World Champion Pipe Band, Shotts & Dykehead, held their Annual Junior Piping and Drumming Championship in the town’s Calderhead High School today. There was a very healthy increase in competitors from 103 last year to 154 this. Pipe Major Ryan Canning and Leading Drummer Blair Brown were in Canada on a teaching trip but the event went like clockwork in their absence. North Lanarkshire Council, the local authority, are very…
This was a vintage Glenfiddich, which the packed audience in the great hall of Blair Castle was privileged to hear. To begin with, we heard ten technically faultless tunes, played by ten of the world’s leading pipers of today: a rare occurrence. But technical perfection needs another ingredient: the pipers must convey the music as well as the notes. But there was no shortage of music, and the adjudicators must…
I first travelled to London for the annual competition in 1976 and have always found it an enjoyable experience. I can’t quite put my finger on why this should be. A chance to meet up with piping colleagues in a far off land? A different competing environment? The beer? I don’t know. Certainly the lure of the big prizes, the Bratach Gorm and Gillies Cup and all the history attached…
Piobaireachd authority and renowned teacher Jimmy McIntosh has a superb set of Robertson pipes for sale. Check out PP Classifieds. James Robertson was an Edinburgh based pipe maker who took over the business of John and James Center when they emigrated to Australia in 1908. His instruments are distinguished by the large, heavy projecting mounts and a deep, steady tone (see pic above). <a href=”https://ppresshop.myshopify.com/cart/7581451075:1″ target=”_blank”>Buy Highland Bagpipe Makers by…
Congratulations to Craig Muirhead on winning through to the next round of the Scots Guards KO against Brian Lamond. The first round of the SPA KO is on November 7 at the College of Piping. The jousters are Finlay Johnston and John Patrick. 7.30 start, bar and refreshments. The Northern Ireland Branch of the RSPBA have sent this: ‘Thanks to Ian Burrows, pictures from all 2015 pipe band contests (except Rostrevor)…
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