Category: Solo Piping

Iconic Bagpipe Maker William Sinclair, Leith, is Back in Business

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The world-renowned Sinclair Bagpipemaking business is now back up and running and fully operational. Ewan Sinclair, grandson of William Sinclair jnr. and son of Allistair, has teamed up with master craftsman Tim Gellaitry and the firm are once more manufacturing instruments of the highest quality. This week, myself and Brian Lamond went along to their workshop in Leith to test the first batch of chanters and drones. The standard was…

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Scotland County Highland Games A Huge Success As Live Competition Returns In the American South

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Held in a region which was densely populated by Highland Scots beginning in the 18th century, the Scotland County Highland Games, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, USA, returned in great fashion after a two year hiatus.  A record crowd of almost 7,000 attendees witnessed a full day of events. It is a small Highland Games but this year quite significant as, if all our research proves to be accurate, which I…

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Northern Winter School/ Balmoral Judges/ Piobaireachd Society Lessons

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The Northern Winter School has confirmed that it will take place between November 5 -12 once more at Lohheide in Lower Saxony, Germany. World Champion drummer Stephen Creighton, leading tip of Grade 1 St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, Dublin, has been added to the teaching faculty. Stephen has a formidable list of successes to his credit. Solo: 1989 World Junior Champion, 19 World Solo Finals, 5 Senior All Ireland titles…

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Editor’s Notebook: Gordon Duncan Trust/ Robin Morton/ Barlinnie Highlander/ Piper’s Eczema/ COP26 Appeal

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Chatting to Ian Duncan at the weekend he tells me in his understated way that the memorial trust for his brother Gordon has now donated more than £110,000 to help young pipers and other musicians with their lessons. Isn’t that worthy of the highest praise? A fitting tribute to Gordon too. He would have been both amazed and delighted. Though he died 16 years ago, Gordon’s spirit lives on –…

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Argyllshire Gathering Score Major Success with New Intermediate Piping Championship

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The Lochnell Estate lies low on a wooded spit of land jutting out into the Firth of Lorne. Sheltered on its eastern lee sits a castle, home of the Cochrane clan for 100 years and the Campbells for centuries before. For most of last Saturday its ancient walls resounded to the call of the bagpipe. There may have been some unkind things said about the sea-going Cochranes back in Admiral…

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