More Must Be Done for the Audience at the Worlds

From our reports this week it is clear World Pipe Band Championships took up a large part of the discussion at the recent RSPBA Board of Directors meeting. But supporters and members of the public are angry that a number of issues that affect them don’t seem to have been given any airing. If they were, then they certainly were not minuted. Mr J Nicholson spoke for many who contacted…

Reaction and More RSPBA News

Correspondent Ian Forbes has commented on yesterday’s disappointing news regarding the 2026 Major Championships. Ian writes: ‘If it is confirmed that, in a sad repeat of this year, there will only be four Majors for 2026, then it will represent a substantial failure by the RSPBA and its Board of Directors. ‘Alternative options and models for financing the Majors have been highlighted previously on Piping Press. ‘These included self-funding by…

2026 Majors Confirmed and Other RSPBA News

The recent meeting of the Association’s Board of Directors confirmed the following Major Championships for 2026. It looks like, as with 2025, there will only be four: The 2026 Championship venues and dates are: • British – 30th May, Ingliston• European – 27th June, Perth• Scottish – 25th July, Dumbarton• Worlds – 14th/15th August, Glasgow Green Next year’s playing requirement details are being withheld until final confirmation of the number…

Glass Chanter Retained by Angus MacPhee

At a meeting of the Inverness Piping Society, Angus MacPhee was presented with the 2025 Glass Chanter for the second year running, write Steven McCabe and Jean Cameron. The chanter and a cash prize of £200 go to the piper with the most points in the North Games – those held north of the Great Glen. In the event of a draw the piper with the highest piobaireachd score wins….

‘Beyond Binneas’  – A New Look at a Famous Piobaireachd Collection

The ground breaking piobaireachd collection ‘Binneas is Boreraig’ (BiB), was published by Dr Roddy Ross some 60 years ago, and aimed to capture the playing of the master piper Malcolm Macpherson.   By Pat Terry It employed notational devices that pipers familiar with the notation used in many other collections of ceòl mòr found strange [colour coded, three-line stave].  In 2022, Chris Terry (a pupil of John MacFadyen) set out…