Archive
“Grading disputes discourage bands from competing internationally. That’s a loss for everyone. If we want to promote cross-border participation, we need a clearer, fairer path for bands to follow.”
When they turn the pages of Highland bagpipe history, there are sure to be breakthroughs such as the addition of a second tenor drone, the evolution of competitions; the MacCrimmons, Angus MacKay, G.S. McLennan, Willie Ross, Donald MacLeod and Gordon Duncan; and the impact of synthetic materials. But a deserved […]
Remember Daniel Laidlaw, 7th Bn, King’s Own Scottish Borderers. Piped his company over the top during gas attack at Loos (1915); awarded VC. Remember James Cleland Richardson, 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, CEF. Played pipes over the top at Regina Trench (1916), inspiring men to victory, killed while retrieving pipes; awarded […]
Angus D. MacColl of Benderloch, Scotland, was the overall winner of the fourth annual Sun Belt Invitational Piping Competition (“An Crios Gréine”) held at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel. His first in the Piobaireachd and third in the Medley were enough to win the aggregate over runner-up Willie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland.
“It’s an honour of the greatest degree. My piping heroes are all on that list. It’s a fabulous list of pipers, and even to be considered for it is one of the greatest honours of my lifetime, because I’ve learned so much from listening to and knowing many of them.”
“The recent Grade 1 dissolutions aren’t anomalies; they’re warnings.” Scott Armit calls for action now, unless we want to see further decline of competition bands around the world
The 2025 Scots Trad Music Awards will be presented on December 6th at a gala event at the Music Hall in Aberdeen, Scotland, and, while Highland pipe music touched every aspect, this year’s nominees include a solid representation of Highland pipers. The awards are organized by Hands Up for Trad and […]
Members of the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands’ Association re-elected Liam Kernaghan and Peter Duncan to the RNZPBA’s management board as president and board member, respectively, both standing unopposed. Kernaghan was first elected in November 2024, succeeding Iain Blakeley, who had held the role for most of the 20 years […]
Gregor Burton of Kelowna, British Columbia, has won the 2025 pipes|drums Pick the Glenfiddich Five contest, sponsored by McCallum Bagpipes! “I’m beyond thrilled to have won the pipes|drums Glenfiddich Pick Five contest!” he said. “After many years of submitting my predictions, I’m chuffed to have finally managed to provide a […]
On the second day of competitions, the overall Champion Piper of the 2025 solo piping competition of the Scottish Pipers Society of London was Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, who had the best aggregate over the Premier Grade events, and thus gained a repeat invitation to the 2026 Glenfiddich Championships next October, joining Bratach Gorm winner Finlay Johnston.
Finlay Johnston of Glasgow won the Bratach Gorm at the annual Scottish Piping Society of London’s solo competitions held at the Caledonian Club in the UK capital. It was his second consecutive Bratach Gorm victory.
We continue our conversation with 2025 World Solo Drumming Champion Kerr McQuillan and Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia piper Chris Coates and their analysis and insight into the Hornpipe & Jig performance – the duet, as they stress – that helped to gain the big prize in Glasgow on […]
The Vale of Atholl Pipe Band of Pitlochry, Scotland, was founded in 1906, making it one of the world’s longest-running piping and drumming organizations, but its Grade 2 band is now the UK’s latest casualty with the announcement that the group has disbanded “with immediate effect.” While a blow for […]
Hamish Hepburn of Christchurch won the Silver Chanter MSR, and Greg Wilson took the aggregate award in the top events at the 49th Silver Chanter Solo Piping Competition held at St. Andrew’s College.
As they analyze the Hornpipe & Jig performance that helped gain McQuillan the 2025 World Solo Drumming Championship, we learn that it was as much about sympatico inter-personal understanding as it was about two mutually talented musicians gaining an invaluable extra edge as two friends doing their thing.
As reported, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association announced that registration/membership fees for 2026 would increase by 5% for both UK and non-UK bands wishing to compete in the association’s sanctioned events. The fee hike was the second in three years. In 2022, the RSPBA increased membership registration fees by […]