Germany’s Northern Winter Competition Continues to Grow in Stature

One hundred and forty pipers and drummers converged on the German city of Bremen at the weekend for the Northern Winter Competition, writes the Editor.

Organised by the Bagpipe Association of Germany, it was a triumph of efficiency and balance: camaraderie, fierce competition in equal measure.

Judges were myself, Barry Donaldson, Peter Hunt and Allan MacDonald. There were solos at every level and quintets for bands.

This last worked particularly well with three pipers, one side and one tenor or bass making a ‘quorum’ and a pleasant acoustic balance in the large school assembly room.

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Champion soloist was Anna Kummerlöw, well known to Scottish pipers as a Piobaireachd Society recitalist and a winner of the coveted Braemar Gold Medal.

Anna took first in Piobaireachd and MSR and a third in Hornpipe and Jig. Her winning tune in the piobaireachd was the King’s Taxes, one of the set tunes for the Silver Medal 2026.

Her treatment was straightforward but professional. The polish will come as we near the summer. Second was Klaus Linhart playing a well set out Donald of Laggan – a weakish crunluath the downside.

How nice was it to see that champion Danish piping titan Tom Harboe back on the boards! I last met him 30 or so years ago at a recital in Copenhagen. Tom still helps out occasionally with the Heather Pipes and Drums, a band he took to Grade 2.

His tune was the Battle of Auldearn No2, and fewer misses, and he could have done better. He told me later that he felt so much tension run in the fingers that he nearly pulled out of the contest altogether. I was glad he didn’t; he produced a lot of good music….as he did in the MSR.

Again this was won by Anna. Her Colin Thomson needs to pay more heed to the short notes – clipped. Otherwise this was professional piping on a harmonic instrument. Her other tunes were Monymusk and the Champion Piper.

Pushing her was Peter Crowe. His pipe lacked overtone, an in-tune chanter slightly isolated from the black sticks on his shoulder. No matter; Peter gave us a robust Kilbowie Cottage, Tulloch Castle and Rejected Suitor. Tom Harboe was again third. He demonstrated once more that he totally understood the MSR idioms, those tight hands and the resultant technical misses nudging him down.

Peter Crowe came into his own in the Hornpipe & Jig. Though his setting of the Ladies Hornpipe leaves a lot to be desired, he got the jaunty lift required and complemented it with a solid rendition of Donald MacPherson’s Curlew.

Piob: 1 Anna Kummerlöw 2 Klaus Linhart 3 Tom Harboe 4 Heinrich Herzog (Black Donald)
MSR: 1 Anna Kummerlöw 2 Peter Crowe 3 Tom Harboe 4 Heinrich Herzog
H&J: 1 Peter Crowe 2 Tom Harboe 3 Anna Kummerlöw 4 Heinrich Herzog
Check here for all other 2026 results.

The Northern Winter Competition is a two-day event. On the first evening the judges gave a recital. It was well received. The organisers usher the audience out after the first day’s results and then usher them back in again for a small fee for entry to the concert. It worked well and earned a a few euros for the BAG coffers.

Afterwards the judges were treated to a fine meal and drinks in a nearby hostelry and with kytes well swelled, out came the pipes. There was brilliant kitchen piping from Peter Crowe and outstanding small pipe work from Allan MacDonald with spoons accompaniment.

The BAG have big ambitions for the NWC. It attracts pipers from all over mainland Europe, noted players driving in from Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Gustav flying in from Stockholm. It must already be the largest winter gathering on mainland Europe.

Given the level of organisation and enthusiasm evident last weekend, it will continue to grow in stature. Robin, Peter, Simone, Gregor and all the other helpers, take a bow.

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