Piping Press

By Alistair Aitken OBE, former RSPBA adjudicator Following a winter and spring with a fairly limited number of indoor pipe band competitions, the 2019 outdoor competition season in the UK commenced over the weekend 11th and 12th May with five competitions, all reportedly encountering favourable weather.  These competitions took place at Dunbar in East Lothian and Ards in Northern Ireland on Saturday 11 May; and Sunday 12 May saw competitions…

The Piobaireachd Society is to promote its second concert of ceol mor as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The concert ‘Classical Pipe Music – Scotland’s Hidden Treasure’ is on Sunday, August 11, at 7pm. As last year the venue is the 200-seat St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh. The concert is expected to finish around 9.30pm and there will be a small reception afterwards. The pipers invited to perform this year are…

By Robert Wallace The bands made the best of the cold, unwelcoming conditions at St James’ Playing Field last Saturday. It is an off-putting sort of place if truth be told. No trees, no shelter of any kind, motorway roar, airport roar, and otherwise lacking in character. If we are to go to the King George V playing fields in nearby Renfrew for 2020 so much the better. The day…

Dr Jack Taylor reports: Chilly day in Fochabers with a good standard of playing in seniors and juniors. Of the nine adults three were returning to competition after a break.  All played strongly, with Colin Gordon, librarian at the Gaelic college Sabhal Mor Ostaig, being overall champion, and Brad Davidson from Canada, after 24 years not playing, winning three prizes. Open Piobaireachd 1. John MacDonald (Tulloch Ard)2. Angus MacPhee (Blind Piper’s Obstinacy)3. Brad Davidson…

Some say his Paisley pattern tie should be outlawed, and we know that for this heathen St Mirren should never have been beatified. One buddy he does have is his notebook and we are grateful that once more he is able to add to Piping Press’s unsurpassed coverage of the pipe band majors….  Come on now. A week or more of warm temperatures without rain and the British Pipe Band…