Archive
Simon Fraser University of Vancouver won the 2026 World Championship after the second two-event day at Glasgow Green, in overcast, breezy and cool conditions, with the high reaching about 18°C and no rain, with large crowds both in the stands and all over the park. St. Laurence O’Toole of Dublin won the drumming.
The first day of the 2026 World Pipe Band Championships enjoyed near-perfect weather: partly sunny, breezy, a high of about 20°C, and, best of all, no rain. The 13 Grade 1 bands competed in a four-part MSR contest and an own-choice Medley event, the results kept under lock and key, to be compiled with the equivalent contests on Saturday to produce a final result.
We’re asking a few important questions during Worlds Week 2026. Here are responses to our Friday, August 14th, question: Should the Worlds regularly move location? What are your thoughts? Feel free to express your opinion through Comments below.
True North Strong 78th Fraser Highlanders Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Glasgow; August 12, 2026 Reviewed by Cameron Drummond There is always a weight of expectation around the Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band’s Pre-Worlds Concert, and the return of the 78th Fraser Highlanders for True North Strong certainly brought plenty of it. Walking into the Royal […]
Iain MacDonald (Regina) reports from the epicentre of piping (and drumming) . . .
In a first since the event started more than 30 years ago, the 2026 P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Recital Challenge ended in a deadlock, with Callum Beaumont of Guardbridge, Scotland, and Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland, sharing the prize after rankings submitted by the five unidentified judges in the audience were tabulated.
After four gruelling qualifying heats and an extra-arduous Final of four in the National Piping Centre’s Auditorium, Andrew Zhao of Houston was named Pipe Idol 2026, receiving a set of Fred Morrison Reelpipes.
The fourth and final heat of Piping Live!’s 2026 Pipe Idol competition was won by Andrew Zhao of Houston, chosen by an unidentified group of three judges to go through to the four-piper Grand Final later in the day.
Our intrepid man with the camera, Alister Sinclair, is once again prowling Piping Live! 2026, Nikon at the ready, Nikkor lenses in abundance, looking for the moments that others might miss. Throughout the week, we’ll bring you a daily potpourri of his best shots from around the festival, documenting the […]
Iain MacDonald (Regina) reports from the epicentre of piping (and drumming) . . .
The third and final CLASP (Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers) at the 2026 Piping Live! Festival was for Grade 1, and Olivia Corcoran of Gaithersburg, Maryland, won the overall trophy, with two light music first prizes and a third in the Piobaireachd.
We’re asking one important question each day of Piping Live! 2026. Here are responses from Tuesday, August 12th, asking whether the use of artificial intelligence in competition should be regulated by pipe band associations. If you’re around Piping Live! and would like to express your (very) brief thoughts on our […]
The third heat of Piping Live!’s 2026 Pipe Idol competition was won by Scotland’s Kai Hay, chosen by an unidentified group of three judges to go through to the four-piper Grand Final on Thursday, August 13th.
We’re pleased to provide a potpourri of images each day from the world’s greatest piping and drumming event, this side of . . . well . . . the Worlds.
Iain MacDonald (Regina) reports from the epicentre of piping (and drumming) . . .
“If your goal is to understand what’s happening and to assess how good it is, you will never achieve it.”