Highland bands run out of puff

Source: The Bendigo Advertiser
A CRITICAL shortage of highland band pipers is affecting several visiting bands and may stop them taking part in the Maryborough Highland Gathering street march on Friday.

Officials are very concerned that a reduction in the number of younger people learning the bagpipes is having a detrimental effect on pipe band numbers.

With the retirement of older members, it has reached a critical stage in the viability of some pipe bands.

read full article...

macTunes?

From the Piping Times news feed...

Skye-based MacMeanmna Records have launched a sort of iTunes

(macTunes?) download facility of their Gaelic music and piping catalogue. The details are here. If you read the spiel you'll see that they are planning new CDs with Dr Angus MacDonald (left) and the BBC's Iain MacInnes. This is in addition to the Northern Meeting CD and the Stuart Liddell CD they have already put out. Individual tracks cost a mere 79p. One of the men behind the company is Cailean Maclean the Piping Convenor at the Skye Gathering. So good luck with the new venture Cailean and the more piping the better.

Lochaber No More - featurette

Here's a short clip and interviews with Braemar about their Lochaber No More show. Be sure to see it at LaTrobe University on Sunday 20 September. Details at www.braemar.info. ...yes, I will be playing with them too!

New digital Piping World e-zine

New free digital edition available from: Duntroon Publishing

A History of the Jacobite Rebellions

La Trobe University and the School of Historical and European Studies is presenting a Free, Public Lecture on Sunday 20th September 2009 at 3pm.

This will be a special, extended performance of 'Lochaber No More' a history of the Jacobite rebellions and the Highland Clearances in narrative and song.

'Lochaber No More' has been performed to full houses at Celtic and Folk festivals across Australia in 2008 and 2009 and has received a standing ovation at each performance.

Please register at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ctlc/public-lecture/index.html

The performance will be introduced and contextualised by Dr Jennifer Ridden of the History Program, School of Historical and European Studies and will run for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with a 20 minute intermission.

See http://www.braemar.info/lochaber.html for additional information and reviews

From: GFMC

World Pipe Band Championships 2009 - Live

BBC Scotland will be broadcasting the 2009 Worlds live as part of the Homecoming. Check out the BBC Scotland - Worlds or the RSPBA websites for more details.

Concert for the Clans

Enjoy Scottish music from Rant, Colin McLeod, Andrew Cooper, Jamie McKinnon, the Myra McRae Band, Pigeonwing Strings and yours truly.

Saturday 10 October 2009.
The Potato Shed, Drysdale
Tickets $20 / $15 concession
Bookings: (03) 5251-1998

Click the picture for more details.

Piping workshop @ Celtica Festival

I will be running piping workshops at the Celtica Festival at Port Adelaide. 4 - 6 December 2009. More details to come.

Braemar - Lochaber No More show at La Trobe Uni

The history department has requested the Braemar perform their Lochaber No More show as a live lecture on Sunday 20 September 2009. Stay tuned for more details as they come to hand.

My new piping blog

Well, here it is. The blog to replace the piping news...soon!