Success of Long List of Senior Tunes for Oban and Inverness Being Assessed

In 2023 the Piobaireachd Society recommended a long list of 50+ set tunes for the senior piobaireachd events at Oban and Inverness. The five year experiment ends next year and assessment has begun. When launched the idea of a comprehensive list of tunes thought suitable for this level of competition was popular with audiences. They were guaranteed a raft of classics as they took their seats at Corran Halls or…

Northern Ireland: All Irelands/ Piper of the Year/ Piping Societies/ Down Academy

On 24th September the All-Ireland & JAC Solo Piping & Drumming Championships took place at Cookstown High School. What a day it was for Field Marshal Montgomery duo James Frazer and William Glenholmes. They took the senior piping and drumming titles despite stiff opposition. James took the piping title by winning favour with both adjudicators ahead of Alastair Donaghy and John McElmurry. John was the winner of the Piobaireachd A…

Editor’s Notebook: World Solo Drumming/ Dress & Deportment/ PS Website/ Stuart Recital/ Magic of Skye

Good luck to all the pipers playing for drummers tomorrow at the World Solos in Glasgow (Cally University from early on). What about the drummers I hear you say. Of course good luck to them too, but where would they be without the boys on the black sticks? I hope the judges take that on board. Drummers should be judged not only on how well they play technically, but on…

Pitlochry Concert/ Nicol Brown Results

Our ‘Raasay Pitlochry Concert’ takes place in Pitlochry Town Hall the evening before the Glenfiddich, writes Angus Clarke. It’s quite different to the Raasay Competition held last month in that the emphasis is much less on playing for step-dancing, and is instead more of a concert of top class piping.   The aim is to provide a varied, interesting – and entertaining – contrast to the equally top class competition…

Editor’s Notebook: Lochnell Championship/ Euro KO/ PS Website/ BB Band/ Piping Mug

To Benderloch today for the Lochnell Intermediate Championship. Eight top young professionals will be vying for the sought after award. They are Douglas Baird, Kyle Cameron, Thomas Fallon, Malachi Johannsen, Chris McCartan, Liam Nicolson, Andrew Pattison and Magnus Stone. They play a piobaireachd and a march, strathspey and reel, the title going to the overall winner. Four tunes of each have been submitted. The Judges are Angus D MacColl, Jack…