Archive

The Masters Solo Piping Competition, the final event of the 2012 Piping Live! Festival, was won by Willie McCallum, who was second in the Piobaireachd and the MSR to come up the middle for the overall victory. The Piobaireachd even was held at the National Piping Centre auditorium, while the MSR went on at the new theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland . . .

With the university and college year about to start, and many pipers and drummers around the world about to enter their final year of high school, professional-grade piper Liz Sheridan concludes her series with final advice and a list of piping/drumming-friendly institutions, many of which offer scholarships and even degree programs to deservingmusicians. The third and final part of the “Students’ guide to piping and university” is intended to help you in your choice of school and program. With so many options available for students, here are some things you may want to consider before accepting your offer of admission.Exclusively for subscribers to pipes|drums . . .

pipes|drums brings you one last series of sounds and sights from the 2012 World Pipe Band Championships, held on August 11th at Glasgow Green ¨C behind-the-scenes excerpts, commentary and more footage from the Field Marshal Montgomery celebration.

Greig Canning of Edinburgh was overall the best piper at the Nairn Highland Games where 10 competed in glorious sunshine . . .

For the first time in its 141-year history, the Argyllshire Gathering at Oban, Scotland, will be a three-day affair, as the major solo piping . . .

Leading-Drummer Graham Brown has been summarily sacked by Pipe-Major John Cairns, possibly leaving the Grade 1 Peel . . .

For the first time ever, the Argyllshire Gathering held qualifying rounds to determine finalists for the competition¡¯s Silver Medal event and, despite 21 names in each of the two heats, only 15 actually competed in their round, with five from each going through to the Wednesday contest . . .

Finlay Johnston of Glasgow won the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, while Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, won the other biggest prize at the Argyllshire Gathering, the Senior Piobaireachd ¨C reserved for previous winners of a Highland Society of London Gold Medal . . .

The final day of the Argyllshire Gathering saw the traditional march to the games, with 2012 Oban Gold Medallist Finlay Johnston in the pipe-major’s spot, leading some 38 fellow competitors, the Argyllshire aristocracy trundling behind. The outdoor A- and B-Grade light music competitions are held on platforms at each corner of Mossfield Park, among bouncy castles, diesel generators and track and field events.

Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia won the 2012 Cowal Pipe Band Championship, taking their second major of the year. The band also won the drumming. The championship could be the final year of the classic event’s spot on the RSPBA’s list of majors. The 118-year-old Cowal Gathering, once the de facto World Championship, may cease as a championship due to building planned on the games site.

The North Lanark Highland Games were held on a hot, sunny Saturday, bringing to an end the 2012 PPBSO Highland Games season. The event marked the last for Andy Donachie as Chief Steward of the PPBSO. In the solo piping, Dylan Whittemore was the Amateur Piper of the Day, while Erica Pulling took Amateur Drummer of the Day honours. There were no Professional solo events . . .

The Grade 1 Peel Regional Police Pipe Band has moved quickly to replace Graham Brown, who was sacked on August 20th, appointing Graham Kirkwood to the position of leading-drummer. Kirkwood . . .

Ryan Canning is the new Pipe-Major of Shotts & Dykehead, only the seventh leader in the last 75 years of the world’s most Grade 1 prize-winning band. Canning, a 16-year member of 2012 World Champions Field Marshal . . .

The final result of the Grade 2 competition at the 2012 World Pipe Band Championships is reportedly under appeal by at least four bands due to Bagad Brieg of Brittany playing . . .

Weather was sunny at times, with heavy rainstorms at others, while solo pipers battled it out for placings. Craig Sutherland, Robert Gibbs and Alan Russell took home the firsts. The prize money for a sixth was ?5, or ?7 less than the fee to participate . . .

Benoni MacTalla continued its success on the South African pipe band competition circuit with a win at the Cornwall Hill College Highland Gathering held at Cornwall Hill College . . .