The 25th annual pipes|drums New Year’s Honours
2025 Music Collection of the Year
Beyond Binneas, by Chris Terry and Pat Terry
It was an unusual year for the large number of published music collections, and the years-long achievement by South Africa’s Chris and Pat Terry was the consensus choice as the standout work of 2025.
Beyond Binneas deserves a place alongside the Piobaireachd Society’s Collection and the Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor as an essential collection for all serious Highland pipers.
Panellists’ comments:
- “A fresh look, editing and insightful analysis of, arguably, the most important collection of our great music ever.”
- “I think this will be an excellent resource book for tutors who are looking to pass on as much piobaireachd knowledge as they can.”
- “A huge piece of work that makes everything that had gone before make much more sense and more accessible for future generations.”
- “A collection that will reawaken interest in the original settings and the style of Malcolm MacPherson.”
- “Not just a music book but a serious academic offering. So much work has gone into this to make piobaireachd more accessible, and preserve and enhance the legacy of Dr. Ross.”
- “Making piobaireachd even more accessible by improving on the original collection’s approach makes it the collection of greatest interest for me.”
Also nominated (in alphabetical order):
The Eagle Pipers Members’ Book, published by the Eagle Pipers’ Society – Already in a second pressing, this is a beautifully-bound preservation of music by and associated with the venerable Edinburgh piping club.
The Green Monster Collection, by Micah Babinski – The talented Pacific Northwest composer has returned to the scene with great flare, and contributed his and others’ creative works in a very good collection.
The Ivernia Collection – The Past and the Present, Old Irish Melodies and Contemporary Music for the Bagpipes, by Tim Farrelly – A truly gorgeous collection by one of Ireland’s piping greats, showcasing traditional and new pipe music from a country whose contributions to Highland piping are often overlooked and underestimated.
Play, by Kyle Warren – In a year rich with new collections, the prolific Warren reminds us again of his great creativity with his third book that provides a deep music trove for bands and solo pipers searching for original, inventive and almost always fun content.
The Waxing Moon Collection, by Campbell Naismith – It takes a special dedication to the art to compose piobaireachd. San Diego’s Naismith’s third work delivers his obvious passion for making both ceol mor and ceol beag a living tradition, while also making a historical contribution with the 300-year-old music of Joseph MacDonald.
Note: Steven McWhirter’s collection was released late in 2025 and will be considered in the 2026 New Year’s Honours.
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