Archive
October 2nd marked the fifth anniversary since the official launch of the independent and nonprofit pipes|drums, and the world’s most popular magazine for piping and drumming . . .
On August 10, 2011, pipes|drums presented another first with a full-length recital by Michael Grey at the Piping Live! Glasgow International Festival of Piping. The 45-minute concert was the first known time that a piper played only original compositions in a recital format. We now revisit the recital via video excerpts on the pipes|drums Channel. The concert was part of pipes|drums sponsorship of the Piping Live! Street Caf¨¦ outside of the National Piping Centre. During the recital . . .
The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has upgraded the New York Metro Pipe Band two spots to Grade 2, after the band won the Grade 3B event at the 2011 World Pipe Band . . .
The death of Alasdair Gillies on August 27th, 2011, is still very much a wound that may never fully heal. While the piping world lost one of its most accomplished and talented performers in its long history, the many friends of Alasdair Gillies lost something much more, and the pain of his passing may lessen with time, it will never completely go away. It is difficult to put into words this absence, and an “appreciation” may never really be fully possible. We have decided to ask several individuals from our community who may have known Alasdair Gillies a little better, or in simply a slightly different way, to assemble a few thoughts about him. Rather than aggregating these memories into a single piece, we have chosen to publish each separately over the next few months. The first in our “Remembering Alasdair Gillies” series is from Colin MacLellan of Edinburgh.
Joseph Stewart of Seattle was the overall winner of the 2011 Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Piping Competition, an event that brings in the previous year’s top prize-winners in amateur competitions from various regions in the United . . .
Drummer Julie Firth will be in the pink at the World Solo Drumming Championships in Glasgow on October 22nd regardless whether she is in the prize list, as she will be competing in support of Maggie’s Cancer Caring . . .
It is with sadness that we report the death of Dr. Martin Lowe, OBE, on October 9, 2011, after a brief illness with pancreatic cancer. While not a top-flight piper, Lowe was very involved with the Scottish piping community and was Honourary Secretary and Honourary Pipe-Major of the Royal Scottish […]
After taking a competitive sabbatical for the 2011 season, the Grade 1 Ballycoan Pipe Band of Northern Ireland plans to return to the scene in 2012 and has appointed Simon Quee . . .
Peel Regional Police Live In Concert Featuring Scantily Plaid and Presenting the Scottish Dance Company of Canada Cawthra Park Secondary School Mississauga, Ontario, 8 pm, October 15, 2011
Murray Henderson of Kirriemuir, Scotland, was the winner of the first Captain John MacLellan Medal Piobaireachd Competition Recital held at the Royal Scots Club on Abercromby Street. Henderson was given MacLellan’s “Edinburgh Piobaireachd” to play, and adjudicator Gavin Stoddart awarded him the custom designed and cast medal, ahead of the three other invited pipers: Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow, “The Salute to the Great Pipe”; Iain Speirs, Edinburgh, “A Lullaby for . . .
The calendar will conspire against non-UK pipers once again in 2012 as the two major gatherings of the year for solo competitors will be a . . .
The two-year commitment as Pipe-Major of the Grade 1 Lothian & orders Police Pipe Band has come to an official end for Ian Duncan, who formally handed over the reins to . . .
Steven McWhirter, Leading-Drummer of the Grade 1 Inveraray & District Pipe Band, captured his second World Solo Drumming Championship title at the annual RSPBA-run contest at Glasgow Caledonian University. McWhirter was placed first in both the MSR and Hornpipe & Jig sections for a commanding victory. ScottishPower Leading-Drummer Barry Wilson, who had won the award for the past four years in succession, settled for third, while Blair Brown of Simon Fraser University had his best finish ever with a second-prize overall . . .
Neil Henderson of Falkirk, Scotland, has been appointed Pipe-Major of the Grade 4A Wallacestone & District Pipe Band . . .
The piping and drumming world is saddened by the death of Jimmie McGregor in the early hours of October 26, 2011, at the age of 64. He had braved a battle with cancer for the last two years. While not a competitive piper, he was an immensely popular and well-liked […]
The two-time winner of solo pipe band drumming’s highest award lets pipes|drums subscribers in on his preparation, strategy and the importance of having a musically compatible piping accompaniment. McWhirter also lets viewers in on one of his secrets to gaining sympathetic integration with tempo and the beat.