You may have read in my last instalment about my career and journeys as a drummer with the Edinburgh Police/ Lothian & Borders Police band. I was privileged to experience a much greater number of international assignments during my time as an RSPBA adjudicator. The first competition I judged in Europe was at Swifterbant, near Amsterdam. I was sent there on at least four occasions by Robert (Bob) Nichol, the…
Just added to the revised Piping Press Audio Archive is the second half of a radio broadcast given by the great Donald MacPherson in 1972. A master of both ceòl beag and ceòl mòr, Donald was probably the best competitive piper of all time with a record of success in both disciplines which is unlikely to be beaten. The broadcast is given added interest in that it is introduced by…
This week saw the anniversary of a shipping disaster which cost the lives of more than 200 US sailors. The tragic story of the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux has inspired a piobaireachd from Barry Shears, the well known piper of Cape Breton. It was commissioned by the Shasta Piping Society for their upcoming collection of modern piobaireachd….. The story of the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux is tragic one, and most likely not well known to…
My first international playing experience was a trip to the inaugural Scottish Highland Games in San Diego, California, in 1974 with the Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band. The trip also involved the band playing at Disneyland and SeaWorld in San Diego, and in Tijuana in Mexico. It was interesting to discover at that time that San Diego had a Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band which had existed since 1946 and that…
The Piobaireachd Society’s ‘Talk Piobaireachd’ sessions continue tonight at 8pm GMT. These well-attended online lecture/discussions are open and free to all members of the Society. If you are not a member you can join here. Standard membership per annum is £15 (senior) and £5 (student or junior). This evening’s session will be led by PP Editor and Society President, Robert Wallace on a topic of his choosing. This series has…
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