PP Ed’s Blog: Tommy & Anne Are Our Heroes/ SG KO and G’fidd Livestream/ New Piping Jobs in Highlands and West Lothian

Well they’ve always been heroes to me but now their bravery has been officially recognised by the Scottish Government. Tommy and Anne Johnston received their Brave@Heart Awards from Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a special ceremony at Edinburgh Castle on Tuesday (above). They were among 47 people from the emergency and voluntary sectors and the public to be presented with Brave@Heart Awards recognising acts of bravery and heroism. Of the 47…

When is Juvenile Not Juvenile? – Time for a Rethink at the World Solo Drumming

Some say he is as thick skinned as the first Andante….others that he knew the original Pretty Marion, even more that he doesn’t know one end of a KP2 from the other. All we know is he’s called MacStig…… As the viewing statistics of the World Solo Drumming performances clock up on YouTube, the top Juvenile Section (Juvenile 5 Snare – March, Strathspey & Reel) videos are also gathering momentum….

Ben McClamrock Reviews the 2017 Nicol-Brown Amateur Contest

At 9:30 am on October 7, 2017, the Nicol-Brown Invitational began again for a remarkable 35th time. The contest, originally envisioned by American piping patriarch Donald Lindsay, aims to give top amateur pipers from North America a first-class venue to showcase their talent. In doing so, it also provides a taste of the high pressure, indoor competition environment that many of them will need to master should they continue on…

PP Ed’s Blog: SLoT/ MacCrimmon Cairn/ Pipes for Sale/ World Drumming/ Queensland

Speaking to Gaelic poet and writer Angus Peter Campbell at the Scots Guards contest on Saturday. He told me that daughter Brighde had been playing at a big traditional music concert in Dublin. Taking part were former World Pipe Band Champions St Laurence O’Toole (above). And, get this, it was the first time a pipe band had ever appeared on a concert stage in the Republic. Can you believe that?…

World Solo Drumming Review: Inveraray’s McWhirter Takes the Blue Ribbon Event

Some say he believes in Santa, others that he is one and the same….even more that he thinks SLOT is for coins in Vegas and Shotts his number of chances. All we know is he’s called MacStig……….. In what crowns an exceptional year for lead drummer Steven McWhirter, he added his seventh consecutive, and eighth overall, World Solo title to a fantastic year for Inveraray & District Pipe Band. Moreover,…