Archive
Andrew Hutton of Buffalo, New York, Mitchell Arnold from Aurora, Ontario, and John Reid, also of Aurora, were the Professional, A Division and B Division winners, respectively, at the 2026 Toronto Solo Piping Knockout Competition finals, organized by the Toronto Branch of the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario.
The accomplished Canadian scientist, politician, teacher and champion for the Scottish arts passed away January 26, 2026, age 59. We are indebted to the well-known piper, teacher and adjudicator Glenna Mackay-Johnstone for providing this thoughtful and heartfelt tribute to her lifelong friend.
On International Women’s Day 2026, with the help of the world-famous piper Jenny Hazzard, we revisit 1976 through the eyes of Anne Spalding, the first woman to compete at the Argyllshire Gathering, breaking down the wall of discrimination forever.
With a Piobaireachd win and a second in the MSR, Finlay Johnston was the overall champion at the 2026 Glasgow Uist & Barra Association’s Invitational Solo Piping Competition held at the National Piping Centre’s Otago Street premises.
The latest “Live Online” competition run by the Competition League for Adult Solo Pipers (CLASP) was held over two days, contestants’ live performances recorded for the judges to review later. Ultimately, the aggregate awards went to Charles-David Mitchell, Ontario (Grade 1); Anthony Kelly, Houston (Grade 2); Emmanuel Bregent, Brittany (Grade 3); and Chi Kit Yeung, Hong Kong (Grade 4).
Less than three years after his appointment as pipe-major, Donald Stewart has resigned from the Grade 2 Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band, causing the group to cancel all plans to compete in 2026. As a result, Leading-Drummer Les Galbraith has also left the band. Glasgow Skye spokesperson Kurt MacKitnosh said […]
“The Road to the Isles” is one of the most-heard pieces composed for the Highland pipes, which became a certifiable, number-one-with-a-bullet, smash hit after the Scottish raconteur Sir Harry Lauder recorded his arrangement 100 years ago on March 4, 2026. The centenary of pipe music’s first recorded #1 will be […]
The shortage of snare drummers and leading-drummers is pretty much a pipe band tradition. But why? Throughout the hundred-year history of competing pipe bands, pipers and drummers have wondered why the perpetual lack exists, but has anyone ever seriously sought answers?
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 […]