PP Editor’s Blog: Florida Academy Details/ CLASP Results/ Chatsworth/ Royal Tartan

The 2017 South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy will take place in Fort Lauderdale from February 15 – 19 inclusive, it has been announced. The Academy will be held in Boca Raton, at 6500 S Congress Ave, hosted by Boca Raton Fire Rescue and the City of Boca Raton. The picture above shows instructors and the Class of ’16. This will be the third year of the popular Academy. Organiser Noah Morrissette said:  ‘We…

Reflections on the Argyllshire Gathering 2016 – Silver & Gold Medals

I judged the Oban Silver Medal with Ian Duncan and Malcolm McRae. I remind readers of the statement top left on this page. The standard has been better. I don’t know if it was the tuning facility in the rather dank Ceilidh House, but too many pipers just didn’t have settled instruments on which to demonstrate their prowess. As stated earlier, the winner was Nick Hudson, Pittsburgh, USA. His tune…

Vale Drummers/ CLASP Results/Boghall Recruitment

Fiona MacKay: ‘The Vale of Atholl Grade 1 Pipe Band has announced the departure of Leading Drummer Lee Lawson.  Lee took a sabbatical from the band mid-season for personal reasons and unfortunately will not be able to continue with the Grade 1 band as we set our sights on preparing for the 2017 season. We would like to thank Lee for her contribution and the band will shortly provide a…

Bagpipe Lung: The Definitive Report

There was much brouhaha in the national press a couple of weeks ago about the dangers to pipers from fungal spores and bacteria in their instruments. Today we publish the actual scientific findings on which these reports – some of them misleading – were based. Although the article contains a lot of medical terminology (as one would expect), we believe it is worth a proper read so that pipers fully understand, as best…

Results from Robert Burns Juniors, Dumfries

Results of the 17th Robert Burns Piping Contest 53rd September 2016, held in Dumfries Academy, Dumfries, supported by  South West Scotland Piping & Drumming Academy. Prizes were presented by Andy McCartney representing the South West Scotland Piping & Drumming Academy, the group who will now oversee the future of the Robert Burns Piping Contest as Sheila Howat is now stepping down after setting up and successfully growing the event for…