Tag: Angus MacKay

PP Ed’s Blog: John McGregor Letter/ Scots Guards Juniors/ Highland League/ Alden Biesen

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Grateful to piping historian Keith Sanger for forwarding this letter from the Blair Castle archives. It is dated 1830 and is by Perthshire piper John McGregor. It mentions his (McGregor’s) winning the prize pipe and Angus MacKay (pictured above) coming second. MacKay is intimated as piper to the Duke of Gordon which is news to me. I understood that before royal service with Queen Victoria he was with the Laird…

More PP Ed’s Blog: John McGregor Letter/ Scots Guards Juniors/ Highland League/ Alden Biesen

Famous Pipers: Angus MacKay Conclusion/ Mod Reminder/Braemar Jnrs./Worlds Tickets

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Today we end our look at the life and times of piping genius Angus MacKay, how he was consumed by mental illness and eventually escaped from an institution and drowned in a river in south-west Scotland. There are tributes and an assessment of the life of the man who more than any other laid the foundation of our modern piping tradition. Final day for entries to the National Mod piping…

More Famous Pipers: Angus MacKay Conclusion/ Mod Reminder/Braemar Jnrs./Worlds Tickets

Updated with 78th Reunion/Angus MacKay Part 2/ Drumtochty Games/ NE League

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Press Release on the forthcoming Celtic Connections concert featuring former members of the World Championship winning 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band: ‘The seminal 1987 ‘Live in Ireland’ concert recording is to be celebrated at 2016 Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow. A group from the 1987 vintage 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band and household names of the pipe band world come together to form a special once-in-a-lifetime band of big talent and…

More Updated with 78th Reunion/Angus MacKay Part 2/ Drumtochty Games/ NE League

Famous Pipers: Angus MacKay/ Forres Thoughts

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The first part of our latest Famous Pipers column is carried today. It concerns one of the great piping figures of the past, Angus MacKay. Not only did Angus MacKay provide the modern era with a link to the MacCrimmons, he also produced a book of music highly esteemed since it first appeared in 1838. In addition to this, MacKay co-invented the ‘competition’ pipe march, was the first Sovereign’s Piper…

More Famous Pipers: Angus MacKay/ Forres Thoughts