Category: Reviews

Editor’s Notebook: John MacLellan Dinner/ Alex MacIver Book/ Scottish Championships/ Dunvegan Medal/ Blas Festival

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Douglas Gardiner, President of the Eagle Pipers’ Society: ‘Would you mind publishing that we are closing the sale of tickets for the Captain John MacLellan Dinner at 23.30hrs (BST) on Sunday 14th August? ‘We have been very pleased with ticket sales so far but a few more will ensure our Treasurer can sleep easier.  ‘Tickets are priced £50 and can be bought here. The selected pipers and their tunes are…

More Editor’s Notebook: John MacLellan Dinner/ Alex MacIver Book/ Scottish Championships/ Dunvegan Medal/ Blas Festival

A Spectator View from the 2022 Scottish Pipe Band Championships

Posted on      by      2 Comments

I spent a pleasant and interesting day at the Scottish Championships held in Levengrove Park, Dumbarton in the west of Scotland last Saturday.  Despite encountering heavy rain on the M8 motorway during my journey early morning, it turned out to be a fine day, dull and hazy but warm in the morning, and then sunny in the afternoon.  That was a total contrast to the last time the Championships were…

More A Spectator View from the 2022 Scottish Pipe Band Championships

Scottish Championships/ St Columba’s, Kilmalcolm Job/ Junior Festival Solos

Posted on      by      3 Comments

Solo adjudicator and former Scots Guards piper Roger Huth on the Scottish Pipe Band Chanmpionships last weekend: ‘I had the joy of wandering among the sounds of our great competing pipe bands yesterday at the Sottish Championships and seeing not a few of our superstars in action in the Grade One arena. I found rare space on a grassy rampart overlooking the hallowed spot and at 1400 the procession of…

More Scottish Championships/ St Columba’s, Kilmalcolm Job/ Junior Festival Solos

Harpenden Highland Gathering, Dearth of Competitions in England and Black Donald’s March

Posted on      by      2 Comments

On Sunday 10th July, I was once again pleased to judge the solo piping competitions at the Harpenden Highland Gathering in Hertfordshire, southern England. It may seem unusual that a London commuter town hosts a Highland games, but the history is an interesting story in itself. During World War 2 there was a large concentration of aircraft factories in the Harpenden, St Albans, Luton and Stevenage areas, with a high…

More Harpenden Highland Gathering, Dearth of Competitions in England and Black Donald’s March

James Campbell Memories on Post War Piping Competitions

Posted on      by      1 Comment

We are grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding this BBC recording of the John MacFadyen Memorial Trust’s lecture given by James Campbell, Kilberry, in 1985. The venue was the Chapel Royal in Stirling Castle. This is the second part of a three-part lecture entitled ’50 Years of Judging’ and features the live playing of Iain MacFadyen (Old Men of the Shells) and Captain John MacLellan (Black Donald’s March). By…

More James Campbell Memories on Post War Piping Competitions