Review: Braemar Gold Medal 2024

It is seldom that we assemble for breakfast at Braemar the pavilion filled with chat about sun cream. Yet that was the pleasant concern abroad as we judges met for our morning repast. Blue skies, hot sun, pine tree shade, mountain air… and the prospect of some excellent pipe music put a zest into the bacon and eggs and a spring into the heels as we made our way to…

Editor’s Notebook: Piobaireachd Champions/ Joe Noble’s Funeral/ Scots Guards KO Draw/ Kilberry Castle/ Balmoral Classic/ Games Round-Up

All congratulations to Alasdair Henderson and Nick Hudson, pictured above, on winning the two major piobaireachd awards of the summer, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban and the Clasp at Inverness. Both are first time champions at this level. Why are these the highest ceòl mòr awards in world piping? The tunes are from a set list of the most difficult in the canon, your chosen piece is given only 20…

Editor’s Notebook: World Championship/ Silver Chanter/ Bobby Pinkman/ Ivory Dealer Fined/ CLASP Results/ Games Round Up

To the Worlds today for the first day of Grade 1. It must be the most open championship for years – four different bands have each won one of the foregoing majors. Who’s your money on? I have my own picked out but will not be revealing it here. One thing is sure, whoever emerges on top after this two-day examination by 16 judges will have earned it. Results Saturday…

Skye Gathering 2024 Results (Complete)

The annual, two-day Skye Gathering piping competitions began today (Aug 6) in Portree. Twenty-nine entered for the Dunvegan Medal contest for which pipers have to submit four MacCrimmon tunes. Previous winners are excluded and play for the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp to the medal. The winner of the 2024 medal was Sandy Cameron (pictured above courtesy Cailean Maclean). We will add to the lists below as we get the results….

Two-Day Skye Gathering Underway: Strong Entry in Dunvegan Medal

The focus of the piping world is this morning on the island that gave so much to our music – Skye. The competition for the coveted Dunvegan Medal is already underway in the island’s capital, Portree, writes the Editor. Twenty nine pipers have entered, each submitting four MacCrimmon piobaireachd of their own choice. The order of play is: Andrew Carlisle, Mike Fitzhenry, Steven Leask, Nick Hudson, Keith Bowes, Darach Urquhart,…