The Scottish Pipers’ Association celebrates its 100th Anniversary next year. Our showpiece event in the annual piping calendar is the professional contest to be held this Saturday in Glasgow.
In my programme note I write: ‘Welcome to the Annual Professional Contest of the Scottish Pipers’ Association.
‘The SPA was founded in 1920 by the leading pipers of that era and continues to this day encouraging all pipers, young and old alike. We run four contests each year as well as a series of ‘Knockout’ contests, the last winner being none other than Stuart Liddell.
‘Our main forum is our monthly meeting held at the National Piping Centre, Otago St, where anyone can come along and listen to other pipers and also have a tune themselves which helps build confidence playing in front of an audience.’
Can I remind players and spectators that only the A grade will be held at NPC Otago St. Grades B & C will be held at NPC McPhater St.
The A grade Former Winners Contest should be quite a spectacle with players submitting 4 each of Marches, Strathspeys & Reels and have to play two of each right through.
This is the first time in recent years that the SPA has had graded contests and we hope it will be as big a success as the entries suggest. Some players who play in different grades will have to change venue but the draw should ensure plenty of time for the short subway journey between Glasgow’s west end and the city centre.
2019 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY……
SPA KO 1st Heat Stuart Liddell v Gordon McCready Sat 4th May
SPA KO 2nd Heat Callum Beaumont v Cameron McDougall Sat 8th June
SPA KO 3rd Heat Sarah Muir v Steven Leask Sat 7th Sept. 2019
SPA Annual Juvenile Contest : Saturday 7th September 2019
SPA Club Nights at the NPC Otago St: First Friday of each month at 7.30pm
All welcome for a chat and to play the pipes or just listen!
Details for Saturday’s contest……Admission and programme £6. Please note that the contest will be held in two venues the NPC Otago Street and the NPC McPhater Street.
A GRADE Piobaireachd and 6/8 march. Competitors will play their 6/8 march during their 4 minute tuning up period. ‘A’ Grade and Former Winners events are at the National Piping Centre, Otago Street.
A Piob/ 6/8 March 9.30 Otago Street
Judges: R Livingstone, W Morrison
1 C MacDougall
2 W Geddes
3 S Leask
4 S Muir
5 D Urquhart
6 A Russell
7 S Cameron
March/ Strathspey & Reel 12.30 Otago Street
Judges: R Livingstone, W Morrison
1 B Duncan (S&R only)
2 C MacDougall
3 D Urquhart (M only)
4 W Rowe
5 W Geddes (S&R only)
6 C Brown
Former Winners 2pm Otago Street
Judges: R Livingstone, W Morrison
1 A Russell
2 B Duncan
3 S Muir
4 Winner of March
5 W Geddes
6 Winner of S&R
7 J Dew
8 S Leask
B Piob 9.30 McPhater Street
Judge: A Frater
1 Neil Clark
2 W Rowe
3 C Brown
4 C Martin
5 B Mulhearn
6 D Nevans
7 J Dew
8 C Wynd
9 F Cameron
10 A Kummerlöw
11 Jamie Elder
12 Andrew Hall
13 B Duncan
14 J McElmurray
B M/S&R McPhater Street
Judges: I McLellan & Neill Mulvie
1 S Cameron
2 J Dew
3 F Cameron
4 C Wynd
5 N Clark
6 D Nevans
7 J Elder
8 A Kummerlöw
9 A Hall
10 C Martin
C Piob 9.30 McPhater Street
Judge: A Forbes
1 G Hardie
2 A Hutton
3 B Mulhearn
4 F Allison
5 D Stewart
6 B Chaimbeul
7 B Parker
8 R Conner
9 F Frame
10 B Greeves
11 A MacPhee
12 R Tierney
13 B Boxall
14 T Ness
15 A Yu
16 B Watson-Massey
17 A Drennan
18 K Shead
C M/S&R McPhater Street
Judges: I McLellan & Neill Mulvie
1 F Allison
2 A Yu
3 B Watson-Massey
4B Mulhearn
5 D Stewart
6 R Conner
7 A MacPhee
8 J McElmurray
9 S McCallum
10 K Shead
11 A Drennan
12 B Boxall
13 A Hutton
14 B Parker
15 G Hardie
16 T Ness
17 B Greeves
18 B Chaimbeul
19 F Frame
20 R Tierney
Prizegiving 5pm. Check PP for results as we get them.
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