Rare Book Quest/ Lochaber Gathering Entries/ John’s New Recording

Avid pipe music collector Marco Borzacca is looking to add the above book, the ‘Dunoon Highland Gathering Collection’, to his growing library. Marco lives in Genoa, Italy. He writes: ‘I’m looking for a vintage bagpipe music book but, despite all my adverts on various facebook’s pages, I have not found it yet, since I realise it is extremely rare and hard to find. ‘So, I was wondering if your magazine can…

Know Your Judges: Bob Worrall Part 2

Twenty five years ago Pipe Band Magazine began a series of interviews with pipe band judges. The first, in January 2000, was with Canadian Bob Worrall. This is the second instalment of the the interview with Bob. Read the first here. Despite the passage of time, many of Bob’s views remain valid and topical today……. Which bands have been your greatest influence?Strathclyde Police and Muirheads. Best band performance you have…

Piping and Drumming Scholarships at Top Fee Paying School Now Available

Glenalmond School in Perthshire is in the position, for the first time in my 27+ years here, to offer scholarships to pipers and pipe band snare drummers, writes Brian Elrick. I’m keen for this to reach as wide an audience as possible as it can offer life-changing educational opportunities for successful applicants. I run the Pipes & Drums programme at the school and Sandy Bayne is my snare drumming instructor. Sandy…

Northern Ireland News: County Fermanagh/ Mid Ulster/ Moira/ George Ussher MBE

It was unfortunate that after weeks of beautiful weather it should break just when the 2025 pipe band season got underway at the County Fermanagh Championships in Enniskillen. Not all bands or drum majors experienced the inclement weather, but that was really by good fortune.  The adjudication panel were Willie Garrett and Richard Parkes MBE (Piping), Gordon Parkes (Drumming), Mark Wilson (Ensemble), David Brownlee and Alicia Dickson Hamilton. Ravara, on…

Further Details on the 2025 Silver Chanter

Craig Sutherland, now living in western Canada, is unable to travel to the 2025 Silver Chanter competition/ recital. Craig qualified by winning the Gold Medal at Inverness last year. His place will be taken by Angus MacPhee, runner-up in the Dunvegan Medal 2024. Other invitees are Nick Hudson, Texas, (Inverness Clasp), Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, (Snr. Piob. Oban), Derek Midgley, New Jersey, (Dunvegan Clasp), Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge, (Dunvegan Medal), and Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh,…