Boys Brigade History Down South / Piobaireachd Composing Competition

John Shone has written to the Editor on a still-thriving English BB company….. It was good to read your earlier story about the Boys Brigade history and in particular your own company the 214 Glasgow. Readers may not be aware that one BB company and its band is still thriving down in the deep south! It’s good to be able to report that the 5th Croydon BB Pipes and Drums…

Be a Better Piper – How to Practice Your Pipes in a Flat or Apartment

South Africa correspondent Nicholas Taitz has devised what may be a new practice idea for those unable to play their pipes because they live in a flat or apartment. There must be many hundreds worldwide with this problem. Nicholas writes… I recently came up with what I think is  a very effective practice idea for the big pipes. Like many pipers, I don’t have a venue available late at night…

Historic Picture Handed Over at Celtic Connections by P/M Ian Duncan

Has the World Pipe Band Championship Grade 1 title ever been won with brothers playing in the same band? Yes; 1969 Muirhead & Sons and, surely uniquely, there were three of them in this band, namely Tommy, Jimmy and Peter Anderson all from Falkirk. We would be interested to hear of other championship bands with siblings in the ranks but for now let’s rewind a couple of days to Celtic…

PP Ed's Blog: WW2 Pipes/ Inspector Clueless/ SG Knock Out/ Northern Ireland Burns Show

Calum MacLean has commented on the WW2 pipes story we’ve been running. If you haven’t seen his post, Calum wrote: ‘I have a set of Lawrie bagpipes with the engraving: ‘THE GIFT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF HIGHLAND SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH 1939’. ‘I wonder if these are WW2 bagpipes as well. I have seen another set with the same engraving on the chanter stock which were Lawrie bagpipes as well. I…

Review: Johnstone Pipe Band Concert at Celtic Connections 2018

What a thrill it  must have been for the youngsters brought on to the stage for the finale of Johnstone Pipe Band’s Celtic Connections concert yesterday, writes the Editor. It made for an emotional end to what was a thoroughly pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The concert began with warm up sets from Finlay MacDonald, Angus MacColl jnr. – at times you could have sworn it was dad…