PP Ed’s Blog: SFU Fundraiser, South Africa 100 Guineas

Congratulations to all involved with the SFU charity concert for the BC Cancer Foundation. $32,000 (£17,000) is a considerable total to achieve. I watched the concert, and it certainly was an emotional evening, with Andrew Bonar and his family centre stage. The band played very well in my view, as well as could be discerned from the Livestream, with strong melodic content in all selections. A drone hardly needed touched….

Scottish Pipers’ Association Veterans and Adult Amateur Results

The Scottish Pipers’ Association held another successful adult amateur and veterans competition today with a good entry of 12 pipers. There was a mixed bag of playing, the judging difficulty weighing indifferent pipes and good technique against indifferent technique and good pipes. Closest to delivering on all fronts was Champion Piper Alasdair Morrison. Full results here.  The competition was judged by Willie Morrison and Stuart Shedden and stewarded by Hugh Anderson…

Guest Blogger: The Three Wise Men and Some Thoughts on Technique

Your favourite web magazine, pipingpress.com, is open to all those who wish to blog about some piping or pipe band matter and who feel a shorter letter would not do their opinion justice. Today we turn a page over to piper, teacher and adjudicator Duncan Watson….. I read the letter from Jimmy McIntosh regarding the reference to piobaireachd embellishments and was reminded of, and amused with, the reference to  ‘The Three…

PP Academy: How to Improve Your Sound

The PP Academy has another useful chapter for all pipers wishing to improve their sound. A good tone can make a world of difference to your playing so check the article out here. You may never achieve the magical sound of the great Donald MacPherson (pictured above) but there is no sense in settling for the mediocre. The popular Eezidrones have been added to the ppresshop catalogue. Price includes mailing….

Iain Speirs Impresses at Piobaireachd Society 2015 Conference (video added)

The highlight of this year’s Piobaireachd Society Conference had to be the playing of Iain Speirs, writes PS Vice President Robert Wallace. Iain, the consummate professional, was asked to illustrate a paper given by John  Shone on the life and career of one of the greatest pipers of all time, Donald MacPherson. With a beautifully set pipe, Iain thrilled the large number of attendees with outstanding performances of ceol beag, the urlars…