2018 Balmoral Classic Schedule, Pittsburgh, USA

The organisers of the Balmoral Classic competition in the US have sent these reminders…

Friday, Nov. 16, 7:30pm: Music and Contra Dance for Balmoral Classic competitors, families, guests and supporters, as well as the Pittsburgh dance community. The event is also a book launch for The Balmoral Guide to Scottish Pipers Playing for Community Dances.

The Balmoral Classic judges, all celebrated musicians, will be playing smallpipes, border pipes, fiddle and snare drum, along with two fiddlers, an uillean piper, a guitarist and a keyboard player. The event is co-sponsored by the Pittsburgh Contra Dance Network (https://pittsburghcontra.org). $10 admission. Location: St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, 419 S Dithridge St, Pittsburgh, PA15213

Saturday, Nov. 17, 8am-5pm: The US Junior Solo Piping and Drumming competitions will be held at the University of Pittsburgh’s Bellefield Hall, piping contests in the main auditorium, drumming contests in Room 309.

The piobaireachd contest will begin at 8:30am, and after a lunch break, the MSR contest will commence at 1:00pm. Piobaireachd consists of two tunes and MSR requires two sets consisting of a 2/4 competition March, Strathspey, and Reel, each with 4 or more parts. Drumming competitions are MSR and Hornpipe/Jig, each requiring 4-parted tunes.

Piping judges are: Donald F. Lindsay (USA), Dr Angus MacDonald (Scotland) and Matt MacIssac (Canada). Drumming judges are Gordon Bell and Jon Quigg. Free to the public. Location: University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall, 315 S. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.


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Saturday Evening, Nov. 17, 8pm: Enjoy spirited Celtic music from north of the border with acclaimed Cape Breton ensemble, Nuallan.

Comprised of three pipers—Keith MacDonald, Kenneth MacKenzie, and Kevin Dugas—accompanied by keyboard and fiddle. Balmoral Classic winners will be announced at 7:30pm, just before the concert, and overall winners of the piping and drumming contests are invited to play their winning medleys at the start of the concert’s second set.

Tickets are $35 at the door, $27 in advance, $15 for Seniors 65+, $10 for student with ID. Purchase at www.Showclix.com, or call (888) 718-4253. Location: Carnegie Lecture Hall, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa 15233.

Sunday, Nov. 18, 11am-1pm: There will be a piobaireachd workshop on the 2019 Silver Medal tunes, conducted by Dr. Angus MacDonald. The workshop is free and open to the public. Location: Wyndham University Inn, 100 Lytton St. Pittsburgh, PA 15233

For more information, call (412) 323-2707, or contact George Balderose, Executive Director (George@Bagpiping.org), Leslie Clark, Associate Director, (Leslie@Bagpiping.org), or visit our Classic page at www.BalmoralClassic.org


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