Archive
The RSPBA’s Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch took advantage of the influx of pipe bands in Scotland for the World Championships by holding the British Solo Drumming Championship at the National Piping Centre’s Otago Street premises, where Australia’s Steven Shedden, leading-drummer of Grade 1 Hawthorn, was victorious.
The first heat of Piping Live!’s 2026 Pipe Idol competition was won by Liam Nicolson of Melbourne, Australia, chosen by an unidentified group of three judges to go through to the four-piper Grand Final on Thursday, August 13th.
The 2026 Piping Live! Festival kicked off with the Masters Solo Piping Competition at the National Piping Centre, and it was Alasdair Henderson who won the overall title and thus gained an invitation to the 2026 Glenfiddich Championships in October.
The Perth Highland Games are the final pipe band competition before the World Championships, so they attracted a reasonably good entry from bands not from Scotland, seizing the opportunity to air some of their competition material for RSPBA judges and an appreciative crowd.
As a service to the many pipe band enthusiasts making their way to Glasgow for Piping Live! and the World Pipe Band Championships, we’re pleased to publish the 2026 edition of the pipes|drums Guide to World’s Week Grade 1 Band Practices. Thirteen bands are entered in Grade 1 at the […]
Aaron Ingram was the overall winner of the Carloway Show & Highland Games Piping Championship at the Carloway Showground against five other local competitors. Ingram received the Finlay MacNeil Cup for the achievement
Air travel with Highland pipes can be fraught with anxiety. Knowing airlines’ policies, rules, and procedures – and your rights as a musician-passenger – can mitigate the risk of having your delicate baby banished to the hold.
2025 Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medallist Steven Leask of East Kilbride, Scotland, won the 2026 Silver Chanter for Piobaireachd, playing “Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck” for lone judge Niall Matheson at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Gaelic College.
illie McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland, enjoyed a spectacular two days at the annual Skye Gathering, with two light music firsts and a third in the Clasp on the first day and a first and second on day two, to secure the overall trophy and the special overall light music trophy.
Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, won the 44th annual MacCrimmon Trophy for solo piping across Scottish, Irish and Breton events at the massive Festival Interceltique de Lorient.
Sandy Cameron of Roybridge, Scotland, won the Colonel Jock MacDonald Clasp for previous winners of the Dunvegan Medal for piobaireachd at the annual Skye Gathering. His tune was “Mrs. MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute and his second consecutive win of the prize.
Piping Live! Festival Manager Helen Urquhart is right now probably the busiest person in the piping and drumming world. Some way, somehow, she always makes things happen. Since the first edition of the festival in 2003, then with the name “Piping Hot,” the eight days of recitals, competitions, showcases, displays, […]
Ward Park was the venue for the 2026 Ulster Pipe Band & Drum Major Championships, and it was Ireland’s Manorcunningham that won the overall Grade 2 title with eight out of a possible eight firsts from the judges.
Ulster Scottish of Philadelphia enjoyed an impressive eight firsts from the eight judges in both events to win Grade 2, the top-grade contested band event at the annual Glengarry Highland Games in warm and muggy conditions.
Winning both light music events, Gordon McCready of Renfrew, Scotland, was the overall champion at the annual Dundonald Games near Kilmarnock.
Maxville, Ontario – July 31, 2026 – Playing “Lady MacDonald’s Lament,” Jean-Sébastien Gamache of Orleans, Ontario, won the 2026 Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal (Canada) against 11 other contestants, and Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, playing “Nameless – Cherede Darievea,” won the Bar to the Medal event for previous winners of […]