Archive
The first Canadian Legion for those who served and serve with Canada’s military was started in late 1925 as Canada’s arm of the British Empire Services League, and this year, the country’s mover and shaker of piping and drumming projects, Bethany Bisaillion, is spearheading a call to pipers and drummers […]
Through special resolution “notices of motion” put forward by members, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association will formally decide at its March 14th annual general meeting whether to move ahead with discussions regarding, among other matters, establishing maximum numbers for competing bands, making scoresheets publicly available, the reintroduction of Bass-Section […]
With less than six months to go before the contest, how do things look for the top grades at the 2026 Worlds? Assuming that the known operational UK-based and Irish Grade 1 and Grade 2 bands would be attending, we wanted to know about the plans of those located elsewhere. […]
In what could be a record for a purely piobaireachd teaching weekend, 42 pipers from all over North America soaked up ceol mor tuition and performances at the fourth annual Jimmy McIntosh MBE Piobaireachd Workshop at Carnegie Mellon University’s Cohon University Center in Pittsburgh. Described by the organizers as “action-packed,” […]
“Liddell performs with the rare ability to make the impossible sound effortless. ‘Garron’ is the album that puts it all in one place.”
The National Piping Centre was stowed out with young pipers and their proud parents at the organization’s 2026 Junior Solo Piping Competition, where Charlie Mack won the aggregate trophy in the Under 18 category, Shay McInarlin gained the Under 15 aggregate, Larry Presslie won the overall trophy in the Under 13, and Charles Campbell was best aggregate in the Practice Chanter.
Connor Sinclair of Crieff, Scotland, won the Ardmore Cup for the third time, an event that showcases invited competitors in a creative setting that includes a freestyle Medley contest as well as a traditional MSR. Each piper also plays a slow air during their tuning, with a separate award for each.
Vancouver – February 21, 2026 – Steven McWhirter was the winner of the Pacific Rim Solo Snare Drumming Championship, presented by the BC Pipers’ Association and hosted by the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada at the Seaforth Armoury. McWhirter won all three events and earned CAD$2,500 for his success. The MSR […]
Our discussion with four leaders from the National Piping Centre: Emma Hill, NPC Clubs Producer; Laura-Beth MacCrimmon, Youth & Communities Producer; Finlay MacDonald, Director of Piping; and David Shedden, NYPBoS Producer, continues as the organization reaches its 30-year milestone this year.
Judging structures need to evolve with what pipe bands have become over the last hundred years.
We continue this important discussion at a time when pipe bands worldwide are looking for real solutions to an age-old problem that must be solved, first by identifying the causes, then by working on real change for a better future.
The fourth annual Skye K. Richendrfer Memorial Cup Grade 4 Piobaireachd Challenge was won by Matthew Hubbard, of Omaha, Nebraska, playing “Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Lament.”
Founded in 1950, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association’s Northern Ireland Branch will celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary on February 21, 2026, with an RSPBANI Anniversary Gala to mark the occasion with a formal gala dinner at the La Mon Hotel & Country Club in Newtownards, Co Down. The night will […]
This morning, depending where you stood, the sun rose precisely over Nelson’s Monument at Glasgow Green, where a gaggle of druid-like pipe band zealots camped overnight just to see the annual spectacle. That’s right, today is Worlds Solstice, exactly six months since and six months until the World Pipe Band […]
On Friday, March 6th, St. Columba’s School in Kilmacolm, Scotland, will welcome a mini-band from Grade 1 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia to perform with the school’s bands at an evening of music. The “We Are On Our Way” concert is about six weeks before 61 members of the school’s thriving […]
If you’re one of the thousands of non-UK citizen pipers and drummers planning to travel to the UK to compete, judge, or simply attend competitions, performances and festivals, you’d be wise to get your papers in order, as significant new border measures will be introduced on February 25th. The new […]