Archive
The famous jazz composer who made one of the most influential pieces of music for pipe bands in history discusses how his suite evolved from humble beginnings.
Described as “a smarter way to practice and organize bagpipe music,” software engineer and piper Bruce Rankine has created “Braw Tunes,” an app with the promise to “help pipers worldwide practice more effectively, organize their music, and stay connected to their repertoire like never before.” Similar to the well-known “Shazam” […]
To commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the 16-year-old John. D. Burgess completing “The Double” – winning both Highland Society of London Gold Medals in the same year – the Northern Meeting presented a special kilt pin designed and made by Islay Spalding Kilt Pins. The John D. Burgess Memorial Kilt […]
The second and final day of the 2025 Northern Meeting saw Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, win his fourth Clasp, reserved for winners of at least one of the Highland Society Gold Medals at Inverness or Oban. He went on to win the Premier/A-Grade Hornpipe & Jig event. Sarah Muir of Glasgow won the A-Grade MSR, catapulting her into the Silver Star Former Winners’ MSR competition for the rest of her piping days.
Brodie Watson-Massey of Edinburgh added his name to the history books by winning the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at the 2025 Northern Meeting, the world’s longest-running and most important non-invitational solo piping competition. It was Watson-Massey’s first time playing in the event after winning the 2024 Silver Medal for Piobaireachd at the same venue. Apart from Steven Leask, who won the Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal, the Inverness prize list featured different pipers.
One-hundred-eighty-four years ago the first Northern Meeting was held in Inverness, making it the longest-running solo piping competition in the world. The 2025 edition will be held on Thursday, September 11th, and Friday, September 12th, at its familiar Eden Court Theatre venue on the west bank of the River Ness. […]
After 50 years as pipe-sergeant of Grade 1 Simon Fraser University, six World Championship wins, and countless competition performances, Jack Lee has decided to retire from pipe band competition. “It has been a terrific 50-year run, but I have decided to retire from the competition band,” Lee said. “The band […]
The Chicago Highland Games have risen in stature over the last decade, and now the organizers have confirmed that 2025 World Champions Inveraray & District will attend the 2026 edition of the event, June 12-13 in Naperville, Illinois. The band will perform on Friday, June 12th at 7 pm at […]
Winning both light Open music events, Ben Duncan of Edinburgh won the aggregate trophy in the senior events at the 2025 Blairgowrie & Rattray Highland Games, which featured the usual large entry of solo pipers for a final run through of tunes before the Northern Meeting at Inverness.
Cool but dry conditions prevailed at the Royal Braemar Gathering, where 17-year-old Cameron Bonar of Surrey, British Columbia, was the overall winner in the senior solo piping events, taking two seconds and a third against a strong field.
Ewan Henderson has stepped down as pipe major of Grade 1 Police Scotland & Federation. The band is continuing to work on returning to competition in 2026. A new pipe-major has not yet been determined, but Pipe-Sergeant Duncan Nicholson, a former pipe-major of the band, would appear to be an […]
The Globe and Mail is the biggest and most important newspaper in Canada. Its September 3rd edition featured Vancouver’s Grade 1 Simon Fraser University Pipe Band on the print front page and prominently across its online versions as part of the media outlet’s “Mastering It” series of profile articles. It’s […]
The determined Houston resident discusses his online platform designed to assist those with CF by learning the Highland bagpipes
We asked the RSPBA what the cash prizes were for all grades, since it is often assumed that the awards decrease with each grade after Grade 1.
Seventeen-year-old Cameron Bonar of Surrey, British Columbia, had a perfect five firsts in five events in beautiful weather at the 2025 Chatsworth Country Fair, one of the premier solo piping events in the UK. With a total purse of more than £3500 at stake in the Open category, Chatsworth is one of the world’s most financially rewarding solo piping competitions.
A capacity crowd of well-dressed guests gathered to hear four of the world’s top solo pipers perform in a recital setting at the Caledonian Hotel in Scotland’s capital city’s city centre for the annual Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Memorial Dinner & Recital Competition.