Reviews

Ed Neigh reviews the June 14, 2013, Forte concert at the Cobourg Community Centre in Cobourg, Ontario, and finds that the band was ready to take on the challenge – and then some . . . even in a hockey arena.

Bill Livingstone reviews the new, comprehensive analysis of ceol mor by the renowned Andrew Wright and finds a book that’s required repeated reading by any serious student of piobaireachd.

Pat Lynch reviews “Forte – Live at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,” the new DVD by the Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band of their August 2012 Pre-World’s Concert performance

Ross Hanning of Wellington, New Zealand, reviews the latest collection from Michael Grey – “Damned Suites” – the sixth book of music from the prolific Ontario-based composer and arranger.

Michael Grey reviews Celtic Connections’ Annual Piping Concert, this year the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and Bagad Lorient ¨C a historic event as the final concert appearance by the legendary police pipe band under its current identity.

Kylie MacHattie reviews “Voicing Scotland,” a new book by BBC Radio Scotland Pipeline presenter Gary West, on how “the traditions of lyrics, music, stories and literature identify and support Scotland’s national identity in these pre-referendum times.” (Subscribers only.)

Brian Niven of Melbourne reviews “Live from New York City,” the latest project by the six-time World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, recorded at their concert at Lincoln Center in Manhattan in May 2012.

Ken Eller reviews the Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Music, Volume III ¨C or “cots Guards 3” ¨C one of the largest print collection of pipe music to be published in 30 years. He takes pipes|drums subscribers through the book’s highlights, and ponders some important questions of copyright and acknowledgment, as well as matters of style and taste. At $75 a pop, this potential Christmas gift is a guarded decision for pipers..

Former Triumph Street Pipe Band Pipe-Major Hal Senyk reviews the new all-digitial collection of 76 compositions by Scotland’s Chris Armstrong

Forte, the Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band in concert, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, August 8, 2012

Donald McBride reviews “A Unan,” the new CD by Breton pipers Xavier Boderiou, Sylvain Hamon, Herv¨¦ Le Floc’h and Alexis Meunier . . . and he likes it . . . a lot . . . a really a lot

Bill Livingstone gives the new AyrFire chanter from Ayrshire Bagpipes a thorough critique, and clues in pipes|drums subscribers to his take on the latest instrument for pipers, with an aggressive price-point.

Kyle Coughlin of Aurora, Ontario, reviews “Bagpipe Star,” the new bagpipe karaoke DVD from Perth, Australia and, dude, disovers his inner-Angus Young . . .

New York Metro Pipe Band Pipe-Major Michael Mahoney reviews the May 4, 2012, concert at Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Dr. Jack Taylor, President of the Piobaireachd Society, provides subscribers to pipes|drums with his assessment ¨C by video ¨C of Jim McGillivray’s new Piobaireachd Fingerwork how-to companion to the technical aspects of ceol mor in another pipes|drums first.