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…

RSPBA Headquarters Damaged By Fire – Updated with Pictures

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s Headquarters in Washington Street, Glasgow, have been badly damaged following a fire in the early hours of this morning (see pic above). The blaze happened when an upstairs storage heater malfunctioned and caught fire. Fortunately a skylight in the roof above blew out releasing the intense heat and smoke. This has saved the building from more extensive damage and a possible total loss. However…

Dr John MacAskill and a New Piobaireachd Recently Rediscovered

Gaelic broadcaster, writer and photographer, Cailean Maclean has unearthed a new piobaireachd composed by the late Dr John MacAskill. What’s more he has provided a copy of the tune and a recording of the writer playing it. Dr John, who died in 2003, was a renowned composer of such ceol beag masterpieces as the reel Lexie MacAskill and an article on him featured earlier in Piping Press. Cailean writes: ‘Dr John…