Important New Piobaireachd Work Available from Piping Press Shop

Respected ceol mor teacher and adjudicator, Duncan Watson, has  reviewed Jimmy McIntosh’s new book ‘Ceol Mor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, presented in The Balmoral Tradition’, exclusively for pipingpress.com. In a very detailed and expert analysis, Duncan, himself a long-time pupil of RB Nicol, looks at how the music is set out, comments on notation, the teaching of John MacDonald and the Bobs of Balmoral, and adds entertaining anecdotal information…

John MacDonald, Inverness, Letter; Govan Piping Initiative

Today we publish an interesting letter from John Macdonald, Inverness, to Archibald Campbell, Kilberry. It discusses two tunes, ‘Lament for the Union’ and ‘Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonnell of Glengarry.’ Read more here. [wds id=”3″] The newsletter of the Govan Weavers Society reports major progress with the piping initiative in this well-known, but not well off, suburb of Glasgow. It reads: ‘In July it was intimated that the Piping Initiative…

RSPBA Tune Lists

The RSPBA’s comprehensive and updated  list of set tunes for Grades 4 and Novice is now available here. All tunes are available for download and the Music Board has selected some great and challenging tunes for the lists. Make sure you have the up to date versions of the tunes. Here’s the first ten 2/4s: Achany Glen (Added for 2015) Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering (Revised for 2015) Auchmountain’s Bonnie Glen (Revised for 2015) Australian…

Strathclyde Police at Cowal Gathering

The above picture shows the front rank of the all-conquering Strathclyde Police Pipe Band in the 1980s playing up the road at the Cowal Games. It comes to us courtesy P/M Barry Donaldson, now of the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band. P/M Donaldson writes: ‘The picture shows the band parading up the street on the Saturday morning. The picture shows [left to right] P/M Ian McLellan, the late Harry McAleer, myself and…

New Piping and Drumming School for Florida

A  new school of piping and drumming will take place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, next March. The press release reads: Are you a piper or drummer looking for a break from a cold winter and an opportunity to improve your skills? Does some serious fun in the sun working on the music you love sound an attractive proposition? If so the South Florida Pipe and Drum Academy is for you….