On Friday 27 November, the Scottish Piping Society of London held a Facebook Live event to announce the results of its first ever online competition. The competition saw the Society host events for C Grade players (Piobaireachd and MSR), as well as for Amateur players and SPSL members (Piobaireachd, March, Strathspey and Reel, and 6/8 March). The winner of the C Piobaireachd, Luke Kennedy, is pictured above.
The competition was held over the weekend of 7th November, with entrants provided with a competition window between 9am on Friday until 9am on Monday, to submit their recordings. There were over 80 entries, largely UK-based, but with some from overseas.
By Alison Gilmour
SPSL President Michael Fitzhenry led the Facebook Live event and reflected on the first competition: ‘Upon taking the decision to postpone the November Annual Competition, the committee decided relatively quickly that we wanted to offer an online event specifically catered to C Grade, Amateur and SPSL members.
‘With this focus, we also looked to draw on adjudicators who are not normally able to contribute to our annual competition panels, and to provide competitors the opportunity for feedback from a range of high calibre judges, including contemporary premier players.
‘I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all competitors and adjudicators for their continued support, as well as members of the SPSL committee for their hard work in delivering this event. I’d like to extend a particular note of thanks to Ross Miller of the CPA who was kind enough to share his perspectives, which helped us determine how to deliver the event.
‘In the meantime we’re moving our popular Strictly Come Piping event online. I hope to see lots of you there on Saturday 5 December for a social get-together, a number of international guest performances, and a personal highlight of mine, seeing Vice-President Andy Hall back in the driving seat for the ‘Strictly Quiz.’
Early next week, the SPSL will be contacting all competitors to provide adjudicator feedback on their performances and to seek feedback on the event, and prize winners will receive more information on how they will be provided with their prize money (C Grade) or medals (Amateur). Click here for more information on ‘Strictly Come Piping’.
The results for the 2020 SPSL Online Competition C Grade Piobaireachd
1 Luke Kennedy (Lady MacDonald’s Lament)
2 Scott Armstrong (I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand)
3 Andrew MacPhee (Isabel MacKay)
4 Calum Kaye (The Groat)
5 Harris MacLennan (The Edinburgh Piobaireachd)
6 Aidan Bowen (Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay)
Judges: Dr A MacDonald, A Hayes
C Grade MSR
1 Jack Williamson (Taking of Beaumont Hamel, Caledonian Society of London, Ca’ the Ewes)
2 Josh Chandler (Donald MacLellan of Rothesay, Highland Harry, Smith of Chilliechassie)
3 Kyle Shead (Abercairney Highlanders, Tulloch Castle, Little Cascade)
4 David Stulpner (Hugh Kennedy, Maggie Cameron, Alick C MacGregor)
5 Peter Skae (PM J. McWilliams, Shepherd’s Crook, Sheepwife)
6 Ross Davison (Inveran, Dora MacLeod, Sheepwife)
Judges: G Brown, G McCready
Open Amateur Piobaireachd
1 Justin Howland (Big Spree)
2 Angus Burke (Hector MacLean’s Warning)
3 Dane Grant (Battle of Auldearn)
4 Robert Wilson (Lament for Donald of Laggan)
5 Gill Cairns (Caber Feidh Gu Bragh)
Judges: R Livingstone, J Wilson
Open Amateur March
1 Justin Howland
2 Angus Burke
3 Maximilian Yeo
4 Andrew Nelson
5 Robert Wilson
Judges: S Muir, I Speirs
Open Amateur Strathspey & Reel
1 Andrew Nelson
2 Justin Howland
3 Angus Burke
4 Kevin Darmadi
5 Maximilian Yeo
Judges: S Muir, I Speirs
Open Amateur 6/8 March
1 Angus Burke
2 Maximilian Yeo
3 Robert Wilson
4 Justin Howland
5 Scott Long
Judges: M Fitzhenry, A Hall
