All congratulations to Alasdair Henderson and Nick Hudson, pictured above, on winning the two major piobaireachd awards of the summer, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban and the Clasp at Inverness. Both are first time champions at this level.
Why are these the highest ceòl mòr awards in world piping? The tunes are from a set list of the most difficult in the canon, your chosen piece is given only 20 minutes before you have to play it, and you are up against 20+ of the best pipers in the world.
Compare that with, for example, the piobaireachd at the Glenfiddich competition, where you can put in six of your favourites, you get the tune the night before (at least you did in my day), and you are up against only nine other pipers. Of course Glenfiddich is all about the overall prize, but I think you get my point.
Nick’s win makes him only the second ever American to win the Clasp, his teacher, Mike Cusack, being the first. Both Nick and Mike are continuing the US teaching legacy left by the late Jimmy McIntosh. He would have been proud of them both.
Teaching really is the noblest of pursuits and not enough of it is being done by our senior pipers. Something needs to be done to encourage them. You should be able to judge at the highest level whilst still helping to nurture the next generation of champion pipers.
Funeral Details
Joe Noble’s funeral will be held at Dalnottar Crematorium, Clydebank, at 2.30pm on the 18th of September. Thereafter to Kilmardinney House. There will be a collection at the service.
SG KO Draw
Jimmy Banks has announced the draw for the 2024/25 Scots Guards Knock Out series to be held in the Scots Guards Club, Haymarket, Edinburgh. The rounds are:
October 27: Cameron May v Christopher McLeish
November 24: Sandy Cameron v Craig Muirhead
January 26: Callum Wynd v Bobby Allan
February 23: Brodie Watson-Massie v Jamie Elder
Kilberry Castle
This building was the home of the Kilberry Clan in Argyll for many years and appeared in a property brochure recently. It was sold a a couple of years ago for re-development as a hotel. It was from here that John Campbell, Kilberry, father of Archibald of book fame, wrote his crucial letter calling for the formation of the Piobaireachd Society which ended with the famous cry: ‘Prepare Sunart for Ardnamurchan has gone to wreck! and if the pibroch dies then dies also the spirit of the Scottish Gael.’
Balmoral Classic
US Junior Solo Bagpiping & Drumming Championships are on November 2, 2024. Pipers will compete in MSR and Pìobaireachd. Overall prize is a set of MacRae bagpipes donated by McCallum Bagpipes.
Piping judges are Dr Angus MacDonald and Matt MacIsaac. Entries by October 1 here. Events begin with the piping and drumming competitions on Saturday at 9am with an awards ceremony after. On Saturday evening there is a folk group concert and Sunday morning a free judge’s workshop for competitors.
Rooms for Balmoral Classic participants have been set aside at a discounted rate at the Courtyard by Marriott Pittsburgh University Center, 100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA.
Games Round Up
A few games still to go this season. Braemar is tomorrow (another tough piobaireachd event – eight tunes, chosen piece given at the bench), Blairgowrie on Sunday, Pitlochry next Saturday (Sept.14), and Greig Canning’s Bowhill Games – £500 prizemoney – on the 15th.
Tutors and Judging: that tasty morsel again.
Discussed this week with an undisputed authority but sadly, the path to enlightenment seems overgrown with fragile egos.
If one enters a ‘contract’ to participate in a competition then decency should dictate abiding by the judge’s decision. That task is most challenging task at any level but clearly more so as one advances through the grades.
In our tiny outpost (Australia) it is practically impossible to avoid playing before someone from whom you have received tuition for long. We generally ‘drink some cement’, try our best and accept what we did wrong this time. Those that don’t are generally well known and less likely to improve.
My brother stayed at Kilberry Castle back in 1964 during his school journey. It’s now on the market with Knight Frank for offers over £650,000.
Some interesting history and photos attached:
https://www.knightfrank.com/blog/2021/07/07/15th-century-kilberry-castle-in-scotland-is-the-ultimate-doer-upper-on-the-market-for-ps650000
Correction: Kilberry Castle is not currently for sale. The property brochure you are referencing was from the original sale in 2021. And according to their website, the castle is being restored as a residential home and not a hotel.