Features

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.

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.

This morning, depending where you stood, the sun r …

We chat with Emma Hill, Producer of NPC Clubs; Laura-Beth MacCrimmon, Youth & Community Producer; Finlay MacDonald, Director of Piping; and David Shedden, National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland Producer.

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? pipes|drums is, as we continue our panel discussion

In the first installment, he talked about the making of the album, and in this final part, Liddell picks out his other favourite track of the 15 on the album. Given that his first pick was a blazing hot duo of hornpipes with more gracenotes in his arrangement than there are stars in the universe, his second choice might surprise you.

We suspected that an exhaustive list of the contents of Bruce Gandy’s pipe box would make for interesting reading. It did not disappoint.

For this discussion, we stepped back entirely. No interviewer. Just four pipe band drumming experts talking candidly about why snare drummers can be scarce, why leading-drummers are so hard to recruit, what challenges today’s bands face, and what meaningful steps might reverse the trend.

Miraculously, we were able to connect with Stuart Liddell for a chat about his new album, “Garron,” between a teaching trip to New Zealand, performing at Celtic Connections, looking after Inveraray & District, and preparing to depart for a week of teaching and playing at the Celtic Arts Foundation’s Winter School in Seabrook, Washington.

In his latest piece, Jones explores the use of “Off-Beat Lift,” an ensemble effect in MSR music that he argues can be a powerful and positive differentiator for pipe bands at any level.

We mourn the pipers, drummers and enthusiasts who sadly left us in 2025, leaders of and contributors to the art and the piping and drumming community who passed away last year.

It took a community to help pipes|drums deliver mo …

The pipes|drums New Year’s Honours celebrate 25 ye …

We’re always fascinated by what piques readers’ interest, and factors such as the date and time can affect statistics. Thanks mainly to pipes|drums sources providing tips and insights, and breaking the news is a clear benefit.

These are the stories that shine a light on topics and opinions, which aren’t “News,” per se, although sometimes simply bringing the issues to light can be considered newsworthy.