RSPBA AGM Welcomes New Chairman and Rule Changes for Judges and Pipe Band College

Eighty-four bands were represented at the RSPBA AGM held today in the Trades Hall, Glasgow (above). Beginning at 10am the meeting ran for just over two hours with healthy debate on important issues, and with representatives of the various boards and panels within the organisation presenting summaries of their annual reports. In the chair for the final time was Chairman Gordon Hamill who had previously intimated that he would be…

PP Ed’s Blog: South Florida/ Duncan Jonstone Contest/ RSPBA AGM/ Steven’s Drum/ SSPDT Easter School

Splendid school; splendid weather. Never more than 80 degrees, a cool breeze hovered around all week in Boca Raton. The 48 students were mostly local though some had travelled from as far as Connecticut to be there, drawn as much by our reputation for excellence in teaching as for the weather. The South Florida Pipe & Drum Academy is housed in the HQ of the Boca Fire Department and at…

FAMOUS PIPERS – DUNCAN JOHNSTONE, THE PIPER’S PIPER, PART 3

Saturday (March 10) sees the annual Duncan Johnstone Memorial competition held at the Piping Centre. Duncan was a master player, teacher and composer. Never a great competitor, however in this third instalment of this interview with editor Robert Wallace in 1996, he talks of the famous evening when he beat P/M Donald MacLeod in the final of the SPA Knockout in Glasgow…… Did you never have a go at Oban…

The Piping Centre’s Triumph is Complete and the College of Piping is No More

Dispel any notion, if you will, that yesterday’s momentous news concerning the National Piping Centre and the College of Piping is any sort of merger, some coming together of like-minded individuals who will hereafter share responsibilities, join arms in common cause, and operate as a union of equals. Be in no doubt; this is a crushing victory for the Centre. It is all over at Otago Street. The statement yesterday…

National Piping Centre Takeover of the College of Piping (further updated)

The following statement has just been received  by Piping Press…. The Boards of the College of Piping and The National Piping are pleased to announce that they have agreed, in principle, that The College of Piping will transfer its charitable and commercial activities to The National Piping Centre.   This will create one single national centre of excellence for the study and performance of Scotland’s national instrument. The two charities have…