News
March 31, 2026

More independent contests opening traditional judging to all sorts, great and small

Until about 1940, solo piping and even some pipe band competitions were judged not only by know-it-all aristocrats with little or even no ability to play the pipes, but by literally any warm-blooded thing with a capacity to nod or shake their head. In addition to local lairds and farmers,
News
March 31, 2026
Dessert delectables and household staples the future of prizes?
News
March 30, 2026
CPA and SPJA crack down again on conflicts of interest
Results
March 30, 2026
Victorian Championships: Hawthorn, City of Melbourne on top
Results
March 29, 2026
Cameron Bonar wins second straight Boney Invitational; $7500 raised for cancer charity
Results
March 29, 2026
Herzog, Robertson, Davison win the overalls at in-person March CLASP contest
Results
March 28, 2026
Alex Pavlovic wins inaugural Jack Lee Amateur Invitational Solo Piping
Results
March 28, 2026
Jørgensen wins 2026 Scottish Solo Snare Drumming Championship
News
March 27, 2026
Hawthorn officially confirmed Grade 1 for Worlds by RSPBA
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Features
March 27, 2026

Make your best offer! A trove of 139 archived CDs, DVDs and cassette tapes could be yours!

Over the years, pipes|drums has amassed a lot of merchandise sent to us by record companies, artists, associations,...
Subscribers
March 26, 2026

Not making the grade: a lack of proactive feedback and rationale can be confusing and debilitating

When Grade 2 Glasgow Skye Association revealed that it was going on the proverbial and all-too-familiar “hiatus” in...
News
March 25, 2026

Get ready to shred. Pipe Idol 2026 auditions now open

If you’re a piper not yet 21 and ready to shred on the world’s biggest stage, the time is now to audition...
Editorial
March 24, 2026

Opinion: Does judging accreditation matter?

Despite decades of stringent vetting, testing and management by associations, there has been a noticeable increase in...
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From the archives
Results
March 13, 2022
Big Duncan Johnstone Memorial prize goes to Ben Mulhearn
Competition returns to in-person after two year hiatus
This day in history
April 1, 1932
Peter MacLeod writes “The Conundrum”.
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Maclean Showgrounds 12 Cameron Street, Maclean, New South Wales, Australia | April 3, 2026

Maclean Highland Gathering

Lochgelly High School, Station Road, Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland | April 4, 2026
Kingdom Thistle/European Solo Drumming Championship (Lochgelly High School)
Subiaco Oval, 171 Subiaco Rd, Subiaco WA 6008, Perth, Western Australia. | April 11, 2026
2026 Australian Pipe Band Championships
National Piping Centre, McPhater Street | April 11, 2026
Scottish Pipers’ Association Annual Solo Piping Competition
TBD | April 17, 2026
UK Solo Drumming Championship
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