Darby McCarrol passed away suddenly on the evening of December 28, 2011. McCarrol was an accomplished piper known across Canada and the United States particularly for his dedication to piping for dancing. He was a long-time and proud member of the 48th Highlanders of Canada Pipes & Drums, from which he retired with the rank of Warrant Officer.

 

He lived a lifetime with a love for the music of the bagpipe. First taught by his father Hamilton McCarrol, Pipe-Major of the 48th Highlanders Depot Pipe Band during World War II, he was taught by the great Edinburgh/Toronto piper John Wilson for more than 10 years. McCarrol won the Open Piobaireachd event at the Fergus Highland Games playing “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon.”

 

In addition to the 48th Highlanders, Darby McCarrol played with several top-flight bands of the time, including the RCAF 400 Squadron and the Caledonia Pipe Band. He was Pipe-Sergeant of the Edmonton Caledonia Pipe Band and Pipe-Major of the Dundas Pipe Band.

 

There will be a visitation on January 2, 2012, 1-3 pm, and a 3-4 pm service at Dodsworth & Brown Funeral Home, Robinson Chapel, 15 West Avenue N., Hamilton, Ontario L8L 5B9.

 

Our condolences go out to Darby McCarrol’s survivors and many friends at this sad time.

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From joyous achievements in competition, to celebrated performances, to technological advancements, to sad losses of beloved personalities, the year 2011 draws to a close, and pipes|drums was with you every day of the way. From the more than 300 news pieces over the last 12 months, we sit down to take a look at the stories that rose to the top of our interest and conscience – the developments we welcomed and those we dreaded. Once again, we bring you the most important 10 stories and collective trends of the year based on the impact that each had on the piping and drumming world.

 

It’s no easy task going through the year’s news of the world’s pipers and drummers. You will of course have your own preference, but, in the end, these are the stories we chose, beginning with # 10.

 

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As the world’s pipers and drummers take a collective break, pipes|drums Magazine wishes all of our readers a merry Christmas. It’s been another great year for us, and we thank you for keenly following us throughout 2011. We counted more than 225,000 unique visitors and more than 1.75-million visits overall to the magazine in the last 12 months, accounting for more than 4.5-million page-views in 2011 alone.

 

We brought our faithful subscribers nearly 50 full-length articles and, overall, more than 500 original pieces came your way in 2011. We couldn’t do it without the help of the world’s best writers on piping and drumming.

 

These are the people who provided you their insight and wisdom, whether through interviews, feature stories or reviews, over the last year: Chris Armstrong, Pete Aumonier, Graham Brown, John Cairns, Stephen Creighton, Greg Dinsdale, Willie Donaldson, Alastair Dunn, Michael Grey, David Hilder, the late Jim Hutton, Stuart Liddell, Bill Livingstone, Iain MacDonald, Ryan MacDonald, James MacHattie, Stewart McKenzie, Colin MacLellan, Rob MacNeil, Donald McBride, Willie McCallum, Jim McGillivray, Steven McWhirter, Derek Midgley, Libby O’Brien, Graeme Parker, Richard Parkes, Meaghan Proudfoot, Gerry Quigg, Mark Saul, Steve Scaife, Sean Somers, Anne Spalding, Jack Taylor, The Style Guy, Harry Tung, Bram van Melle and Barry Wilson.

 

To them and the dozens more who provided news tips, predictions, data and comments during 2011 – thank you!

 

 

From all of us here at the pipes|drums complex, merry Christmas!

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The Scots Guards Club Knockout contest on Sunday 4th December was a close callwith Glenn Brown narrowly defeating Andrea Boyd. The next event will take place on Sunday 11th December with Jenny Hazzard playing against John Mulhearn. It starts at 4pm, £10 ticket with a meal included.

The Arbroath & District Musical (Competitive) Festival Association will hold the Solo Piping and Drumming competition on Saturday 3rd March 2012.
The event is to take place at Arbroath Academy. Entries close on 6th February.
The adjudicators for 2012 are: Gordon Bruce and Finlay Johnston, piping; David Ross and Fiona Wilson, drumming.

• Download Entry Form & Events Info

On the 3rd December members of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland Senior Band performed at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards which were held this year at the Perth Concert Hall. The line up for this event included 11 bands such as the Peatbog Faeries, Skerryvore and the Paul McKenna Band who all entertained the enthusiastic audience throughout the evening. The NYPBoS were on towards the end of the night and performed once again “The Dragon’s Lair” which has become one of the signature pieces for the senior band over the past few years. The event was filmed for the BBC and will be broadcast on both the 5th and 9th December on BBC Alba. For UK residents if you’re interested in seeing the band in action please follow this link to access BBC iplayer.

On Sunday 11th December, Jenny Hazzard won the knockout against John Mulhearn. The next event is Sunday 15th January 2012, at Scots Guards Club in Haymarket, Edinburgh. The tie is between Alasdair Henderson and Keith Bowes. Tickets are£10 and include supper.

The third generation of Cowan family pipe-majors in Annan, Scotland, will continue with the appointment of Euan Cowan as leader of the Grade 3B Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band. Cowan replaces Chris Shearer, who had taken over previously from David McCracken. McCracken was the band’s first pipe-major when it formed in 2004.

 

Euan Cowan will be assisted by his brother Craig in the pipe-sergeant’s spot. Both men played previously with the Annan Ex-Service Club and Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary pipe bands, and Euan Cowan was also with the 1st Battalion Scots Guards where he earned his Pipe-Major’s certificate in 2000. He taught for two at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming in Edinburgh.

 

Euan Cowan is the third generation of Cowans to lead an Annan-based pipe band. The tradition started with his grandfather, Walter Cowan and great uncle Jack Cowan, who led the Royal British Legion Pipe Band, and were succeeded by Jack’s son, Walter Cowan, who, along with John Cowan, became Pipe-Major and Pipe-Sergeant of the newly named Annan Ex-Service Club Pipe Band, which climbed from Grade 4 to Grade 1 status.

 

The Royal Burgh of Annan Pipe Band was formed as an amalgamation of the Annan Ex-Service Club and the MacLean of Annan pipe bands. Royal Burgh of Annan also runs a Juvenile band.

 

The second Walter Cowan is also an accomplished competitive solo piper and now commits much of his piping time to judging and teaching.

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