New Music Book from John Mulhearn

I have produced a new book of tunes, ‘Let Piping Flourish: A Musical History of Highland Piping in Glasgow’. It will be launched at Piping Live in August with pre-orders available from early May. Nowhere has shaped modern Highland piping as profoundly as Glasgow (motto ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’). Given the city’s unique history – its cycles of economic expansion and migrations – it is no surprise that its impact on piping…

Scottish Schools Results/ Shotts’ Worlds Week Concert

A record-breaking number of young musicians from across Scotland took to the stage at this year’s Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, making it the most widely attended event in the competition’s history. Held at Kilmarnock’s William McIlvanney Campus on Sunday 9th March, the Championships saw 94 bands from 144 schools compete across eight categories. By Lesley Wilkinson Among the standout moments of the day was the victory of Sgoil Bhàgh…

Editor’s Notebook: RT Shepherd & Co./ Entries at UKs/ Clan Fraser PB/ Correspondence/ Iowa Highlanders/ Scottish Schools

I am sure that we are not the only people who are have failed in our attempts to get in touch with bagpipe manufacturer RT Shepherd & Co. On a visit to Fife this week I called in to their premises in Cardenden to find the place locked up with curtains closed and blinds down. Local enquiries yielded scant information other than that around a month ago the premises had…

New Music: The Pinkman Family Collection

I have compiled a new book of bagpipe tunes written by pipers from three generations of the Pinkman family. The majority of the tunes, which number over 300, were written by Pipe Major Robert (Rab) Pinkman (KOSB) pictured above.   There are also tunes from Rab’s father, Edward Pinkman, his grandfather, Robert D Pinkman and Archie Pinkman of Bilston Glen Colliery Pipe Band fame. By Stephen Beattie The book, with 354…

CLASP In-Person and Online Results

The in-person contest for amateur pipers was held at the Piping Centre on March 1.  Pictured above are the overall winners (l-r) Adam Aitchison (G2), Lou Reid (G3) and John Nevans (G1).  G1 Piob: 1 John Nevans 2 Donald Morrison 3 Craig Turnbull 4 Stewart Allan 5 Graham Farr; G2 Piob: 1 Adam Aitchison 2 Douglas Small 3 Alistair Robinson 4 Kathryn McEwan 5 Laura McEwan 6 Sally Mason; G3 Piob: 1 Sophie…