What a day for North America! Three of the five major prizes went to either Canada or the US with the other going to New Zealand. Scotland’s honour was saved by Finlay Johnston in the ‘big’ MSR – but with Ontario’s Ian K MacDonal right on his brogue heels.
Ian’s compatriot Sean McKeown took the coveted Highland Society of London Gold Medal. This was a very popular win. Over the years Sean has had every Gold Medal prize at Oban and Inverness. He was twice runner-up to Ian K in 2016.
I judged Sean at the Livingstone Memorial in May and clearly this was a piper on form. He confirmed it with his performances at the Piobaireachd Society recital in St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh, just before the Worlds.
One of Sean’s tunes at the recital was Port Urlar, his winning selection yesterday. I will be posting the St Cecilia’s recordings very soon so Society members will be able to enjoy his playing of this tune – probably close to what he delivered yesterday. It is of the first order. Congratulations again Sean, your late teacher Bill Livingstone’s legacy lives on.
Zephan Knichel confirmed an amazing summer for the boys from BC. Fresh from SFU’s triumph at Glasgow Green, here was Zephan, a pupil of Jack Lee’s I believe, picking up Silver. FM’S Ruairidh Brown took second.
Over at the MacGregor young Texan Alex Pavlovic took first with what the judges described as an outstanding rendition of the Lament for Patrick Og getting him in to the final. Then a good Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry was enough to see him over the line. Playing twice in the pressure cooker that is Oban is a big ask for these young players. It makes Alex’s triumph all the more noteworthy and he now moves on to try for Silver in 2027.
My judging duties were on the Former Winners’ March, Strathspey and Reel. This was a five and a half hour long competition – thankfully there were a handful of call offs or we could have added at least another hour to that.
As already noted Finlay Johnston was the winner. I was pleased to see so many young pipers in the audience. From the moment Finlay struck up, they, and the rest of us, heard how a bagpipe should sound. Perfectly balanced, each note of the chanter ringing true to a resonant, warm drone, the bass, deep and rich.
The playing was cultured, the technique projected into the echoing room with clarity and precision. The tunes were Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Susan MacLeod (last part played properly with the cut up from the C in the run down) and the Smith of Chilliechassie. A worthy winner.
Second was, as I said, Ian K. He produced another solid, harmonic instrument. The finger was solid too and gave full expression to Bonnie Anne, Maggie Cameron and Bessie MacIntyre (a little early with the grip in the third part).
Third, we had another terrific performance, this time from Cameron Drummond. Again the pipe set him apart from many of the others. This was first class MSR playing. Professional tempi, yet phrasing maintained, and not a gracenote missed. Cameron’s tunes were John MacFadyen of Melfort, Piper’s Bonnet and Miss Proud.
Callum Beaumont was forth. Bob o’ Fettercairn and Ca’ the Ewes were well played but he was early off the beat in the second part of Elspeth Campbell and the B tachum did not come through at the ending of the parts. Nice pipe, steady and full.
Craig Sutherland, another fresh from success with SFU, really went for it to earn fifth. Forceful playing in Dugald MacColl’s Farwell to France, the fingers well up to the task, though there were a few unclear moments as he rattled through the tune. He settled down to give good lift to Dora MacLeod (dare not always clear in the third part) and John Morrison, Assynt House.
Sixth was Alasdair Henderson. His pipe was good and the finger clear, we just needed more consistency in phrasing in the last part of Craigendarroch and in the Cal. Soc. of London. Mrs MacPherson sang.
A little more pointing would have helped Iain Speirs – otherwise a perfectly fingered set on a cultured bagpipe. Connor Sinclair nipped the short notes in Inveran (E,F,E) and C,B,C in the third part of Inveran, but overall this was bright, well phrased piping, especially in Lady Loudon and the Champion Piper. Alex Gandy acquitted himself well in Jimmy Young but there were a few misses elsewhere. Ben Duncan was nervous and erratic in Lochiel’s Awa’ and the pipe didn’t quite last. Angus MacColl was musical as ever but early with the birls at the end of MacLean of Pennycross and there was some unclear bottom hand work.
- Full results from Day 1 here.
A superb digital book of pipe music….
Click on pic to order…..
