Former pipe band adjudicator Alistair Aitken OBE continues his article on the difficulties facing the 2021 season….. The World Pipe Band Championships is the pinnacle of the year for the RSPBA and its member pipe bands. Timing is possibly on the side of the Worlds in 2021 as they are not held until mid-August, being the last of the five Major Championships. It is difficult to envisage why the event…
The title of Kyle Warren’s new publication of pipe music is certainly original – as is a lot of the music. Kyle (pictured) is well known, having played with Field Marshal Montgomery PB and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. He is also a talented composer of pipe music. This compilation contains an interesting blend of original pieces alongside standards such as Lochanside and Farewell to Nigg, both re-arranged and reproduced…
It was very interesting to read Gilbert Cromie’s recent article about the effect of the COVID-19 virus on the pipe band and related teaching scene in Northern Ireland. Gilbert’s personal views regarding the difficulties in attempting to reintroduce pipe band competitions in 2021 were also very relevant and concerning. For those of us, young and old, who have been involved in piping, pipe band drumming, drum majoring or actual pipe…
Regarding the recent article about the Rankin family of pipers, we actually know as much if not more about that family than many other piping families, the only mystery being where they came from. The earliest record of any of that family name on Mull comes from the Breadalbane papers when in 1697 John MacIntyre the son of the Breadalbane’s piper Donald Roy was sent to first Condullie Rankin for…
The three tunes placed in the prestigious MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd contest can now be viewed online. The winner, Campbell Wilson, New Zealand, was announced earlier. The contest was run on a video submission basis. Second place went to Henry Paluch from Ontario playing Lament for the Children: Third prizewinner was Ross Conner from Campbeltown with End of the Great Bridge: Fourth place went to Anna Smart, New Zealand, with MacDougall’s…
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