Wheel of Fortune Contest/ Results from London and South East Mini Bands and Solos

The popular Pipe Major’s Wheel of Fortune competition will be held this Sunday, 21 April, at Danderhall Miners Club, Midlothian, at 12 noon. It is promoted by the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band. Admission is £15 and £7.50 (under 16). Invited pipers are: Cameron Drummond, Ben Duncan, Craig Muirhead, John Mulhearn, Angus Nicolson, Ciaren Ross, Craig Sutherland and Callum Wynd. Judges are Ian Duncan and Robert Barnes and the audience. Band…

Northern Ireland News: Bangor Welcomes the UKs/ St Mary’s/ Ardmore Cup/ RSPBA Regradings

The official launch of the first RSPBA Major contest of 2024, the United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships, took place recently in Bangor. The contest is on Saturday, 18 May, at Ward Park, Arras, Bangor. The RSPBA Northern Ireland branch are hosting the event in partnership with Ards and North Down Borough Council. The Championships will feature some 1,500 musicians in 75 bands. At the launch, Mayor Jennifer Gilmour, said: ‘Ards…

Recordings of P/M RG Hardie from 50 Years Ago

We are very grateful to Jim Barrie in western Canada for forwarding these recordings of Bob Hardie playing at an impromptu recital at the Coeur d’Alene Summer School in Idaho in the early 1970s. Bob went there on several occasions at the invite of the Principal Col. John McEwing and taught with the likes of Andrew Wright, John Wilson, Toronto, John MacAskill, and on one occasion, James Campbell. Bob is…

Editor’s Notebook: 100 Years of PS Books/ Jimmy McIntosh Scholarship/ Piping Festival

One hundred years ago, in a large house in the Cairngorm woods, the finishing touches were being put to a book which was to alter the course of piping history. Sheriff Iain Grant, Music Committee Secretary for the Piobaireachd Society, was preparing to send off to the printer the first edition of Book 1 in its new collection. This was the Society’s second go at putting together a selection of…

Draw for UK PB Championships/ Dollar Go Ahead/ American PB Championship

The RSPBA have announced the draw for the first major pipe band championship of the season, the UKs at Bangor, Northern Ireland. The Grade 1 draw for the UKs is as follows: 1 Inveraray 2 Johnstone 3 Police Scotland 4 Closkelt 5 Scottish Power 6 Boghall 7 FMM 8 SLOT 9 Shotts 10 Fife Police. Check out other grades here. In a boost for bands, Dundee, Perth and Angus Branch of the association have confirmed…