A good day in a splendid place…..eight of Scotland’s best pipers under the age of 22 competed at Lochnell Castle near Oban for this prestigious championship. Three pipers from ‘abroad’ – Ontario, Vancouver, and Australia, were eligible but were unable to make the journey. Eligibility was dependent on this season’s results.
By Dr Jack Taylor
Two trophies were on offer – in memory of Jimmy McIntosh for Piobaireachd, and William McCallum Senior for MSR.
This, the fourth Lochnell, is an initiative of the Argyllshire Gathering, and aims, in fear an tigh John Wilson’s words, to provide ‘an aspirational ladder for young players’.
So, after John’s words, we were off, with myself Ronnie MacShannon and Alasdair Henderson on the bench.
Piobaireachd
First on, Camron McPhail had a sweet, true pipe and settled into Pass of Crieff with imaginative groundwork, the long E of the opening hiharin setting a clear mood. The variations didn’t quite match up, being rather straight and tentative at times.
Fraser Hamilton created a fitting sense of sadness in the ground of Lament for the Iolaire, but overmilked the slow tempo and the length of some of the short notes. This mood continued in V1, but Fraser fell victim to Donald MacLeod’s habit of putting in unexpected twists with a wrong bar in line 3. An evocative performance.
Ross Conner’s Old Men of the Shells was good – one might have said excellent had he achieved some more onward flow in places. Shortening his cadence Es would have helped with this.
Ruairidh Brown ‘went for it’ with the Red Speckled Bull. No dreariness here, this was an army on attack, but well measured and organised too, the pipe clear and true.
Brodie Watson-Massey, with a deeper equally impressive sound, started Lachlan MacNeill Kintarbert’s Fancy well – thoughtful, linking through the phrases. Over-cutting in V1 and taorluath doublings and mild drone drift were a distraction.
Luke Kennedy tuned long, realised it, and went headlong into MacNeill of Barra’s March. It was a solid performance, but had he taken less time, and settled himself more with variations akin to his tune, rather than the completely contrasting Earl of Antrim, his potential, and that of MacNeill of Barra might have been more forthcoming.
A wavering tenor during tuning seemed to bode ill for Cameron May before playing Lament for the Children. But it disappeared completely and the blend between chanter and drone for the entire tune was exemplary. The music was smooth – in an ideal world looking for a touch more shading in variations one and two, lengthening some passing notes, and slowing the doublings of Taorluath and Crunluath.
Last on was Kyle Cameron. A fine performance of Rory MacLeod’s Lament was marred only by unsteady drones from mid-tune and occasional unclear fingering.
Result: 1 Ruairidh Brown 2 Cameron May 3 Brodie Watson-Massey 4 Ross Conner.
March, Strathspey & Reel
Ross Conner impressed immediately with a natural swing in South Hall, a lightly lilting Cat Lodge, and Drumlithie introduced by a good open tachum.
Ruairidh Brown was finger perfect, but tended to over-point Brigadier Cheape and Susan Macleod, leading to a stolid John Morrison of Assynt House.
Camron MacPhail was cautious with Leaving Lunga, but smooth and relaxed. Top of Craigvenow went well, but there was a slip in part 4, and the start of Dr MacPhail’s Reel was erratic.
Deliberate might best describe Fraser Hamilton’s Pap of Glencoe, Shepherd’s Crook and Man from Glengarry, contrasting with Kyle Cameron’s easy lift in Abercairney Highlanders, Hector MacLean and Alick C Macgregor.
Luke Kennedy’s set was lively and uptempo, but felt unsettled, whilst Cameron May, similarly driving it on, kept it well controlled. Brodie Watson-Massey had a smooth lift in Leaving Lunga, but Ewe with the Crooked Horn was a bit fast and straight, to be followed by a slightly erratic Stornoway Castle.
Result: 1 Ross Conner 2 Kyle Cameron 3 Cameron May 4 Brodie Watson-Massey.
Cameron May and Ross Conner tied on points for the overall title with Cameron declared the winner on a piobaireachd preference. Overall it was a day of fine piping, with the Piobaireachd possibly stronger than the MSR.
- Lochnell Intermediate Piping Championship, held at Lochnell Castle, Benderloch, Argyll, on October 19, 2024. Full results and other information here
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