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Threnody Mark Saul Eight tracks, total running time: 39 minutes AUD$10, available on Bandcamp Reviewed by Ann Gray “Threnody” (noun): A lament. Threnody is the title of Mark Saul’s new album, released in July of this year. A Google search indicates that the word comes from the mid-17th century Greek – “threnoidia” – from “threnos” […]

There are more Grade 1 pipe bands per capita than any independent country on earth, and next year’s New Zealand Championships will be held in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland March 15-16, providing an excellent opportunity for northern hemisphere pipers and drummers to enjoy a playing holiday in their off-season. With a […]

Glasgow – August 27, 2023 – Luke Kennedy of Dundee, Scotland, was the first winner of the Bronze Media for piobaireachd, launched last year by the Competing Pipers Association with an aim to provide a meaningful event for senior/open-level pipers not yet accepted to compete in the two Silver Medal […]

The Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Memorial Medal was won by Edinburgh’s Iain Speirs in another formal evening wear event at the Waldorf-Astoria Caledonian Hotel in Scotland’s capital city centre featuring the music of the late great piper, teacher and leader. Speirs, performing “The Edinburgh Piobaireachd,” competed against Nick Hudson, Houston (“Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry”); Finlay Johnston, Glasgow (“Salute to the Succession”); and Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland (“The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack”).

After 13 years as pipe-major of the Grade 1 78th Fraser Highlanders, Doug MacRae has retired from the role, making his decision official after notifying Leading-Drummer Drew Duthart and then by sending a heartfelt letter to all band members on August 24th. MacRae is only the second pipe-major of the […]

The second day of the Argyllshire Gathering took the world’s top solo pipers outdoors to Mossfield Park on the east side of the Highland town. The light music competitions were held as always among a traditional Highland games. The weather was challenging, and the rain, according to one contestant, went from “mild and intermittent to aggressive.” Some competitors decided not to play rather than risk wrecking their instruments before the Northern Meeting.

The first day of the Argyllshire Gathering was devoted mainly to the piobaireachd events held at various indoor venues across the Highland town. The Highland Society of London Gold Medal was won by Alasdair Henderson of Edinburgh. Local piping hero Angus D. MacColl of nearby Benderloch won the Senior Piobaireachd for previous winners of at least one of the Highland Society of London Gold Medals at either Oban or Inverness. It was his sixth win of the award, previously taking it in 2000, ’04, ’05, ’09, and’ 22. With the win, both Henderson and MacColl gain invitations to the Glenfiddich Championships in October, joining reigning champ Willie McCallum, Bratach Gorm winner Bruce Gandy, and overall London winner Fred Morrison.

The decision not to include one of the 16 judges’ rankings that came to light immediately following the announcement of the Grade 1 results at the 2023 World Pipe Band Championships on August 19th has become a full-on communications fiasco, the scale of which is unprecedented in pipe band history. […]

The Argyllshire Gathering at Oban, Scotland, was first held in 1871, as a festival of Highland culture and sport run by the region’s gentry, and the solo piping competitions continue to be among the most prestigious in the world. This year’s piping contests will take place August 23-24, with all […]

The accomplished and popular snare drummer Graham Kirkwood passed away on August 18, 2023, after a lengthy illness. He was 54. Of the legendary Kirkwood family of pipe band drummers, he played with several top-grade bands, including Niagara & District, the 78th Fraser Highlanders, Clan MacFarlane, the Peel Regional Police, […]

As the piping and drumming world waits for clarity from the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association on what exactly transpired during the World Pipe Band Championships, several possibilities have emerged from a variety of credible sources. What is known to be true: The RSPBA staged two days of the Grade […]

Since 2001, Dr. William Donaldson has been contributing his Set Tunes Series for pipes|drums readers. Now comprising more than 170 piobaireachds, the series is the world’s largest free online repository of ceol mor. Each piece includes all known published manuscripts, often from obscure publications only available from the National Library in Edinburgh, […]

Unless it emerges that there was some other extraordinary circumstance to make this decision obviously and irrefutably correct, it’s yet another bad move by the RSPBA – not necessarily to reject Russell’s scores, but not to be completely detailed and transparent and open about the exact reasons for their decision.

In a decision that is already rocking the pipe band world, the RSPBA elected to delete the results from Friday Grade 1 MSR result, potentially altering the final Grade 1 Championship aggregate. In a letter passed out to Grade 1 competing bands after the results were announced, the RSPBA said […]

With a total of 190 bands competing across all grades at Glasgow Green, Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia of Scotland were crowned 2023 World Champions against a field of 15 other Grade 1 bands. The band was a very popular winner, with more than a half-century striving for the coveted prize, a first in the band’s history. Simon Fraser University achieved the World Pipe Band Drumming title. It was the first World Championship win for the band in Boghall & Bathgate’s 52-year history, their second major competition victory in 2023, following their success at the UK Championships in June. Until now, Boghall had been considered by many to be “the best band yet to win the World’s,” following four runner-up placings since they were elevated to Grade 1 in 1980. The World’s win was the band’s thirteenth major championship title in Grade 1.

With most of the piping and drumming world focused on the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, nine stalwart solo pipers braved tough conditions at the historic Glenfinnan Highland Gathering, the only bright side in the weather being a strong breeze helping to keep the notorious west coast midges away. Finlay Johnston of Glasgow carried the day with straight firsts.