Editor’s Notebook: Balmoral Classic/ Logan Tannock/ Florence Allan/ Jimmy Banks

In Pittsburgh, PA, for the annual Balmoral Classic US Amateur Piping Championship. The judges are myself, Amy Garson and Lezlie Webster. The 12 competitors and their tunes: It should be a good competition. Lots of excellent prizes for the winners. I do a free workshop for all competitors on the Sunday. More details here. Pittsburgh is of course the home of Carnegie Mellon University where Jimmy McIntosh established the first…

Ulster News: Blackthorn Pipers/ RSPBANI AGM/ Show Returns/ Paddy Kelly/ Dundalk/ St Mary’s

On the third Wednesday of the months of September and October the Blackthorn Pipers Society welcomed guest pipers Kris Coyle and Ashley McMichael. Both of these Field Marshal Montgomery pipers were in outstanding form and videos of theirs and other players’ performances can be seen on the Blackthorn Society’s Facebook page. The Society meets in the Discover Ulster Scots Building, 1-9 Victoria Street Belfast BT1 3GA and it will continue…

History of the World Pipe Band Championships – Part 1

We are grateful to correspondent Alistair Aitken for this updated history of the World Pipe Band Championship……. The World Pipe Band Championships (WPBC) is the main event in the annual calendar of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).  The Championships have a long history stretching back to 1906, but were not organised by the RSPBA (then SPBA) until 1947.  Initially the Championships were part of the Cowal Highland Gathering…

Lochnell Intermediate Piping Championship Comment and Pictures

This was a very successful day at Lochnell Castle, Argyll. The audience was quite an increase on last year and all were treated to a sumptuous lunch courtesy our host Lord Archie Cochrane. Overall winner with a first in March, Strathspey and Reel and a fourth in Piobaireachd was Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane. He is pictured above on his way to victory as the judges Derek Fraser, John Wilson and Willie…

Lochnell Intermediate Piping Championship Results

This prestigious contest for pipers aged under 22 was held on Saturday, October 22nd, at Lochnell Castle, Benderloch, Argyll. The overall champion piper with most points in the Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey & Reel sections was Ruairidh Brown. He is pictured above with overall trophy and the new William McCallum Snr. Trophy for MSR. In addirion he also received the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society Bronze Medal and £200. The full…