PP Ed’s Blog: Highland & Islands/ La Sturgeon/ Inveraray at Ballymena/ NPC-CoP/ Braemar Pix

Riona MacInnes of the Highland & Islands Festival has asked us to remind everyone that entries close for this year’s event this  Monday, March 19. There are senior piping contests in ceol beag and ceol mor for all grades A/P, B &C. For the juniors there is everything from Junior Chanter Under 12 to a full range of events for the under 18s. For drummers, tenor and side, there are…

New Recordings of Ronald Lawrie and Jimmy Young/ Benbecula Young Piper of the Year

Thanks to Piobaireachd Society President Dr Jack Taylor for forwarding new archive recordings to Piping Press. They are from the Society’s Robert Reid audio archive and feature P/M Ronald Lawrie and Jimmy Young playing at the 1956 ‘Echoes of Oban’ concert held at the College of Piping. P/M Lawrie, Gold Medallist and Pipe Major of the City of Glasgow Police Pipe Band, plays his own tune Glenfinnan Highland Gathering –…

Duncan Johnstone Memorial Results

This annual competition was held in the Piping Centre, Glasgow, on March 10. It is run by the Centre in conjunction with the Competing Pipers’ Association. Winners and members of Duncan’s family pictured above. Read about the master piper here. B Piobaireachd: 1 Steven Leask 2 Kristopher Coyle 3 Steven Gray 4 William Rowe 5 Ben Mulhearn Judges: P Henderson, A Johnston B MSR 1 Ross Miller 2 Calum Brown…

Kingdon Thistle Piping & Drumming Solos and World Solo Drumming Qualifier – picture added

A large entry of young pipers and drummers at the Kingdom Thistle Solo contest which was held in Fife on March 10. Entrants are allowed to ‘play up’ if they wish. There was also a qualifying contest for the World Solo Drumming in October. 13 & Under Piping – 16 entered 1 Kenzie Philliban, Methil PIpe Band 2 Callum Lowther, Lochgelly High 3 Andrew Russell, Carnoustie & District. 4 Ewan…

RSPBA AGM Welcomes New Chairman and Rule Changes for Judges and Pipe Band College

Eighty-four bands were represented at the RSPBA AGM held today in the Trades Hall, Glasgow (above). Beginning at 10am the meeting ran for just over two hours with healthy debate on important issues, and with representatives of the various boards and panels within the organisation presenting summaries of their annual reports. In the chair for the final time was Chairman Gordon Hamill who had previously intimated that he would be…