2026 Majors Confirmed and Other RSPBA News

The recent meeting of the Association’s Board of Directors confirmed the following Major Championships for 2026. It looks like, as with 2025, there will only be four: The 2026 Championship venues and dates are: • British – 30th May, Ingliston• European – 27th June, Perth• Scottish – 25th July, Dumbarton• Worlds – 14th/15th August, Glasgow Green Next year’s playing requirement details are being withheld until final confirmation of the number…

History: A Look at two Piping Books from the 19th Century

Thanks to the kind offices of Niall Macdonald, great-grand son of the late Neil Angus of that ilk, I have been loaned copies of two interesting, early piping books. I always enjoy a browse through this material. It lets us see how the music, and the writing of it, has developed, and it shows how the early scribes endeavoured to put an oral tradition down on paper. The first is…

Weekend Contest Results: SPA Juv./ SunBelt, Florida/ Silver Chanter, Australia

Scottish Pipers’ Association Juvenile (8th Nov.), got underway just shortly after the advertised start time of 8.30am, writes Logan Tannock. It was a slightly shaky start to the day, trying to identify competitors and get them settled into the correct tuning rooms. However, things quickly settled down, and apart from having to deal with the unavoidable clashes that happen at an event with so many competitions, things ran smoothly and…

Editor’s Notebook: Let Piping Flourish/ Kyle Warren Book/ Kiwi Bands/ Roy Gunn

John Mulhearn: I was wondering if you might be able to post something about the upcoming event at the ‘Aye Write’ book festival at which myself and Richard McLauchlan will be discussing our new books? The event is this Sunday, November 9, and the copy reads: ‘…….. two fellow pipers discuss their books and enjoy a tune or two….Richard McLauchlan is our guide to the fascinating history of the bagpipes,…

SPA Juveniles and Victorian Pipers Association, Australia

The Scottish Pipers Association has announced the playing order for Saturday’s (November 8th) Juvenile contest being held in the Piping Centre (the former College of Piping building) in Otago Street, Glasgow. Events begin at 9am. All welcome. Admission £5 for adults, £2.50 for children. The draw: Download a PDF here. Judges are Derek Fraser (15 & Under Piob.), Peter Hunt (ceòl beag), Tom Johnstone (16-18 Piob. and 15 & Under…