Bursting at the seams or what? Everywhere I looked today it was lessons, lessons, lesson. Iain Watson in the kitchen doing Skype. John Wilson in the Balmoral Room with a lady student (not as bad as it sounds Connie – check pic). Willie Morrison with another student in Room 5. Colin Scott with the drummers in the Museum. On top of that Willie Gilmour was running the summer school. More pix on CoP Fbook.
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The crowds arrived for Gordon McCready and our Piobaireachd of the Day recital generously sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society. Gordon had a beautifully toned pipe which settled nicely after a set of Retreats.  The highlight of his light music warm up had to be his MSR Angus Campbell’s Farewell to Stirling, Blair Drummond and the Smith of Chilliechassie. This was immaculate playing which would have taken money at any level. For his piobaireachd Gordon offered three tunes to the audience: Battle of Auldearn No 2, Earl of Seaforth’s Salute and Battle of the Pass of Crieff. The first got three votes the second nine and the last 13. Not surprised Auldearn wasn’t too popular; great tune but it gets hammered round the games. The Pass of Crieff went very well indeed with a cracking crunluath and a mach to top it off. Gordon left the stage to good applause and I felt they appreciated that I wasn’t far off the mark in describing him as one of the country’s top players. Should have recording for CoP Radio.

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No sooner had the clamour died down but in trouped Steven McWhirter the World Solo Drumming champion and his corps from Inveraray & Dist. PB. The band practices at the College every week so I’m sure they must have felt at home as they launched in their Drum Salute to be followed by the pipers led by the great Stuart Liddell. If was amazing the way the sound improved as they worked through the various sets with Ally Fletcher all the while buzzing round doing the drones. It was literally standing room only for the audience, all agog at the quality of the piping and drumming from a band so young. The average age can’t be more than 25 with only the ancient P/Sgt Dougie Campbell pushing the figure up. 
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FM’s Alastair Dunn, also General Manager of RG Hardie, was there and told me his band were having Mon and Tues off before getting down the week’s serious business. You can hear FM at the Pipes of Peace concert on Thursday. Alastair won’t be playing in the ceol mor at Oban and Inverness this year but his wife Margaret is going for gold as they say down Olympic way. Don’t forget you can download the RG Hardie catalogue straight to your iPad via CoP Bookstore. Any other manufacturers who want to put their goods in there please give me a call.
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Drumming Mad Dean Hall was over with his kids from the Scotch College in Sydney, Australia. They packed in to hear Inveraray and Dean says they won’t have heard anything like it. The Scotch College kids are playing at the Worlds and the Tattoo in Edinburgh.
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PS Secretary Bill Wotherspoon turned up later with a nice new banner for the Society which will be on display for the rest of the week. He’d been at the Piping Centre for another Society gig which had been well attended as was the recital by Angus MacColl.
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We announced that the quartet of pipers from SLoT would be practising at the College from 3pm Thursday. It should have been 3pm tomorrow (Tues). The quartet contest is tomorrow night after all. SLoT follow Dysart who are doing the main band spot at 2pm and they follow Finlay Johnston who is our lunchtime recitalist from 1pm.
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Reports from the Boghall camp are hinting at a sell out for Weds night no doubt helped by their brilliant success in Belfast at the Europeans. I hear Scotland’s Minister for Culture will be there. I promise to go easy on her lads.
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Jim Wark was speaking highly of the interview with his old pipe major Ian McLellan in this month’s issue of Pipe Band magazine. As Jim says, it’s an education just reading it. There will be more in the October issue. Jim also commented on the tribute to Donald MacLeod in this month’s (and last’s) PT. No slouch at the composing game himself, Jim was full of praise for Donald and his undoubted genius. Jim had a word of encouragement for all budding composers. No matter the rubbish you come up with – keep at it. You only need one good ‘un to make your name. With more than a few good ‘uns to his name Jim knows what he is talking about.