Category: Solo Piping

Editor’s Notebook: Pipe Major in Brazil/ Norman Matheson Tribute/ Dundee Kids Get Pipes

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Reader Cristiano Bicuda has contacted us from Brazil about the above photograph. Chris writes: ‘I wonder if you can help me to identify the Pipe Major in the picture? ‘He seems to have visited Santos, State of São Paulo, in 1971 to play, or perhaps teach, these Brazilian girls from a local school. Maybe you will be able to identify him. ‘He was probably playing at British embassy or consulate…

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Norman Matheson MBE 1932-2022

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It is with sadness that I report that Norman Matheson MBE passed away at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary yesterday, 10th January. He was 89. Norman was born in Inverness. He spent his formative years in Avonside a few miles from Tomintoul, the Moray-shire mountain village where he had his early education.  His father was, for a while, a garage manager in Inverness and his mother a district nurse in the village. Norman was…

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Florida Pipe & Drum Academy/ Items for Sale (Update – Sold!)/ Oban and Inverness Reminder

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The 2022 Florida Pipe & Drum Academy registrations are now open, writes Administrator Chris McKeown. Dates are 21/2/22 to 25/2/22. Students and instructors will join up at 5pm for a meet and greet on the 21st. Thereafter classes will run each day from 8am to 4 pm Event Address: 618 Stockton St., Jacksonville, Florida 32204. Contact us at 904-334-5472 or FL.Pipeanddrumacademy@gmail.com Instruction available to all levels of students in bagpipes,…

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Editor’s Notebook: Imminent U-turn Will Save Early Pipe Band Season/ Piping in Pitt Street/ Piobaireachd by the Sea/ Ottawa Games 1976

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Twelve hours after Tuesday’s blog suggesting the 2022 British Pipe Band Championships should be moved from Scotland to England, Sir Ian McGeechan proposed the same for the forthcoming Calcutta Cup rugby match. Newcastle would be the perfect spot for the battle with the auld enemy, a max crowd permitted and guaranteed, said Sir Ian. Twenty-four hours later our football pundits were suggesting the same for Scottish Premier League matches. The…

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Piping During WW2: The Founding of the College of Piping, Dunkirk and ‘Mad’ Jack Churchill

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The College of Piping was founded early in the 1940s as part of a youth organisation named ‘Fianna na h’Alba’, writes Jeannie Campbell. The Fianna activities included the study of Scottish history, the Gaelic language and literature, Scottish crafts, Highland dancing and all outdoor pursuits.  Another important feature of their activities were ceilidhs and piper member Seumas MacNeill (pictured above) would of course play at these. The result was that…

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