Archie Kenneth Results/ Aboyne Online Details/ Set Tunes 2022

The winner of the 2021 Archie Kenneth Quaich competition for amateur piobaireachd is Malta-based piper Gill Cairns. She is pictured above during her winning performance.

Gill competed along with 23 other pipers in the competition held online on May 22.

Competitors’ recorded tunes were then passed to the judges Iain Speirs and Euan Anderson for consideration.

Gill tune was the Lament for John Morrison of Assynt House by P/M Donald MacLeod. The other prizes were:

2 Colin MacKenzie, Corrienessan’s Salute

3 Giovani Giulianini

4 Stuart Marshall

5 Andrea Jones

The competition was organised for the Piobaireachd Society’s Music Committee by Dr Peter McCalister. He announced the results last night (June 2) at a special online ceremony. A recording of Gill’s winning tune was played.

The judges commented that all pipers had acquitted themselves well especially given the technical challenges.


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Aboyne Games is pleased to be running its piping competitions this year, albeit online, writes Dr Jack Taylor. 

We have changed to the prerecorded video format, rather than ‘on the day’ recordings. Good and bad maybe – more chance to get that perfect recording, but the attendant frustration of that. 

There is one week (7-14 July) between being told the tunes and submitting the video. And it’s not easy – submit 6 Piobaireachd, 4 Marches, 4 Strathspeys and Reels – twice over. Own choice H&J though.

The awards ceremony at last year’s Aboyne Games

The thought behind this is to give those preparing for Oban and Inverness the chance to perform, regardless of whether these gatherings go ahead or not. So we are looking forward to high quality performances, as befits one of the oldest Games there is.

The fiddling championship is online too.  This was restarted several years ago, having been part of the Games in the past – a time when piping prize-winners were the likes of Alex Cameron, John MacDougall Gillies and George S MacLennan.

The prize-winning piping and fiddling performances will be part of an online broadcast on Aboyne Games Day, Saturday 7th August. 
Entry Form here


Given the cancellation of the major solo contests at Oban and Inverness the Piobaireachd Society recommends the continuation of their 2021 recommendations for 2022.

A. SENIOR COMPETITIONS

The Unjust Incarceration* – PS 2
Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon – PS 2, K
Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament** – PS 3
The Sound of the Waves against the Castle of Duntroon – PS 6, K
Nameless Cherede Darievea – PS 8, K
The Laird of Anapool’s Lament – PS 9
MacLeod of Colbeck’s Lament – PS 10
Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute – PS 11
Lament for the Harp Tree – PS 12, K
Lament for King George III – PS 14

Competitors will submit six of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play.
* For the purposes of the Senior competitions this tune should be played with the inclusion of the “optional” 3rd line, as recorded in Piobaireachd Society Book 2.
** For the purposes of the Senior competitions this tune should be played with the inclusion of Donald MacDonald’s additional variation (singling and doubling), as recorded in Piobaireachd Society Book 3. 

PS = Piobaireachd Society Collection; K = Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor

Competitors are not restricted to settings in the Piobaireachd Society Collection and Kilberry Book. Those who wish to play alternative settings should submit legible scores, indicating the origins of the settings, to competition organisers along with their tune selections.

Altogether different tunes known by the same or similar names will not be accepted as alternatives.

B. GOLD MEDAL COMPETITIONS

Competitors will submit eight tunes of their own choice, one of which they will be required to play.

C. SILVER MEDAL COMPETITIONS

Competitors will submit six tunes of their own choice, one of which they will be required to play.

This announcement is without prejudice to any arrangements made by either the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting.

For the Music Committee, Ronald McShannon, 2 Ascot Avenue, Glasgow, G12 0AX.

1 thought on “Archie Kenneth Results/ Aboyne Online Details/ Set Tunes 2022

  1. Aboyne Games Results will be broadcast on Aboyne Games social media on Games Day Saturday 7th August, not 1st August.

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