Ben McClamrock Reviews the 2017 Nicol-Brown Amateur Contest

At 9:30 am on October 7, 2017, the Nicol-Brown Invitational began again for a remarkable 35th time. The contest, originally envisioned by American piping patriarch Donald Lindsay, aims to give top amateur pipers from North America a first-class venue to showcase their talent. In doing so, it also provides a taste of the high pressure, indoor competition environment that many of them will need to master should they continue on…

PP Ed’s Blog: SLoT/ MacCrimmon Cairn/ Pipes for Sale/ World Drumming/ Queensland

Speaking to Gaelic poet and writer Angus Peter Campbell at the Scots Guards contest on Saturday. He told me that daughter Brighde had been playing at a big traditional music concert in Dublin. Taking part were former World Pipe Band Champions St Laurence O’Toole (above). And, get this, it was the first time a pipe band had ever appeared on a concert stage in the Republic. Can you believe that?…

Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping Results

A very good entry, 200, for this competition held on October 21 at Auchenharvie Secondary School, Ardrossan, Ayrshire. Chanter 10 & Under 1 Charlie Devlin 2 Erin Allison 3 Joanne Will 11 & Under 1 Fraser Smith 2 Harrison Bishop 3 Heather McKean 12 & Under 1 Callum Robinson 2 Emily Anderson 3 Anna McCulloch Chanter Champion: Fraser Smith [wds id=”6″] Pipes 2 part march 10yrs & under 1st Corey…

Scots Guards Junior Solo Piping Results (updated)

A good entry for the Scots Guards Junior competition held at the Army School of Piping at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh, today. Organiser P/M Jimmy Banks MBE thanked everyone for their attendance, the Army School for the premises and stewarding and also the sponsors, the Scots Guards Association, Pipe Dreams and Grants of Dalvey. Judges were: J Banks, B Donaldson, R MacCrindle, P MacGregor, R Wallace. The picture above shows P/M…

PP Ed’s Blog: Andrew Bonar Appreciation/ World Drumming/ Florida Academy/ Juvenile Contests

Robert MacNeill, SFU band manager and President of the British Columbia Pipers’ Association, has been in touch to inform us of an evening to celebrate the life of Andrew Bonar who died so tragically this week. Robert says: ‘Thank you for your article on Andrew Bonar’s passing. Your inclusion of the thoughts of Terry Lee was very insightful on how Boney was such a magician with music. ‘I remember him…