Pipers and Tunes at Piobaireachd Society Recital

The Piobaireachd Society’s annual recital will take place in St Cecilia’s Hall, Niddry Street, Edinburgh, on August 10. It is a black tie event for the pipers and the time is 7 for 7.30pm. The beauty of the recital, entitled ‘Classical Pipe Music – Scotland’s Hidden Treasure’, is that there is no break in sound throughout; there is no tuning in the auditorium, one piobaireachd flows seamlessly into the next….

Rare Book Quest/ Lochaber Gathering Entries/ John’s New Recording

Avid pipe music collector Marco Borzacca is looking to add the above book, the ‘Dunoon Highland Gathering Collection’, to his growing library. Marco lives in Genoa, Italy. He writes: ‘I’m looking for a vintage bagpipe music book but, despite all my adverts on various facebook’s pages, I have not found it yet, since I realise it is extremely rare and hard to find. ‘So, I was wondering if your magazine can…

Know Your Judges: Bob Worrall Part 2

Twenty five years ago Pipe Band Magazine began a series of interviews with pipe band judges. The first, in January 2000, was with Canadian Bob Worrall. This is the second instalment of the the interview with Bob. Read the first here. Despite the passage of time, many of Bob’s views remain valid and topical today……. Which bands have been your greatest influence?Strathclyde Police and Muirheads. Best band performance you have…

US Clan Donald Contest/ CLASP Results

Major Bruce W Macdonald, Chairman of the Clan Donald Trust for the Gaelic Performing Arts, Charleston, South Carolina, USA: ‘I am pleased to advise that the videos from the fifth annual Scottish Performing Arts Classic in Charleston, South Carolina, are now available for viewing on the Robert Burns Society of Charleston’s website.’  Four invited pipers each play a piobaireachd. They were Nick Hudson, Phantom Piper of the Corrieyairick, Finlay Johnston,…

Northern Ireland News: County Fermanagh/ Mid Ulster/ Moira/ George Ussher MBE

It was unfortunate that after weeks of beautiful weather it should break just when the 2025 pipe band season got underway at the County Fermanagh Championships in Enniskillen. Not all bands or drum majors experienced the inclement weather, but that was really by good fortune.  The adjudication panel were Willie Garrett and Richard Parkes MBE (Piping), Gordon Parkes (Drumming), Mark Wilson (Ensemble), David Brownlee and Alicia Dickson Hamilton. Ravara, on…