This started off as a small opportunity for local kids to compete together as their local contests had been cancelled, the promoter reports. It quickly grew into a much larger event as documented below.
Competitors submitted audio files which were compiled and sent to judges who judged them blind, in other words, not knowing who the player was. The virus is forcing us to find new ways of supporting youth piping and drumming. This one seemed to work well under the circumstances.
Huge thanks to our judges, prize donors, and admin team. Their efforts were very much appreciated. They all gave their time freely and no entry fee was charged. The judges had a hard shift. Thanks.
The event was hosted by Burntisland & District Pipe Band between April 18th – 25th. We had 128 entries from pipers and 74 from drummers with entries from all over the world: the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. Forty-eight pipe bands were represented.
Our judges were Douglas Murray, Shaunna Hilder and Mark Stewart (piping) and Lee Innes, Steven McWhirter and Stuart Coils (drumming). The admin team was Bryan Spears, Craig Hooper and John Noble.
It was an interesting new model for us – but a great team of judges and lots of support made it all happen. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this success.
Prizes were specifically designed to provide the greatest support for youth development whilst on lock-down. They include on-line lessons with some of the finest talent in the business, along with lessons and tools for music composition and home practice.
Piping Prizes: Choice of long span chanter from Bryce’s Bagpipes donated by Graeme Bryce; Celtic Pipes Music Writing software; Box of 5 Murray Gold Medal Bagpipe Reed from Murray Reeds, donated by Douglas Murray; G1 Gold Plug and Play Chanter from G1, donated by John Elliott; Online lesson, Mark Stewart, Ellenor Waddell, Scott Wallace Indigenous Music, Shaunna Hilder, Sarah Muir, Lincoln Hilton, David Wilton, Dougie Murray, lesson donated by the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust, Kyle Rothschild, Keith Bowes Jnr.
Drumming prizes: Drum sticks for each overall winner and, Steven McWhirter, Pads & Sticks Donated by Kingdom Thistle, Paul Brown, 1 month subscription Drumming on Demand, Steven McWhirter, Online lessons, Steven McWhirter, Stuart Coils, Reid Maxwell, Steven Shedden, Mick O Neil, Scott Birrell, Lee Innes.
OVERALL WINNERS
12 & UNDER BEGINNER 2 PARTS MARCH – DRUMS
Callum Butler, Co. Limerick, IE, Newcastlewest & District Pipe Band
14 & UNDER BEGINNER 2 PARTS MARCH – PIPES
Catherine Spears, Fife, UK, Burntisland & District Pipe Band
13-18 BEGINNER DRUMS 2 PARTS MARCH
Ewan Allan, West Lothian, UK, People’s Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
12 & UNDER DRUMS COMBINED MSR
Tommi McAndrew, Aberdeenshire, UK, Mackenzie Caledonian Pipe Band
12 & UNDER PIPES COMBINED MSR
Euan McCartan, Argyll and Bute, UK, Mid Argyll Pipe Band
Judge’s comments from Steven McWhirter
13-15 DRUMS COMBINED MSR
Kerr McQuillan, East Dunbartonshire, UK, People’s Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
13-15 PIPES COMBINED MSR
Finlay Peden, West Lothian, UK, West Lothian Schools Pipe Band
16-18 DRUMS COMBINED MSR
Daniel Mulcahy (judges pref.), Co. Cork, IE, Closkelt Pipe Band
16-18 PIPES COMBINED MSR
Brogan Townsley, Perth and Kinross, UK, Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band
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10 Tutor Books for Schools/ Bands/ Trade£105.00 -
Pipe Chanters – Solo Poly or Solo Blackwood£130.00 – £265.00 -
Bagpipes – DN5 – The Finest Bagpipe Available£300.00 – £3,424.00 -
Bagpipes – DN1, High Quality Instrument£100.00 – £1,250.00
EVENT: 1 D 12 AND UNDER 2 PARTS BEGINNER MARCH – STICK & PAD; FIELD: 11; JUDGE: STUART COILS; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 18 APRIL 2020
1st Calum Butler, Co. Limerick, Ireland
2nd Gregor Noble, Fife
3rd Cameron McAllister, Argyll
4th Janey MacLellan, Johnstone
5th Matthew Gibb, Perth & Kinross
6th Leo Hogg, Fife
EVENT: 1 P 14 AND UNDER BEGINNER 2 PARTS MARCH – CHANTER; FIELD: 12; JUDGE: MARK STEWART; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 17th APRIL 2020
1st Catherine Spears, Fife
2nd Gregor Murray, Fife
3rd Ben McGaugie, Clackmannanshire
4th Evie Busher, Fife
5th Ellis MacDonald, Renfrewshire
6th Owen Livingstone, Fife
Judge’s comments from Mark Stewart:
EVENT: 2 D 13 – 18 2 PARTS BEGINNER MARCH – STICK & PAD; FIELD: 5; JUDGE: LEE INNES; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 19 APRIL 2020
1st Ewan Allen, West Lothian
2nd Brandon McGovern, Fife
3rd Bonga Busani, Johannesburg, South Africa
EVENT: 3 D 12 AND UNDER 4 Parts 2/4 MARCH – DRUMS; FIELD: 15; JUDGE: STEVEN McCWHIRTER; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 20 APRIL 2020
1st Zac Taylor, Clackmannanshire
2nd Joseph Charlton, Perthshire
3rd Tommi McAndrew, Aberdeenshire
4th Callum Anderson, Aberdeenshire
5th Carter Green, New Brunswick, Canada
6th Leo Hogg, Fife
EVENT: 3 P 12 AND UNDER 4 PARTS 2/4 MARCH – PIPES; FIELD: 25; JUDGE: DOUGLAS MURRAY; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 20 APRIL 2020
1st Euan McCarten, Argyl
2nd Poppy Spears, Fife,
3rd Maggie McConnochie, Canterbury, NZ
4th Lachlan Rennie, Dundee
5th Tayla Eagle, Christchurch, NZ
6th Owen McCreadie, West Lothian
EVENT: 4 D 13 – 15 4 PARTS 2/4 MARCH – DRUMS; FIELD: 13; JUDGE: STUART COILS; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 21 APRIL 2020
1st Kerr McQuillan, East Dunbartonshire
2nd Georgia Eagle, Christchurch, NZ
3rd Robbie Pate, South Lanarkshire
4th George Irvine, Clackmannanshire
5th Erica Wise, Fife
6th Megan Lewis, Fife
Judge’s comments from Stuart Coils:
EVENT: 4 P 13 – 15 4 PARTS MARCH – PIPES; FIELD: 35; JUDGE: SHAUNNA HILDER; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 24 APRIL 2020
1st Finlay Peden, West Lothian
2nd Gregor Grierson, Dumfries and Galloway
3rd Lewis Maxwell, Clackmannanshire
4th Christopher McCartan, Argyll and Bute
5th Archie McNab, Perth and Kinross
6th Logie Johnston, Argyll and Bute
EVENT: 5 D 16 – 18 4 PARTS MARCH – DRUMS; FIELD: 9; JUDGE: LEE INNES; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 22 APRIL 2020
1st Guy Kellas, Edinburgh
2nd Daniel Mulcahy, Cork, Ireland
3rd Arren McWilliams, Co.Down
4th Amy Wallace, Johannesburg, South Africa
EVENT: 5 P 16 – 18 4 PARTS MARCH – PIPES; FIELD: 14; JUDGE: MARK STEWART; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 22 APRIL 2020
1st Brogan Townsley, Perth & Kinross
2nd Gregor MacDonald, Argyll and Bute
3rd Amaidh Stoddart, Argyll and Bute
4th Arianna MacLellan, Renfrewshire
5th Hamish Scott, Western Isles
6th Hardie Crawford, Ross & Cromarty
Judge’s comments from Shaunna Hilder:
EVENT: 6 D 12 AND UNDER 4 PARTS STRATH & REEL – DRUMS; FIELD: 6; JUDGE: STEVEN MCWHIRTER; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 23 APRIL 2020
1st Oliver Burbury, Clackmannanshire
2nd Tommi McAndrew, Aberdeenshire
3rd Calum Anderson, Aberdeenshire
EVENT: 6 P 12 AND UNDER 4 PARTS STRATH & REEL – PIPES; FIELD: 12; JUDGE: SHAUNNA HILDER; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 21 APRIL 2020
1st Archie Johnson, Isle of Mull
2nd Tayla Eagle, Christchurch, NZ
3rd Maggie McConnochie, Canterbury, NZ
4th Euan Mcarten, Argyll
5th Rory Menzies, Aberdeenshire
6th Poppy Spears, Fife
EVENT: 7 D 13 – 15 4 PARTS STRATH & REEL – DRUMS; FIELD: 8; JUDGE: LEE INNES; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 24 APRIL 2020
1st Kerr McQuillan, East Dunbartonshire
2nd Georgia Eagle, Christchurch, NZ
3rd George Irvine, Clackmannanshire
4th Erica Wyse, Fife
Judge’s comments from Lee Innes
EVENT: 7 P 13-15 4 PARTS STRATH AND REEL – PIPES; FIELD: 19; JUDGE: MARK STEWART; DATE OF EVENT: 24 APRIL 2020
1st Finlay Peden, West Lothian
2nd Archie McNab, Perth and Kinross
3rd Dugald MacKechnie, Stirling
4th Gregor Grierson, Dumfries and Galloway
5th Lewis Maxwell, Clackmannanshire
6th Chris McCartan, Argyll and Bute
EVENT: 8 D 15 – 18 4 PARTS STRATH & REEL – DRUMS; FIELD: 7; DATE JUDGED: 25 APRIL 2020
1st Daniel Mulcahy, Cork, Ireland
2nd Guy Kellas, Edinburgh
3rd Scott O’Neill, South Lanarkshire
4th Oscar Schoenmaker, Queensland, Australia
Judge’s comments from Douglas Murray:
EVENT: 8 P 16 – 18 4 PARTS STRATH & REEL – PIPES; FIELD: 11; JUDGE: DOUGLAS MURRAY; DATE EVENT JUDGED: 25 APRIL 2020
1st Brogan Townsley, Perth and Kinross
2nd Gregor MacDonald, Argyll and Bute
3rd Hardie Crawford, Ross and Cromarty
4th Thabiso Motaung, Johannesburg, South Africa
5th Timothy Lincoln, Johannesburg, South Africa
6th Amaidh Stoddart, Argyll and Bute