Archive
Penticton, British Columbia – July 1, 2023 – On Canada Day, King’s Park was the site of the 2023 Penticton Scottish Festival, where British Columbia’s Vale United prevailed to take the overall in Grade 3 and Craig Sutherland of Perth, Scotland, was the aggregate winner in the Open solo piping, […]
The BBC will once again stream live on the internet the Grade 1 events on the Saturday of the World Pipe Band Championships, according to sources close to the event. Neither BBC Scotland, the RSPBA nor Glasgow Life has made an official announcement about the matter, but it is believed […]
“Dew has done us a service with his well-conceived interface, intentionality of themes and imagination in composition.”
“Strength and endurance” is the motto of the Caledonian Piping Club of Saltcoats, Scotland, and the venerable organization is hoping to stage a strong, expanded solo piping competition at their annual Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping and is searching for former winners of the MSR championship. If their vision takes […]
In pre-internet days, only those who heard the contest live were aware of the insidious dues-paying system of judging. Those days are thankfully gone.
We continue Jeannie Campbell MBE’s multi-part series, “From Aboyne to Zorra,” in which she researches piping, drumming and pipe band competitions from around the world. These are fascinating pieces that revisit piping and drumming competitions of the past in the United States, Canada and, of course, Scotland, bringing back into to light the competitors and […]
The Northern Ireland branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association put on the annual All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships on the grounds of Ballymena Academy, and ultimately it was Field Marshal Montgomery that took the title with eight out of eight firsts across the Medley and MSR events. FMM won the drumming again, continuing undefeated so far in the 2023 season. Northern Ireland’s Ravara won the Grade 2 competition.
On Canada Day 2023, we’re pleased to bring our readers and viewers what we think is the perfect story that reflects the welcoming values of modern Canada, and every country that embraces all cultures and traditions. Now with a population of more than 40-million, thanks to welcoming immigrants beyond the […]
None of the bids for the 2,500-acre Husabost Estate on the Isle of Skye submitted at the June 29th closing date are connected with piping, but there’s no threat to the hallowed MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig, which is part of the property. Skye resident and Highland Society of London Gold […]
If there were ever an example of doing good for the piping and drumming world, the local community, and a deserving charity, it’s the annual Livi Invitational Freestyle Solo Drumming Competition in Livingston, Scotland. This year, despite significant challenges, the venerable contest will take place on Saturday, November 18th, at […]
Five years after the National Piping Centre rescued the Silver Chanter invitational piobaireachd competition, oversight of the event is being moved to the Piobaireachd Society. There will be no competition this year, but will return in 2024. The contest is to be sponsored by Mossburn Distillers/Torabhaig Distillery and Sabhal Mòr […]
The little known annual British Army Solo Piping & Drumming Championships were held at Inchdrewer House in Colinton on the southwest side of Scotland’s capital city and, for the first time since the start of the event in 2005, a contingent of pipers from the Canadian Armed Forces participated and featured throughout the prizes. The Champion Piper was Officer Cadet Norman, Glasgow & Strathclyde University Officers’ Training Corps, and the Champion Drummer was Dmr Faulds, 4 Scots.
Tickets for the 2023 World Pipe Band Championships on August 18-19 at Glasgow Green, Glasgow, go on sale at 10 am GMT, June 27th, with tickets to get into the park starting at £8.65 for children and £10.65 for adults, or a family pass for £21.30. A Grade 1 reserved seat arena ticket for the Saturday is priced at £35.90 if booked in advance and £40.40 if purchased on the day. The advance purchase price in 2022 was £30 but, for the first time, those sitting in the arena on either or both of the days can have a roof over their heads in the event of rain or blazing sunshine. Competing bands will still be subjected to whatever elements meet them when they perform.
Pipers planning to travel from Canada to the World Pipe Band Championships or other out-of-country events with their antique instruments should pay attention to this. The Canadian federal government is considering amending trade regulations on the export and import of wild animals and plants and their parts that, if passed, could make leaving and coming in to the country a lot more difficult for pipers with ivory-mounted instruments.
If you’re a talented and promising piper or drummer from Scotland aged 10 to 25 and dream about walking in the footsteps of the likes of Calum Brown, Ben Duncan, Connor Sinclair and dozens of other players who gone on to even bigger things in the art, you have an […]
About 100 bands over all grades competed at the European Championships at Duthie Park, and ultimately it was Inveraray & District that came out on top, winning the Grade 1 MSR competition. It was the first time a new MSR format required submitting only one set of tunes, each piece no more than four parts. The rationale for the format change was apparently to help prop up the many classic shorter tunes that had often fallen out of favour in the top grade for six- and eight-part compositions.