Major Bruce W Macdonald, Chairman of the Clan Donald Trust for the Gaelic Performing Arts, Charleston, South Carolina, USA: ‘I am pleased to advise that the videos from the fifth annual Scottish Performing Arts Classic in Charleston, South Carolina, are now available for viewing on the Robert Burns Society of Charleston’s website.’
Four invited pipers each play a piobaireachd. They were Nick Hudson, Phantom Piper of the Corrieyairick, Finlay Johnston, Lament for MacSwan of Roaig, Angus J MacColl, MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute and Alastair Murray with the Desperate Battle of the Birds. Judge Bruce Hitchings announced Angus J MacColl the winner.
The programme introduction reads: ‘The ancient MacDonald Lords of the Isles saw it as their responsibility to support, encourage, and develop the Gaelic culture in all its forms. The Lords of the Isles built churches, supported monasteries, were patrons of dancing, clarsach playing, poetry and, of course, piping.
‘For more than thirty years, the Clan Donald Trust for the Gaelic Performing Arts (CDT), in the name of great Clan Donald, has been honored to carry on this important responsibility. The Robert Burns Society of Charleston was pleased to partner with CDT to bring to Charleston three of these important Scottish Performing Arts competitions: The Princess Margaret of the Isles Memorial Prize for Senior Clarsach (Harp), The Dan R MacDonald Memorial Prize for Senior Fiddle and The Joseph MacDonald Memorial Prize for Piobaireachd.
‘These three important competitions were conducted on June 6th and June 7th, 2025, at South Carolina Society Hall in Charleston, South Carolina.’ Watch all performances here:
CLASP Results
Margaret Houlihan reports: The NPC (McPhater Street) was the venue for the June 21 CLASP in-person competition. Overall winners: Grade 1 Owain Woodman Carr, Grade 2 Tony Doherty, Grade 3 Sophie Stringer
G1 Piob: 1 Owain Woodman Carr 2 John Nevans 3 Donald Morrison 4 Craig Turnbull 5 Graham Farr 6 Charles Dunbar
G1 2/4 March: 1 Owain Woodman Carr 2 Conall McNamara 3 Douglas Small 4 Craig Turnbull 5 John Nevans 6 Callum Kirk
G1 S&R: 1 Douglas Small 2 Conall McNamara 3 Craig Turnbull 4 John Nevans 5 Callum Kirk 6 Owain Woodman Carr
G1 6/8: 1 Conall McNamara 2 Douglas Small 3 Craig Turnbull 4 John Nevans 5 Callum Kirk 6 Owain Woodman Carr
G2 Piob: 1 Adam Aitchison 2 Callum Kirk 3 Alistair Robinson 4 Douglas Small
G2 2/4 March: 1 Tony Doherty 2 Lou Reed 3 Donald Morrison 4 Adam Aitchison
G2 S&R: 1 Tony Doherty 2 Lou Reed 3 Adam Aitchison 4 Donald Morrison
G2 6/8: 1 Tony Doherty 2 Donald Morrison 3 Lou Reed 4 Adam Aitchison
G3 Piob: 1 Sophie Stringer 2 Sue Kennedy 3 Anthony Maclachlan 4 Simon Kelly 5 Robert Thomson 6 Joe Moore
G3 2/4 March: 1 Alistair Robinson 2 Billy Beck 3 Sophie Stringer 4 James Thomas 5 Simon Kelly 6 Stephen Birch
G3 S&R: 1 Anthony Maclachlan 2 Alistair Robinson 3 Sophie Stringer 4 Charles Dunbar 5 Stephen Birch 6 Joe Moore
G3 Jig: 1 Billy Beck 2 Anthony Maclachlan 3 Alistair Robinson 4 Simon Kelly 5 Charles Dunbar 6 Sophie Stringer
Judges: C Sinclair (Piobaireachd) and G McCready (Light Music).
Bagpipes – DN1, High Quality Instrument
The DN1 bagpipe by David Naill is a high quality, entry-level bagpipe in African blackwood, fully beaded and combed with beaded nickel ferrules and caps, imitation ivory projecting mounts, polypenco pipe chanter, Canmore synthetic bag (zipper bag extra – hide bags on request), with velvet cover and silk cords.
There’s a choice of green, blue, wine or black. Pipe supplied without reeds. View …
