The Grade 1 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) of Nova Scotia have made a permanent switch to open-neck polo shirts as part of their uniform, choosing comfort over tradition and believed to be the first top-grade band to make the switch in the name of good playing and safety. “It was […]
The British Columbia Pipers Association continued its creative and thoughtful ways with Cameron Bonar of Surrey, British Columbia, winning the inaugural Skye Richendrfer Memorial Jig Competition. The event was created in honour of the late piper, contributor, and leader who died in 2022 of leukemia at the age of 64.
The days of top pipe bands having recording labels make commercial albums are well and truly over, so 2023 World Champions Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia are reaching out to piping and drumming enthusiasts to help underwrite a live recording of the band’s “Cabar Fèidh” Pre-Worlds Concert on August […]
Craig Sutherland of Perth, Scotland, won the inaugural Gordon Duncan Memorial Kitchenpiping Solo Piping Competition at the 28th annual Skagit Valley Highland Games at the Skagit County Fairgrounds. Sixteen Open, Grade 1 and Grade 2 pipers competed. The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust and the Celtic Arts Foundation sponsor the event.
The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland have opened for pipers and drummers ages 10 to 25 eager to join the highly successful performance-based program that brings together Scotland’s top young players. The National Piping Centre runs the program, and “provides unique opportunities for the top young players to connect, […]
If the total entry at the 2024 World Championships is an indication, the rebound of the competitive pipe band community post-pandemic shows a solid gain. 204 bands across all grades are set to compete at the August 16-17 competition at Glasgow Green in Glasgow, an increase of 14 bands over […]
The New South Wales border town of Albury was host to the Victorian Pipers Association’s comprehensive solo piping competition, where Jono Quay of Melbourne won four of the five A-Grade events in which he competed. Liam Nicolson, also from Melbourne, won the twice-through A-Grade March, Strathspey & Reel.
After its cancellation in 2023, the prestigious Silver Chanter piobaireachd competition will return on August 7th, to be held at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college located on the remote Sleat peninsula on Skye. But for what would appear to be the first time in the event’s 57-year history, the […]
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe-Major Richard Parkes and Leading Drummer Gareth McLees are on board as instructors at the annual “Sound Advice” piping and drumming summer camp from Sunday, July 7th, until Friday, July 12th, in Regina, Saskatchewan. Joining the FM leaders will be Sean Somers, Glenna Mackay-Johnstone, Jacquie Troy-Carter, Jessica Featherstone […]
After co-founding Pipe Dreams with Tommy Johnston in 1997, Ronnie McShannon is retiring from making Ezeedrone reeds, effective at the end of this month. The company’s new leadership team is elite solo piper Finlay Johnston, who has worked with the organization for several years, and Major Gordon Rowan, MBE, who […]