As ever this was a very well run competition held at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh, home of the Army School of Piping and Highland Drumming, by permission of ASBMHD retiring Director Major Steven Small. Stewarding was by students of the Army School under the command of Captain Gordon Rowan. Prize money this year was increased by £1,000. Generous sponsorship came from McCallum Bagpipes who donated a set of new pipes to the…

PP Ed’s Blog: Former Winners’ Tunes/ Logan’s Publishers/ Uist & Barra History

Listening to part of the Former Winners’ MSR at the Northern Meeting this year I was struck by the number of comparatively easy tunes some pipers are submitting. All great tunes of course, but is Mrs MacDonald of Dunacht suitable for this level? And whilst I love Donald MacLeod’s music I’m not sure that some of the reels such as Drumlithie are as much of a test as, say, eight parts…

Australian PB Champs Results – WAPOL Victorious/ PBA President Responds to Recent Suspensions

Western Australia Police Pipe Band, P/M Jim Murray, took all the main prizes on the second day of the  in today’s Australian Pipe Band  Championships Grade 1 contest held in Sydney. They were placed first for the main contest, for drumming and dress & deportment. Grade 2 main prize and drumming went to the Pipe Band Club Australia. Held every two years, the Australian Pipe Band Championships is the country’s…

PP Ed’s Blog: Scottie MacLean/ Gairloch Results/ Brighde Chaimbeul/ Army Contest

   London and the South branch Chairman Walter MacGregor has sent this regarding the funeral of RSPBA Hon. Vice President Scottie MacLean (left) who passed away two days ago aged 98: ‘Scottie’s funeral service is to be held at The Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Stevenage Old Town SG1 3DB on Tuesday, 11 October 2016 at 1pm. Anyone wishing to send condolences to the family  may do so by contacting  Mr D…

The Northern Meeting Highland Society of London Gold Medal 2016 – A Review

Today, in the second of our reports from the 2016 Northern Meeting piping competition, editor Robert Wallace reviews the contest for the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal…. At 8.30am on the big day I parked my backside in the main auditorium at Eden Court Theatre for an eight-hour listen to one of the most important contests in world piping. On first (not easy) was Dr Peter McCalister playing the Lament for MacSwan…