Category: Solo Piping

Pipers Play a Leading Role in Historic 1956 Visit to the Western Isles by the Late Queen

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With the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last year, I thought some readers might be interested in the two tunes below. They were composed to commemorate Her Majesty’s historic first-ever visit by a British monarch to Scotland’s Western Isles. The year was 1956, and Barra and North Uist were just part of her itinerary.  Accompanying her were Prince Philip and their two children at that time, Prince (now…

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Gordon Castle, Fochabers, Results

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Thirteen played in the adult competitions. Eight played in the various junior competitions. The weather was cool and remained dry. The competition boards were rather close to each other and this caused the bagpipe sound to be slightly adversely affected, but nevertheless the playing generally was very good. Of course it is always a danger at games venues that there will be extraneous sounds. It is to the credit of the…

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Editor’s Notebook: The Games/ Major Small/ Pretty Marion/ Festival Pix/ Book Help

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Nothing epitomises the romance of the games more than this old photograph from Glenfinnan in the 1970s. It shows the famous bench of Seton Gordon, Angus MacPherson, Invershin, and Col. Jock MacDonald, Viewfield, Skye, in confab. Combined ages not that far off 300. Clearly making notes after discussing the playing, but later just as likely to be talking of some arcane ethological phenomena (Seton was a renowned naturalist), a convoluted…

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1st Port Trophy/ Piping Live/ Results from Ireland

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The successful dinner and piping recital held in 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1st Port Glasgow BB pipe band winning the 1972 World Juvenile championship raised a significant amount of money, writes Donald McRae. This has now been distributed. The two remaining Boys’ Brigade companies in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, each received £150 to further their good work, and the remaining sum was used to purchase a trophy…

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Northern Ireland Report: FMM’s Outstanding Tribute to P/M Frank Andrews

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On Friday April 28th the eagerly awaited Frank Andrews Tribute Concert took place at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena. There was an attendance of 600 and it was an outstanding success. I have attended the majority of the big pipe band concerts over the years, at the County Hall or the Waterfront Hall, and I would venture to say that this was amongst the absolute best. The star act was…

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