The RSPBA has announced the adjudicators for the Major Championships for the 2016 pipe band season. Judges for the Grade 1 Worlds are:
Qualifier 1: Campbell, Young, Mordaunt, N Russell
Qualifier 2: G Wilson, Garrett, Dinsdale, Snadden
G1 MSR Final: MacShannon, Wark, Steele, MacInnes
G1 Medley Final: Stevenson, Ronaldson, G Craig, Hutcheon
Get the full lists for the other grades and all other championships here. Read about G1 Medley Final judge Harry Stevenson in the latest edition of Pipe Band magazine:
With less than a week to go the ninth annual Pipe Majors’ Wheel of Fortune competition, the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band has announced the draw for the contest as well as details of two major auction prizes.
Organiser Paul White: ‘Danderhall Miners Club, near Edinburgh, will welcome a stellar group of pipers who have enjoyed success in the folk scene as well as in pipe band and solo competition.
‘Brian Lamond, a former Pipe Major of Dysart and Dundonald and a member of the Victoria Police Pipe Band which won the World’s in 1998, will return to defend the title he won in 2015. Brian, from Dunfermline in Fife, has been drawn third in this year’s competition, which will be held on Saturday 13th February.’
The draw in full is as follows:
- Jonathan Greenlees
- Finlay Johnston
- Brian Lamond
- Angus Nicholson
- Douglas Murray
- Callum Beaumont
- Alasdair Henderson
- Chris Armstrong
Judges are Pipe Majors Ian McLellan BEM, Bob Shepherd MBE and Barry Donaldson. As well as announcing the draw, the City of Edinburgh band shared news of two major prizes which can be won at the auction, an important fund-raising feature of the Wheel of Fortune event.
Master pipemakers Wm Sinclair and Son of Leith have donated a set of pipes will be auctioned on the day. The instrument has been hand-made by Alastair Sinclair and is sure to attract a great deal of interest.
‘Allan has agreed to compose a two-parted tune, in any idiom, for the winner of the auction. The person who makes the highest bid will also be able to name the tune.’
‘We are also delighted that Allan MacDonald has agreed to provide us with a truly unique auction prize. Down the line, there’s every chance that the tune Allan composes will be played by top pipe bands and solo players. The online auction provides piping enthusiasts throughout the world with the opportunity to bid for a place in history.
‘The Wheel of Fortune has enjoyed superb support from the piping community. A number of firms – G1, Kilberry Bagpipes, McCallum Bagpipes, Red Welt and Wallace Bagpipes – have kindly agreed to support our event and we are extremely grateful to all of them. Very special thanks are due to the pipers who have agreed to join us. Without them, there is no Wheel of Fortune competition!’
Entry to the event is £15.00 for adults and £5.00 for under 16s. The competition begins at 12.00pm prompt, with doors open from 11.30am. For enquiries Paul White by calling 07941 679015 or email paulwhite2@blueyonder.co.uk
The latest round of the Scottish Pipers’ Association Knockout was held last Saturday. President Tom Johnstone: ‘Douglas Murray won the toss and elected to play first, and played exceptionally well. After the interval Steven Leask also played a fantastic selection and got the audience vote to go on to the semi-finals which will be held on 12th March and 2nd April.’ Listen to Steven playing:
