PP Ed's Blog: Cailean's Last Show/ Piob Soc Conf/ West Fife Band Plea/ New Music/ College Board

Cailean MacLean’s last broadcast as presenter of ‘Crunluath’ the Gaelic piping programme is on Thursday (Dec 14) at 4pm. Cailean is stepping down after 20 years at the mic. I don’t know who the Beeb has lined up to follow him but his are a difficult set of brogues to fill. Cailean was also the piping convenor at the Skye Gathering for many years, a post now held by Cameron…

College of Piping Apology to P/M Barry Donaldson

The College of Piping has issued the following apology to professional bagpipe instructor, senior solo piping adjudicator and former College director, Mr Barry Donaldson. The apology reads: ‘Barry Donaldson; The College of Piping acknowledges the rumour and speculation which has recently surrounded the appointment of Barry Donaldson as a tutor at the Northern Piping School in Lohheide, Germany, in November 2017. This rumour and speculation clearly followed comments made in College emails…

New Film About the Boys Brigade and the 214 BB Pipe Band/ Troon Blackrock Recruiting

A new video about the Boys Brigade in general and the 214th Glasgow Company and its famous pipe band has been posted on the Pipers Persuasion website. The video, by Pipers Persuasion editor and publisher Allan Hamilton,  features Piping Press editor Robert Wallace who was a member of the 214 ‘piping academy’ which also spawned P/M Ian McLellan of Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and many other top players. The video…

PP Ed's Blog: SPJA/ Iolaire Disaster/ Joe Wilson/ St Andrews PB, Brisbane

The latest post on the Eagle Pipers Society blog has been brought to my attention and it is good to see its writer, Euan Anderson, has retained his sense of humour. He was the judge selected by the Solo Piping Judges Association to investigate the risible ‘sore arm gate’ complaint against me. These kangaroo court inquiries against fellow judges are reprehensible and my advice to anyone asked to undertake them…

New Edinburgh Tattoo Youth Fund/ Vintage Pipe Chanters for Sale

Juvenile bands and organisations teaching children piping and drumming may like to take advantage of a new project (promo pic above) sponsored by the Scottish Government’s Creative Scotland arts funding body and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Think what £20,000 might do for your band! The publicity reads: ‘2018 will be the Year of Young People (YoYP), the latest in the Scottish Government’s themed years, and one which aims to…