News

The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association has relegated three of their bands to Grade 2 status bringing the number of member Grade 1 bands to an all-time low of 11, eight being from Scotland. Following the organization’s Music Committee’s recommendations, which still need to be ratified by the RSPBA’s Board of Directors, Scotland-based Kilts & More-Dysart & Dundonald and Torphichen & Bathgate, and Seven Towers of Northern Ireland will have to contend with Grade 2 status in 2014. None of the organization’s Grade 2 bands were recommended . . .

Two things are perhaps surprisingly uncommon when it comes to piping and drumming in Toronto: there are few pipe bands actually based within the actual city of four-million people; and there . . .

The latest in the off-season leading-drummer changes in the top grades is the Grade 1 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) appointing Jeremy Keddy . . .

The Grade 2 City of Regina Pipe Band of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada has accepted the resignation of Leading-Drummer Roland Reid and appointed Willie Currams to the post. A resident of Winnipeg – some . . .

Peter Hendrickson is the new Leading-Drummer of the Grade 1 Dowco-Triumph Street Pipe Band of Vancouver following the departure of long-time L-D Andre Tessier, who resigned in order . . .

The 2013 version of the Glenfiddich Invitational Solo Piping Championship on October 26th marks the fortieth anniversary of the event at Blair Atholl . . .

The Grade 2 Bucksburn & District Pipe Band of Aberdeen, Scotland, has made Simon Lipp Leading-Drummer after incumbent Mike Haggart stepped down . . .

Matt Pantaleoni of St. Louis was delighted to be presented the overall trophy by the organizers of the Birnam Highland Games in Scotland on August 31st, but days later when he took a closer . . .

They’re a self-described “project band” comprising students and available players from various bands that Pipe-Major David Ogilvie . . .

After three competition seasons, Ken Constable has resigned as Leading-Drummer of the Grade 1 Toronto Police Pipe Band. The move comes less than two weeks after the band . . .

With more than 2,000 entries to the 2013 pipes|drums Pick the Six contest, Richard Turnbull of Torphichen, Scotland, has won more than $3,500 in prizes . . .

After three seasons following the resurrection of the once-dormant Grade 1 Dysart & Dundonald Pipe Band of Fife, Scotland, Greig Canning has resigned as pipe-major. The moves come a day after . . .

Thursday and Friday of the 2013 Piping Live! Glasgow International Festival of Piping saw the usual day-after from the Pre-World’s Concert, with those who relived the Inveraray & District Ascension show into the wee hours of the morning looking no worse for wear, and ready to . . .

“The forecast’s nae looking tae guid,” was the phrase on the mouths of those who speak, or try to speak, with the local accent, as the Wednesday at the Piping Live! Glasgow International Festival of Piping – Day 4 . . .

If it’s Tuesday it must be Glasgow and the third day of the 2013 Piping Live! Glasgow International Festival of Piping . . .