Clan Donald Quaich Invitees

This year’s Clan Donald Quaich competition, one of the most lucrative in world solo piping, will be held on June 2 in the Clan Donald Centre, Sleat, Skye. It is sponsored by the Glencoe Foundation. First prize is £1,000 with each piper receiving £750 ‘appearance money’. They are Callum Beaumont, Finlay Johnston, Stuart Liddell (a previous winner and pictured above with the Quaich),  Ian K. MacDonald and Iain Speirs. The chosen…

PP Ed’s Blog: Piobaireachd Conferences/ Shotts Concert Tickets Going Fast

Jim Stack has sent information about the EUSPBA’s ‘Piobaireachd Conference’ to be held in New Jersey on the weekend of March 31 – Apr  2 when the main speaker will be Dr Angus MacDonald. Events take place in the Madison Hotel, Morristown, and include a ceol mor and an MSR contest. A weekend ticket is $100. Contact Jim for more info. Please don’t confuse the above with the Piobaireachd Society…

History: Brechin, Kirriemuir Pipe Band and Piper Peter Massie

We are grateful to reader Mrs Massie for passing on these photographs and newspaper clippings. They offer an interesting snapshot of life and society in and around the Brechin/ Kirriemuir area of Angus in the late 19th century. If anyone can help her in her quest please get in touch….  Mrs Massie writes: I recently commented on the thoughts on ‘History of the Pipe Band and the Worlds’ by Keith…

PP Editor’s Blog: New Book/ RSPBA Fire/ Scottish Schools

A new book of piobaireachd music is to be launched at the Piobaireachd Society Conference at the end of this month. ‘Pipers Meeting’ (the title comes from one of the tunes) is taken from the Campbell Canntaireachd manuscript and many of the tunes have never been published in staff notation before. The book’s compilers are Patrick Molard and Dr Jack Taylor, friends and  students of the ‘Bobs of Balmoral’, RU…

Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Championship

Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Championship is well underway in Edinburgh. Eighty one bands of various standards and sizes were ready to step off this morning. With George Heriot’s Juvenile B (pictured) first up in Hall A. Twenty-one bands in the Nov Juvenile B, seven in Nov Juv A, and six in Juvenile. A host of other bands are playing in Hall B covering less experienced ‘grades’. The contest is ideally housed in good facilities at…