The following is taken from the September 1967 edition of ‘Piping World’ an American-based magazine edited by the late Donald Varella….. So often we hear someone or other referred to as ‘being a piper’. And in most cases the person spoken of could equally well be described a being a philatelist, a gardener, or a missionary; for although he can’t lay his hands on it just now, he began his stamp…
The great Donald MacLeod died 35 years ago last month, writes the Editor. Today we mark this with a new slideshow (link at foot of column) depicting the life and times of the master piper with thanks to the unnamed reader who alerted us to this important anniversary. Donald MacLeod was born in 1917 and died in 1982. He was one of the greatest pipers of the 20th century both…
Pipe Major Donald MacLeod MBE seldom spoke of his early years or of his adventures during World War Two. What little we know from various sources reveals him to be much more than a marvellous musician and teacher. Donald was an extremely resourceful and courageous soldier. We had all heard the rumour that he had for a short time been a prisoner of the Nazis but had escaped. Wee Donald would almost always divert any…
Next month sees the annual Donald Macleod Memorial competition in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Few people knew the late pipe major as intimately as the author of this article for whom Donald wrote the popular 2/4 march ‘P/M Jim McWilliams’……. Today everyone can look up the achievements of Pipe Major Donald MacLeod MBE on Wikipedia. However, you can’t get to know or appreciate what a fine man he was from lists of facts….
The organisers of the prestigious Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition have gone public to express their disapproval of the withdrawal of two world-famous pipers from the event which takes place on the isle of Lewis in the Western Isles tomorrow (April 10). The Lewis and Harris Piping Society say they are bitterly disappointed at the withdrawals of Douglas Murray and Gordon Walker 24 hours before the competitors were due to fly to…
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