Placing: 1. Mark Maguth – USA
Tunes: Going Home – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice finger technique, Mark.

Be sure that you are playing full/correct C doublings. Sometimes you are substituting a kind of C doubling where you move the D grace note instead of a solid G grace note to C.

At the end of the first part, wait for the beat to place the birl. You are playing it a bit early. Same at the end.

Nice finger placement and technique for the most part, and looks like a solid start for your piping. Work on getting the full and complete C doublings in here. I personally like to hear the Low G grace note tap down to low A instead of the G grace note. Might be worth a try.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 01. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. John Jackson – South Africa
Tunes: Scots Wha Hae     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice finger technique, John.

There are slight crossing notes between bottom and top hand in the first part between D and E. The D throw movement varies…sometimes light sounding and sometimes heavy, but more like a misplaced grace note.

The 2nd part also good, and again just a bit of crossing that detracts from the clarity of the notes.

Your chanter is a bit unbalanced. I would try either blowing a little less, or maybe raising the reed up in the reed seat to get a less sharp sound on the top-hand notes.

Looks as though you’ve had a very positive start to your piping! Keep the hands looking relaxing and comfy like that, and try to clear up the crossing notes, and you’ll be onto the jigs in no time!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Danielle Chiarotto – Canada      Team: College of Piping Grade V Pipe Band
Tunes: Green Hills of Tyrol – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice technique demonstrated throughout the tune.

The grips are sometimes a little tight sounding at times. Try to fully sound the 2nd Low G in each grip.

Taorluaths on B are quite nice. Make sure that you don’t play the little transitional notes too long…it disrupts the flow a little in the ending.

Your finger technique is generally very good, with solid hand placement and a nice flow to the tune.

Good work!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Charne Pattrick – Canada      Team: The Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay
Tunes: Murdo’s Wedding – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very strong finger technique, with a nice flow to the tune.

Very slight cross note in first part E to High A.

Overall, I might consider reviewing the placement of your fingers on the bottom hand. They are pretty far over and I think there is just the slightest lack of clarity on some transitions with C and D notes. Worth reviewing, and maybe trying to pull hands back a wee bit.

Very nice playing though!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Mark Maguth – USA
Tunes: The Wearing of the Green – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice rhythm and flow to the tune Mark.

There is a slight lack of clarity on the little C notes at times, and I really like how solidly you are connecting with the strike notes. You are getting full value there.

The 2nd measure brings a few little timing and clarity issues to the surface. There is a slight cross note on the E doubling, and E to High A, and toward the end a little cross from E to C.

Overall, nice hand placement, good musical flow, and just a few little fingering technique/timing issues to be aware of and work out as you develop.

Very scary background, too.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 03. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. John Jackson – South Africa
Tunes: The High Road to Gairloch     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Nice, accurate playing in the first part. Make sure you are always playing E grace notes following the doublings and D throws that are followed
by low A or Low G. Did have a crossing noise in the first part. Also be sure to sound a good low G sound at the start of your D throws, especially
in the 3rd bar of the first part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 03. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Charne Pattrick – Canada      Team: The Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay
Tunes: The 79th Farewell to Gibraltar – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: 1st pt- Tempo on the brisk side, allowing for some poor execution, especially in the 4th bar of the first part, where you are leaving out the and G grace note of the C doubling and, playing an E grace note on the B of your Tarluath, and leaving out the E grace note of the Tarluath. This goes throughout the tune. Also make sure your play both low As in your birls.

2nd pt – Missing out the E and C before the B doubling at the end of the 2nd and 6th bars

4th – The 5th bar is giving you some problems. Be sure to play B to Low A tachums after the C doubling at the start of the bar. Playing the right grace note combination will be a big help here. It will also help with the phrasing in that bar.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Rena Toomey – USA      Team: Tidewater Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Tommy Tully’s Air     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Nice playing with good phrasing . Great delivery and dignity in the melodic presentation. The 1st part was played from the heart
but the 2nd part was played from the wrists and as a result is a bit stilted and lacking in the melodic flow.

That apart you are a first class player that is destined to go up the grades . Well done.

Tip for future contests. Don’t stand too near the mic. The bagpipe is well capable of being heard from distance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Max Middleton – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: Tricia’s Song – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The first line of the tune was delivered very cleanly and accurate. Watch the B to C grip slightly fluffed.

Try and let the melody flow a bit more.

Good solid phrasing and great note values.
Fingers solid and clean
You have potential to go all the way on this instrument – Well done.

Pipes very well set – chanter good with the exception of F being a bit sharp which featured in the tune.
Task – Sort the grips and then move up the grades.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: Loch Rannoch –  Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The opening bars very nicely played. Nice appreciation of the balance in the phrasing.
Fingerwork good but a shade soft in execution at times otherwise good.
This performance shows a strong awareness of the music and shape of the phrasing delivered with mature confidence well done.

I enjoyed this performance.

Some sharp notes from your chanter especially High G.

Drones wavering slightly.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 4. Miroslav Anger – Czech Republic      Team: The Rebel Pipers – Pipes and Drums
Tunes: The Sands of Kuwait – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The tune took a few bars to settle down. The triple runs need a bit more separation and definition. The interpretation is a bit too metric
and mechanical. Pull out the theme notes more. Watch the D to High A slight crossing noise. The same problem with the B to D move.
Some of the gracing is just not quite on the beat at times. Embellishments are generally too open and sluggish. try and be crisper and
more precise.
Bagpipe chanter tone was well set with good intervals but some blowing issues caused the sound to lack solidness. The drone tuning
was not locked on low A which caused a looseness in tonal quality. Overall pretty good show

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 5. Emile Suerinck – France
Tunes: Petite Bretagne, composed by Emile Suerinck – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: This is a nice melody but it took a while to settle into the groove. The phrasing was overlapping at times. More separation and
definition is required. the finger notation was sluggish in some passages especially where the short notes war not defined enough.

The embellishments were too open and note compressed enough. The F was very flat.

I think the tune is more in the style of a medieval slow dance than a slow air. However it was a good test of your finger accuracy
and note values which I would say needs a bit of work to make this piece work to its full strength.

Pipes war generally well set up not not solid enough in tuning to get full advantage of the harmonics from the drones

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 6. Rebecca Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: Paddy’s Green Shores  – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: A slightly uneven first few notes in terms of blowing the tone. Aim for flatline notes and tonal definition. You have a good grasp
of the melody but pull out the theme notes more to help the phrasing especially the first notes in bar 1 and bar 3 in each line.

This will help give the phrases better shape. Identify the short notes and make sure you are cutting them correctly.

The tone of the bagpipe is good but blowing is a big issue here and it is highlighted even more when playing a slow air.

Embellishments are generally pretty good.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none David Neckar – Czech Republic
Tunes: The Mist Covered Mountains     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Some unsteady blowing in first few bars. Watch the the C to F hand change some crossing noises. Otherwise fingering was good.

Good phrasing and note values.

Missed F grip at times.

Pipes a shade unsteady and not locked on Low A causing a lack of overtones.

Generally speaking you have a good grasp of the tune and feel for the music.
Well done

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Jim Lowe – USA
Tunes: The Dark Island – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Like the darkness effect for the dark island.

You are playing the melody a bit too mechanical – Let the melody flow more like you would sing it. Hold the theme notes more.
Embellishments are too open and laboured.
Generally you seem to have got the science of the music okay but you now need to put the art into it.

Some very sharp notes ( E,F, High A, D )
Your High A is too shrill and croaky!!

Drones are wavering and getting worse as the tunes progresses.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none John Jackson – South Africa
Tunes: Scots Wha Hae     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The general phrasing is good but a slightly more pointed interpretation would help the tune. The main areas that you need to
address is the tone and the embellishments. For example your D throw is is very slurred and lacking in closed chanter (low G).
Your grace notes also need to be more precise and ON THE BEAT.

Tone

The blowing is uneven causing distortion in tonal quality. High A was VERY VERY sharp.
B,F,D was sharp.

Chanter is slightly chirpy.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Markus Ragger – Austria
Tunes: The Sleeping Tune – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The tempo is slightly fast speeding for best effect.

Try and draw out the theme notes more. Stronger defined phrasing is really required in this tune with full value and more on
the big notes. Your phrasing was a bit erratic and lacked composure.
You embellishments are a bit slurred and laboured.

The tone of the bagpipe was also a big weakness here.

Sharp on D, High G. High A

Drones wavering

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Tim Beverly – USA
Tunes: Going Home     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 06. Grade 5 Piping – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Ulrike Jöbstl – Austria
Tunes: MacPherson’s Lament     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Rena Toomey – USA      Team: Tidewater Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Siege of Dehli     Watch Video     Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Good steady tempo and control. Nice, steady treatment of phrasing also. Excellent technique overall, very strong doubling and
grip articulation. Some small connecting 32nd notes could be given just a bit more value, as at times they were just slightly
clipped and hard to hear, especially in the Low As in 2nd bar of the 1st part. Also, in the ending phrases the 32nd note D
before the C doubling was sometimes a just a bit short, causing the C doubling to come in just a bit early. A very strong,
enjoyable tune!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Max Middleton – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: The 79th Farewell to Gibraltar – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very steady and strong phrasing. Excellent control of tempo. Very clear and accurate execution overall- a few crossing noises
going from B to High A at the ends of phrases in 2nd and 3rd part. Some half F doublings just starting a touch early, be sure the
first F lands directly on the beat. Just watch the pickup notes into the 3rd part as they could be given just a bit more clarity. Very nice control in 4th part, well done! A very enjoyable tune!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Joshua Behnke – USA
Tunes: Haughs of Cromdale – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very strong and accurate execution! Excellent clarity of technique. Tempo might be just a bit quick to start-seemed to settle in
as the tune went on. Some small 32nd connecting notes just a bit clipped and hard to hear, especially the Low A before the
Low G at the start of the 4th bar. Some G grace notes just slightly ahead of the pulse at times, again in the first few parts. A
very strong and enjoyable performance!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Jim Lowe – USA
Tunes: Prince Charles’ Welcome To Lochaber – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Good control of tempo and phrasing overall. Very well defined technique also. Some D throws could be opened up a bit and
more value given to the Low G to start the movement. In the 1st part, 3rd bar, you could also give the 32nd note F before the E
doubling just a bit more value to ensure the start of the E doubling is directly on the beat. Just a bit constricted there. Very strong
and enjoyable tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Peter Anderson – USA
Tunes: Prince Charles’ Welcome To Lochaber – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very steady tempo throughout. Well controlled and consistently phrased. Excellent technique overall- some doublings could
be opened up slightly to get a bit more definition to the grace notes-particularly on the bottom hand. Some very slight rushing in
the 4th bar of the 4th part in the run down to the B doubling. Very well set pipes and a very enjoyable tune! Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Rebecca Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: Muir of Ord – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Excellent technique and execution overall. Very clear and accurate! Very lively tempo-at times just a few phrases rushed over
slightly. Try to give all the small 32nd notes their full value, especially in the ending phrases. At times they were just a bit constricted.
Tempo just a tad unsteady in the 2nd and 4th part, but a very well executed and presented tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none David Neckar – Czech Republic
Tunes: Donald McLean´s Farewell to Oban     Watch Video     Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Nice, lively tempo throughout tune. Well phrased and controlled overall. A few spots to watch-in the 4th bar where you have the
rundown with the back to back short notes, you could afford to give both the C and B a bit more value as they were just a bit
tight. Very well executed-some doublings in the 3rd part could be opened just a bit more to give a bit more definition. Some birls
in the ending phrase just starting a bit early. A very well played tune! You also might just have a look at the 1st beat of the 1st
bar where the B, D grace note Low A is most often played as a 32nd, dotted 16th (tachum) rhythm. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Eric Kingery – USA      Team: City of Tulsa Pipe and Drums
Tunes: Prince Charles Welcome to Lochaber     Watch Video     Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very well maintained tempo throughout tune. Overall, very well phrased and controlled. At times, some of the 32nd connecting notes could be given a bit more value to get a bit more definition. Good, strong execution. In the ending phrase, the final G grace note strike on D is coming in just a touch early. The G grace note should land directly on the downbeat. Some very slight rushing in the 4th part in the rundown to the B in the 4th bar. A very well executed tune. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none John Jackson – South Africa
Tunes: The High Road to Gairloch     Watch Video     Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very well controlled tempo overall. Good steady rhythm and phrasing. Very nice execution as well-you could try to get a bit more
Low G from your D throws-at times they were just a bit thin. The Low G will provide a good base to spring off onto the rest of the
D throw movement. Also, in the 3rd bar, some of the small 32nd connecting notes could be given just a bit more value as they
were just a bit short. Very well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: Captain Norman Orr-Ewing  – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very well controlled tempo and phrasing overall. Nice, strong execution. A few spots to watch-try to get just a bit more Low G in your D throw movements to give them a bit more presence and impact. A few very slight crossing noises going from D to F at times. Be sure not to close the bottom hand too quickly there to avoid the extra noise between the two notes. Very nice articulation of doublings, especially the top hand! Some bottom hand doublings could use a bit more space between the
grace notes, especially in the 2nd part.
A well played, steady tune!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Rena Toomey – USA      Team: Tidewater Pipes & Drums
Tunes: P/M Donald McLean of Lewis     Watch Video     Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A solid performance, start to finish. A very well set, tuned and blown instrument (though the volume overloaded your microphone a bit). You have very good flow all through, and are very consistent in presenting the compound time feel. Technically quite strong as well. Probably the main thing to get more comfortable on would be E strikes when you come from a note higher than E…You do a great job of them in part 3, but the E strikes in the second bar of parts 2 and 4 are a bit awkward – they’re taking a bit too long. See if you can just bounce them off the chanter a bit more – that requires a very relaxed top hand with no tension – any tension and the finger will stick on the low A a bit too long. Apart from that little detail, this performance was outstanding. Very enjoyable!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Joshua Behnke – USA      Team: Culver Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Farewell to the Creeks – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A solid performance, start to finish. A very well set, tuned and blown instrument (though the volume overloaded your microphone a bit). You have very good flow all through, and are very consistent in presenting the compound time feel. Technically quite strong as well. Only very minor instances of jumping. One is when you have a cut note on the beat – eg the second beat in the second part – the cut F is coming just ahead of the beat. Use the G grace note as a beat marker here – place it precisely on the beat. The other is some B doublings coming in a bit early in the 4th bar – E D C to B doubling. Interesting – you’re very accurate on the same note combination in the ending phrase (bar 7)! Very enjoyable and top notch performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Jim Lowe – USA
Tunes: Major John MacLennan – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Well played tune. Pipe well set and fairly well blown all through – just a few minor changes in pressure on top hand notes. A very good compound time feel for the most part though I felt in part three that you came off some of the down beats a little early – mostly noticeable since you’re so consistent all the rest of the way through! Technically pretty good – open but consistent. An enjoyable performance!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 4. Rebecca Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: The Muckin O Geordies Byre – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Well played! Pipe is well set, though I find the top hand a little thin and verging on sharp – you may get better balance if you add a tiny bit of hemp and raise the reed ever so slightly. Drones tuned well together, but flatter than your chanter. Great compound time feel throughout this tune. Solid technique – maybe wait a little bit longer before the first taorluath? Solid and steady tempo – very upbeat and fun to listen to. The only places you’re not quite on the beat is when there’s a cut to start a beat, and those are coming in early – so that would be beat two in the first bar of the tune (wait to put the G grace note right on the beat, not ahead) and beat two in the second bar of the second part (same solution as in bar one part one). An entertaining performance!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 5. David Neckar – Czech Republic
Tunes: Atholl Highlanders     Watch Video     Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Well played! Pipe is well set, though I find the top hand a little thin and verging on sharp – you may get better balance if you add a tiny bit of hemp and raise the reed ever so slightly. Excellent drones. Technically quite solid – execution very consistent. Be careful of some small crossing noises in the second part – C to E occasionally has some little catches. The main area to improve upon, in my opinion, is in the compound time feel – you need a bit more time on the first note in each beat; the dotted one. But consistently presented, and overall a well played tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 6. Peter Anderson – USA
Tunes: Major John MacLennan  – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A solid performance. Pipe fairly well set, but high G quite sharp. Blowing pretty steady for the most part – a few instances of pushing a bit extra on top hand notes. Good understanding of the compound time feel – just a few places where you slip out of it (eg in part 2 near the end of line 1 coming off the 3rd note of each beat a bit quick). Minor technical issues in part one – top hand maybe squeezing a bit tightly? Grips in part two not totally consistent – some are great, others have a bit of low A popping in at the end. Part 3 very good! Minor rushing in bar 4 part 4, but a very steady tempo all through – lots of control. Well played tune!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 08. Grade 5 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: John D Burgess – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Well played, Ray. Pipe is well set, though I find the top hand a little thin and verging on sharp – you may get better balance if you add a tiny bit of hemp and raise the reed ever so slightly. Excellent drones. Compound time feel is quite good through most of the tune, but there are a few places you slip out of it a bit – in particular the ending phrase – be sure to hold the high A for its full duration in bar 7 beat 2. I also think you could hold the first F of the tune a bit more – hitting beat two just a bit abruptly. Technically fairly good – but there’s a bit of a problem on short Ds – they are coming out as Cs! This is most evident in part 3, and in the first beat of bar 7 of each part – the Low A, D, F combination – the D comes across as a C, so be sure to really pick up the index finger on your bottom hand. An enjoyable tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Miroslav Anger – Czech Republic      Team: The Rebel Pipers – Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Banjo Breakdown – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: First class performance for this grade. Good temp technique and pipe – a confident performance. Watch out for some crossing noises & fingerwork in 3rd part. Well done!!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Emile Suerinck – France
Tunes: The Panda, traditional jig  – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good performance on a nice pipe. Slow down tune a bit to bring out more music as the some of your movements are rushed. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: Oft in the Stilly Night – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Nice jig rhythm here and temp was very good. Pipe also came across nicely balanced. Good performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 4. Rena Toomey – USA      Team: Tidewater Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Ten Penny Bit     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good sounding pipes and solid finger work – watch 2nd and 3rd parts as there were some untidy GDEs. Well done – overall a good performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 5. Ulrike Jöbstl – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: The Haitian Sensation     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good bagpipe nicely played with some nice technique. Rushing phrases in places but overall good performance. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 6. Rebecca Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: Davey Patrick’s Ceilidh – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Nice choice of tune (parts 1&3 played) – keep the phrasing steady and watch you don’t rush over some notes – good tempo & pipe good (slightly sharp on top hand). Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Jim Lowe – USA
Tunes: Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Skye – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Showing good potential with a difficult tune. Keep working in the movements and technique particularly the GDE’s and watch for crossing noises. Good overall presentation. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 09. Grade 5 Piping – Jig (at least 2 parts)
Placing: none Markus Ragger – Austria
Tunes: The Lame Leg I Left Behind Me – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Some good fingers and technique – the tune was overall quite slow but the tempo will come with confidence and it is better to keep at this pace so your technique is kept ‘clean’. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 1. Tom Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Straun Roberstons Salute –  Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones well set. HA and HG a little shrill, but not offensive. Watch execution of hiharin. Good marking end of each 2-bar phrase. Good impression overall, well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 2. Rena Toomey – USA      Team: Tidewater Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Too Long in this Condition     Watch Video     Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones not finely set together. Throws to F and E (vedare and edre) – keep developing the fluency of these. End of phrase 1 line 1 – too long on the B at the end. Try to focus on playing in 2 bar phrases, with a Strong Medium Medium Strong pulsing within each bar. Taroluath movement a little too clipped – could do with more weight on the Low Gs. Overall, very pleasant listenting.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 3. Alan Wood – USA
Tunes: The Munros’ Salute – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones could be set better together. Chanter note intervals not accurate – D and C sharp and F flat. Good tempo and expression of the first line. 2nd and 3rd phrases line 2 sounding a little like a slow air with a regular beat. Try to get a little more out of the Strong Medium Medium Strong pulsing in each bar, remembering to play in 2 – bar phrases. Grip a little light last bar 3rd line. The two B semi-quavers were a little too cut last bar line 3. Overall, a good impression, howver finish the tune on Low A before you stop.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 4. Peter Anderson – USA
Tunes: The Munros’ Salute – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones not set well together. Perhaps over doing the end of phrase marking, phrase 1 of lines 1 and 2.Missed grace note repeat of phrase 2 line 2. Some grace notes not placed accurately (HG in particular). Watch pulsing in bar 2 line 3 – need a Strong Medium Medium Strong pulsing per bar throughout the tune, remembering to play in 2-bar phrases. You have the right idea with the expression, particularly in line 1. Aspects of lines 2 and 3 ((2nd phrase) came across more like a slow air. Drones did not last the distance. However, enjoyable listening.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 5. Miroslav Anger – Czech Republic      Team: The Rebel Pipers – Pipes and Drums
Tunes: The Company’s Lament ground – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Good presentation, well done. Drones not well set together. You need to ensure you settle yourself and your pipe down before starting the tune. Try to mark the end of each 2-bar phrase a little more. Missed a HG grace note 2nd phrase line 2. Keep working on the fluency of movements, especially the double echos. Good correct playing.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: 6. Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: The Red-Speckled Bull – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Good presentation. Drones could be set better together. End of phrase 2 and 3 line 1, and the end of each phrase in lines 2 and 3 – not enough weight on the theme note. This occurs on the C or B (as relevant) after the cadence and is a medium accent – you are moving off these notes too soon and getting down to the low A early. Watch accuracy of grace notes, and you are tending to get a crossing noise in your cadence to C. Otherwise, very pleasant and enjoyable listening.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: none Jim Lowe – USA
Tunes: Lament for the Old Sword  – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones not well set together or to Low A. Try to blow the crow out on the High A. Grips need more low G in them – need to sound more solid. More Low G required in your Throw on D. Wee choke going to the repeat of line 1. Watch accuracy of the D grace note in cadences to B. Once technique is a little more fluent, more emphasis can on on to learning how to pulse the tune. Overall, a pleasant listen.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 10. Grade 5 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Placing: none Joshua Behnke – USA      Team: Culver Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Struan Robertson’s Salute – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones ok, but could be set better together. Watch execution of the hiharin at the end of each line. The pulsing in the tune is unbalanced – need to try and achieve a strong medium medium strong pulsing within each bar, and play in 2-bar phrases. Specifically, you are coming off the D semi-quaver bar 1 line 1 (and wherever else it occurs) too soon. Low G in the last bar of each line also needs more weight. Good effort.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Tom Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John MacColls March to Kilbowie Cottage – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: pipe ok at start-top hand light. Watch catchnotes.watch tempo 3rd part. The pickup notes in last part were not the same on repeat.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Max Middleton – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: The 79th Farewell to Gibraltar     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe ok at start f sharp. Relaxed tempo and feel -would like a taorluath instead of a birl in first phrases in 1st part. Good cotrol otherwise – some sprious noises here and there.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Donald MacLeans Farewell to Oban –  Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe ok at start not 100% with chanter. Good tempo and feel-good basic technique-watch open D doublings.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Joshua Whitson – USA      Team: Veterans Memorial Pipe Band
Tunes: The Edinburgh Volunteers     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe out at start. Relaxed tempo cautious feel. Watch blowing. Good basic technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Karina Huber – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: 2/4 march Donald MacLean`s Farewell to Oban     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe ok at start-watch blowing on top hand-watch control of the 16th dotted 8th note sequences throughout. Catch notes 4th part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. David Flaherty – USA
Tunes: Prince Charles Welcome to Lochaber – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe not 100% at start. Watch blowing. Relaxed tempo and feel good basic technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Adam Maldonado – USA
Tunes: The Australian Ladies     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: From the start, the drones were not in tune with the chanter. Watch blowing on d and hi G. Would like better control of the dotted eigth-sisteenth note.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Chris Tabram – Australia
Tunes: Prince Charles’ Welcome to Locharbar – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Drones and chanter ok at start. Good tempo throughout. Good basic technique. Bobble in 3rd part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Kenneth Hiner – USA      Team: Wolf River Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Prince Charles’ Welcome to Lochaber – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: pipe not 100% at start. Watch catch notes. Over blowing top handin 2nd part. Good lively tempo steady throughout.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Ryan Greer – USA      Team: Glendora High School Pipe Band
Tunes: The Young MacGregor – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe not 100% at start f sharpish. Relaxed tempo-good basic technique-steady feel throughout other than brain fade at the end of 2nd part. Bobble at end.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 11. Grade 4 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Ulrike Jöbstl – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe not 100% at start. Watch the HiA-F-E -F sequences in the ending phrase throughout. Extra notes in last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Max Middleton – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: Strathspey: Mac an Irish
Reel: Captain Lachlan McPhail of Tiree – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Wow…rock & roll intro!

Very nice pipes starting out.

Good tempo to the Strathspey, and you are making a nice job of the S-W-M-W and the technique.

Timing and articulation of the G grace note birls needs some work.

I quite liked the strathspey, although I have to say that I would much rather hear all the tricky E grace notes to B that you aren’t playing. If they aren’t in your music, then I suggest you get a copy of the tune from Donald MacLeod’s Book 4 and check it out. I think they add a lot, and you are clearly capable of playing them!

Good break to the reel, and flowing well.

Try to really articulate the CAA, BAA phrases [the ones with GDE grace notes].

Overall, a very enjoyable set. You have a strong sense of the music and a good bagpipe. Working to really clear up all the grace notes and get the technique a little crisper would be what I’d focus on.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Tom Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Maggie Cameron / Brown Haired Maid – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice tempo for strathspey for this level. Controlling well.

A lot of your bottom hand execution is very nice. Hearing fully formed and complete doublings and doubling/grace note combinations. I like that you are maintaining a nice rhythm with them too, although sometimes D throws get a little big for the space.

Losing a little of the Strong-weak-medium-weak feel in 3rd part.

One area to focus on in your practice would be a consistent and full sound for your triplet runs. They are sounding a bit crushed. You want to hear all three notes, whether you play them evenly or not is a musical choice for you, but still need to hear all the notes.

Like the break to the reel, and I think this is a sensible tempo.

What you can really hear in this tune is unsteadiness in your sound. Your air pressure surges a bit through the top of the chanter, and you can hear the pressure relax in the long Fs at the ends of parts.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable set of tunes. Pipes are sounding nice and in pretty good tune. There are some technical things to address in both tunes…playing technique in the strathspey and blowing technique in the reel.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. William Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Mac N Irish / Becky Ewan – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice pipes off the top!

The first part could use a stronger contrast between dot/cut notes. That will help you get more lift overall, and you’ll be able to better get the strong-weak-medium-weak feel.

Very nice finger technique throughout the strathspey, just needs a bit more of the strathspey feel. Tempo not remaining consistent….starting to slow.

Good break to reel. Again, a relaxed tempo, pretty good for the level. Again, it sometimes comes away sounding a bit rounded…the GDE grace note segments are a good example of that.

A couple of little chokes in the reel, but pipes holding well.

Overall, continue working on your technique in the same way, and focus a bit on the idiom/feel of tunes by really emphasizing the contrast between long and short notes.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Captain Colin Campbell
Lexy McAskill – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very solid posture and deportment!

There are some timing issues in the 1st part of the strathspey. Sometimes you are letting the technique control the dot/cut and the rhythm gets altered a bit. This seems much better in 2nd part.

The triplet runs are not always fully sounded…need to hear all the notes.

The break to the reel sounds a little forced/unnatural.

The reel is being played very steadily, although I think sometimes the strikes are pretty open and that affects the natural flow of the tune. At times you lose clarity of fingering on the transitional notes….it’s just a bit slurry sounding here and there where you aren’t fully articulating or timing the notes and grace notes.

Pretty good pipe sound throughout.

Overall, a nice set. Focus on improved technique, and then applying that to stronger rhythms to more fully express the strathspey and reel idioms.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Steve Joubert – South Africa
Tunes: Highland Harry and Colonel MacCleod – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: That’s some wind you are battling! Love the setting.

I think the tempo for the strathspey is too fast for your ability to execute the technique. A slightly slower tempo would give you more time to get everything in, and as a result, you would likely not veer off rhythmically also.

You could set up the strong-weak-medium-weak feeling better right off the hop by holding the Low A before the taorluath. Generally, you are not fully sounding the Low Gs in the T movements. A little less tempo pressure might help there too, but do try to reach down for the 2nd low G

Nice break to the reel. Flowing well here.

Fingering pretty good in the reel, and a nice musical flow for the most part. Some bottom hand notes a little muffle, esp. the CAA with GDE grace notes.

Pipes pretty good, although not fully in tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Dagmar Pesta – Germany      Team: Owl Town Pipe & Drum Band Peine
Tunes: Highland Fling / Lexie McAskill – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Good start to the tune, and a nice tempo.

Sometimes, your playing of the technique, such as D throws and B strikes, throws off the rhythm, because they take too long. Either work to improve/speed up the technique, or slow down the tune slightly to accommodate the technique.

I love your C and F doublings in the strathspey! Very nice. Work on speeding up your strikes. Maybe keep the fingers closer to the chanter to start, and see if that helps.

Nice break to the reel and flowing pretty well. Sometimes you get tied up a bit with the grace notes, but mostly a good tune for you. The strikes in the 4th part are altering the rhythm a bit.

Pipes were pretty good, not fully in tune, but stayed constant.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Karina Huber – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: strathspey/reel, Captain Colin Campbell, The Sound of Sleat     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Ulrike Jöbstl – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Captain Colin Campbell and Lexy MacAskill.     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Good solid start to the strathspey. Try to tighten up the B strike a bit to have it be more compact.

Playing very well, although I’d ideally like to hear more contrast between dotted/cut notes. Look at the timing around taorluath movements. Could use stronger pulsing there.

To get the full strathspey idiom, you will need to develop the technique so that you can really CUT the short notes, giving you the lift you’ll need. The short notes in the 3rd part, for example, are too big, and it gives a rounded feel.

Good break to the reel, and then a little slip. The style is a bit even/rounded, but you are holding it together pretty well.

A little roughness toward the end of the reel.

Overall, you have some good technique and are on the right track, but likely need to be able to have stronger rhythmic presentation in both strathspey and reel. Pipes are pretty stable, but top hand somewhat thin/high, esp. by reel. Maybe not enough moisture in the system?

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Tom Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Dornoch Highland Gathering – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very well done overall! You have nice 6/8 swing throughout however I felt like you slowed down a bit at the end of the 2nd Part 1st time through.
I thought the E before the E strikes in the 3rd Part were a little too short and in the 4th Part there was a G grace note missed on the E right at the end.
You show excellent potential so keep practicing and ensure everything is there.
Lovely pipe and well blown throughout tune.  Good stuff.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Karina Huber – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: 6/8 March, Farewell to the Creeks     Watch Video     Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall you have great feel for 6/8 rhythm and I believe smaller grace notes will provide you more articulation of tacchums as was evident in the Low A, C E tacchum combination in the 1st part of the tune!
1st Part:  Crossing noise Low A, C, E tacchum combination (D grace note too big causing it to be on top of note instead of before and after).
2nd Part:  C to E at end dirty (slight crossing noise here).
3rd Part:  C to E tacchum dirty again.
Pipe was very nice and well blown throughout tune!  Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Farewell to the Creeks – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall very well done.  I like your flow however ensure you maintain tempo as I believed it dropped on C Doubling at start in 3rd part!
1st Part:  E doubling at ending missed first time through.
3rd Part:  A little laboured on C Doubling at start as mentioned above.
4th Part:  C Doubling missed first time through.
Generally I would like to see you play with lighter/softer hands avoiding the grip as this prevents the freedom of movement between note to note and the ability to play small grace notes required to articulate technique such as tacchums and doublings.  Your are working too hard just let it happen!
Ensure the G gracenote to the note of your doublings are played right on the beat and not early.
Show excellent promise keep up the good work!
Nice bagpipe.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Steve Joubert – South Africa
Tunes: MacDonald of the Isles – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: You have a good sense of timing throughout tune and I love the way you wait to put technique like birls from C right on the beat!
In the first part I felt the B doubling down to Low A to Low G at ending pushed spoiling the rhythm.
Same idea in the second part at line ending after the B Doubling down to Low A and then to Low G pushed.  Love the way you wait for the birls in this part especially from C!
3rd part had a slight hesitation at start of second time through and 4th part was played well!
Nice Pipe however I felt High G was a little sharp!
Lovely view!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Rob Gebhart – USA      Team: Vancouver FF’s Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Major John MacLennan     Watch Video     Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall good tune!
1st Part:  slightly late getting to High A 2nd time through.
2nd Part:  messy grip at end of part.
3rd Part:  rushed off E prior to Low A D grace note to C and then up to E the first time through and much better the second time.  Wait and stay in the 6/8 rhythm at all times!
4th Part:  Slight  chirp at High G, E, High G Combination at end of line.
Overall you have a great sense of timing that I feel is being altered by the way you are marching.  I would like to see you walk more and not stomp in order to allow the natural cadence in your consistent walking motion to act as a metronome and then you must put the music to this cadence and not the other way around which I feel you may be doing!  It will feel much better and of course improve your music!
Pipe okay however I felt High G was a bit sharp.  Keep up the good work!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Dagmar Pesta – Germany      Team: Owl Town Pipe & Drum Band Peine
Tunes: Major John McLennan – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall very well done!
I liked your consistent tempo throughout and your bagpipe was played with confidence.
I felt that some of your tacchums were a bit dirty which I would contribute to bigger than normal grace notes causing them to be placed on top of the notes instead of accenting the notes just ahead.
In the 4th Part I felt you rushed in the middle phrases.
Generally I enjoyed your performance and would like to see you march with a nice relaxed and consistent walking motion in order to provide you with a cadence which every good march player requires.  You have a good sense of timing but the swing may come to you even easier through walking.
Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Henrik Idoff Hornhaver – Denmark
Tunes: 6/8 Mrs Lily Christie – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very good tune played on a solid bagpipe with a rather sharp High G.
1st Part:  slight chirps and tight technique. Missed a GDE second time through Part.
2nd Part:  slight hesitation going into Part at start.
3rd Part:  Low G with GDE’s not consistent.
4th Part:  okay
Overall you have nice swing for 6/8 playing however there are frequent halts in rhythm due to missed/tight technique which prevents movement from note to note.  Pipe was okay but High G is sharp.  Video was not on with Audio taking away from the overall presentation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 13. Grade 4 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Joshua Whitson – USA      Team: Veterans Memorial Pipe Band
Tunes: P/M Donald MacLean of Lewis     Watch Video     Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall very well done!
Tempo was good throughout but your stomping instead of walking which gives a stilted pushed feel.
Better in 2nd part but I felt a little late at end on Birls.
3rd Part was good and 4th Part you rushed to the first birl and then late to birl at end again on first time through and then you nailed it on the 2nd time through so pay attention to this throughout.
Generally I think you practicing to walk and first sing the tune, then walk and play on practice chanter and finally walk and play on bagpipe. It is the natural cadence in your walking motion that creates an accurate beat to follow instead of putting your feet to your hands. Guarantee more success by putting music to the beat!  Good Luck and keep up the good work!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 1. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Company’s Lament – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice initial impact with sound of pipes, and you are making a very musical job of the urlar. Good technique on double echoes, altho’ a wee miss later on.

Be vigilant to make the hand changes cleanly. Slight crossing note between High A and E in Line 2.

Variation 1 also played well, and with good control of the phrases and technique.

Your drones are not 100% in tune, but very pleasant and your overall bagpipe sound is very good. One thing to work on is to keep the pressure consistent on long top hand notes. There is some minor wavering there because you are letting off the pressure.

Lovely tune overall, thanks.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 2. Matthias Kuehn – Switzerland      Team: Lucerne Caledonians
Tunes: Clan Campbells Gathering – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: This is a bold little tune and needs to move, and I think that you are mostly doing a good job with it, but the urlar in particular needs some refinement.

I like that you are defining the phrases with a longer last note {low G] but I think you are overdoing it, and it breaks it up too much. There are places where the melody is out of balance because the cadence Es are too short. This happens in the middle of the phrases, esp. the B phrases on the cadence to B.

I like the forward movement in the Var 1, but I think you don’t quite have the right feel for the A phrase there…the low A/High A timings are off a bit.

Very nice pipes, and for the most part good technique, although you do make a cross note between E and D, and there is a little bit of extra sound on the cadence to B.

Lovely setting for tune!!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 3. Loo Zhi En – Singapore
Tunes: MacCrimmon Will Never Return  – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice urlar, although I think it could be improve with slightly stronger phrase definition…very slight pausing would help give this tune a stronger musical line.

Technique is good in the urlar. Try to make the dre and edres as consistently as you can.

Watch for crossing notes between E and High A in the Variation. Same going to F from bottom hand notes.

The bagpipe was quite pleasant, although not 100% in tune. Low G seems quite sharp, and B is not balanced.

This was a strong tune that could be improved with some attention phrasing, clean technique, and chanter intonation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 4. Dagmar Pesta – Germany      Team: Owl Town Pipe & Drum Band Peine
Tunes: Glengary’s Lament – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Good job of the urlar. Nice phrase definition. I think the cadence E could be a touch longer at times, but overall I like the flow and the musical feel.

Took a few notes to establish the rhythm in the variation. Pretty nice once you got there. I think the pause at the end of the urlar is too long. Needs to be a more subtle transition.

The Variation 1 and doubling are too much the same. Try to show more contrast between long/short notes in the singling, and then just let it go a bit for the doubling.

Pipes were pleasant, although drones not in tune from the outset. Try to get a steadier sound by focusing on the constant pressure needed. The sound comes/goes a bit with variations in pressure.

Good musical tune with just a few things needed to sharpen the musicality.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 5. David Flaherty – USA
Tunes: Struan Robertson’s Salute – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Good opening line to urlar. Feel as though the D throws are too sticky, and holding up the flow a wee bit. Little choke at end of Line 1.

Lines 2 & 3 nice although intonation of High G is not in line with the rest of the scale.

The Taorluath movement could do with increased emphasis on the theme notes, and a shorter low A after the Taorluath moment. It starts to sound a little like a march as you go.

Good overall sound on the pipes, although drones not in tune with chanter fully, and the High G very sharp.

This was a pretty good musical performance of the tune, and you are doing a nice job of the urlar esp. Good technique for the most part, and one of the key things to do would be develop a better piobaireachd High G.

Great looking uniform!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: 6. Rob Gebhart – USA      Team: Vancouver FF’s Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Nameless     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: This is a great tune and a nice change of pace!

For the most part I think you are doing a good job getting to the essence of the tune, although I think that the phrases could be better defined. There are places where a slight pause would allow the whole thing to take a better shape.

Sometimes the technique on the top-hand movements is a little forced/inaccurate, and this is exaggerated a bit by the sometimes uneven sound you are getting on High G. Sounds like the note is hard to keep stable.

Overall a very nice performances on a pleasant bagpipe. I really like the tune, and think you could get a little more music out of the urlar in particular.

Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none Chris Tabram – Australia      Team: The Highlands Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Field of Gold – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice cadence to start Chris. Watch that you don’t add extra low G taps on the C to Low A in bars 1 & 3 of first line.

This tune needs to have more contrast in the length of short notes. Many of the transitional and notes are too long, and you are losing musical flow.

The tempo/pacing of the urlar picks up as you go, and you are missing a lot of the nuance ion the melody as a result. The urlar needs some study of the similar phrases to make decisions about a consistent approach…sometimes you will play the same little phrases quite differently.

Variation 1 needs a much stronger emphasis on the dotted/theme note. You are playing it too round, too fast, and not getting the melody out ion the way that you could.

Pretty good technique overall, with a couple of rough patches in line 1 & 3 of the urlar. Pipes were enjoyable and a steady drone, although all notes not balanced.

Recommend study of the score along with a recording to get the most of the melody. Donald MacLeod’s own recording of this would be worth getting.

Enjoyed the lovely pastoral setting!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none Henrik Idoff Hornhaver – Denmark
Tunes: Glengarry’s Lament – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Except for the very first one, each time you play phrase A of the urlar you place a High G grace note on the low A rather than on the E before it. Seems like maybe you learned it incorrectly rather than a random mistake.

The urlar would be stronger with more well defined phrasing. Your approach is a little inconsistent, especially when it comes to the notes that are generally written as cadences in the last bar of each line. I feel you are really rushing the E here, and it throws off the balance and the melody.

Variation 1 singling does not have enough contrast between the long and short notes…too even. I liked the contrast in the doubling, though.

Technically, there are a few little things to note. You are getting a cross note between B and F in the urlar…just not a clean hand change. A couple of little chokes, etc.

The pipes were not fully in tune from the outset, you can really hear it on the LowAs in the urlar, but they stayed steady enough and were not really distracting.

Thanks! Enjoyed your tune overall and was happy the guy in the corner didn’t move too much during the tune! : )

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none Joshua Whitson – USA      Team: Veterans Memorial Pipe Band
Tunes: Too long in this condition (Is fhada mar so tha sinn)     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice start to tune. Achieving a nice melodic flow in the first line.

You seem to have this tune very well in hand. Nice expression of the urlar, although a little more attention to defining the phrases would keep it from being slightly marchy.

Thought you showed good contrast in tempo to doubling, but again, bordering on the marchy side.

I enjoyed your presentation of top-hand technique. Very nice throughout. Some lack of clarity at times on the pick-up D grace notes, but minor.

Pipes enjoyable and nicely in tune. One area for improvement would be in maintaining a consistent sound on long notes. There are places where your pressure drops and the sound wavers…longer notes such as F.

Good presentation overall, and a great ambient sound for the recording.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none MSG John JT Taylor – USA
Tunes: The Munro’s Salute – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: The cadence movement that opens this tune is not being played correctly, and it detracts from the initial impact of the performance.

You are playing the urlar in a very straightforward fashion, and I think missing out on a lot of the nuance attainable with attention to subtle differences in the length of notes. Also, the phrasing is not standing out, and a slightly longer end notes of the phrases would help.

There are some things to review/sort with your technique that will help give you a smooth performance. The D throw movements sound laboured, and you have a number of little crossing notes. I wonder if a more relaxed grip on the bottom hand esp. would help here. Looks like lots of tension in your fingers.

I think your main focus for improvement should be getting smoother finger technique, and then really working out the musical possibilities of this tune with note values/phrases, etc.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none Ray Morrison – USA
Tunes: Duncan MacRae of Kintail’s Lament –  Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: I hate to offer comments to a guy standing in front of a gun rack… : )

Lovely bagpipe sound with a rich bass drone presence. D a little sharp.

I liked the musical presentation of the urlar. Thought it was musical, well timed and paced and with good phrases definition.

The Variation was less pleasing musically…I think that it runs a little straight, and not enough contrast, light/shade…the eight and quarter notes sound a little too alike.

I I think a little more emphasis on the High A gives a nice feel overall to the variation. In short, I think your variation could do with a bit more exploration in terms of getting the music out.

The big challenge for your playing is to get clean hand changes. There are many crossing notes throughout the tune:

E to C
C to F
lots of grace note to E passages
in front of the C grips, etc.

Enjoyed the tune, and the pipes!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 14. Grade 4 Piping – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Placing: none Ryan Greer – USA      Team: Glendora High School Pipe Band
Tunes: The Lament for Donald of Laggon –  Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Pipes a little unsettled and not quite tuned with chanter at the start.

Have a close look at the technique for the hiharin movement. I think you are losing some of the impact of the movement by not quite executing it fully.

I thought the musical approach in line was was pretty good, but then line 2 of the urlar was not put together well. One thing to consider is the timing and technique for double echo movements. You are not timing them consistently, and in particular take care to check the note values for each of the grace notes in the strike parts. The 2nd grace note is almost always LONGER than the first.

You went off the tune at the end of the 2nd line, and jumped from bar 1 of line 3 right to the Taorluath singling. This was pretty good, although again you went off the tune toward the end of the variation.

Overall, pretty enjoyable sound and some good music at times, but you do need to refine your musical approach to the tune and tighten up the memory work.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Tom Johnson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Glasgow City Police Pipers – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice bagpipes. Very steady sound.

Good rhythm starting out. A little more pulsing would make the tune flow a bit better.

Slight choke 2nd part.

Overall, a very steady performance on a pleasant bagpipe. Your tempo was steady and a touch reserved, but really well controlled for the most part.

Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Glasgow City Police Pipers – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very nice 2nd part. Good rhythmic flow here.

1st and 3rd parts are a bit sticky rhythmically. It seems you are struggling a little with the standard GDE grace note rhythms when they are all on one note, for example a GDE on Low A or C.

Back to the 4th part and it’s also very good.

The pipes are nice, and overall a good performance of the tune. Just need to refine the rhythmic feel of the standard GDE combinations in parts 1 and 3.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Loo Zhi En – Singapore
Tunes: Glasgow City Police Pipers – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: A good tempo starting out. A few little cross notes/lack of clarity in first part, but generally pretty nice.

Playing fairly well, and nice rhythm throughout. There is a little lack of clarity on the bottom hand triplets, but overall I think a smooth delivery.

A few issues with crossing notes on and around High A. Not always making the hand changes cleanly.

Pipes pleasant but drones not really tuned to chanter. Good tempo and rhythm, but need some work on clean articulation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. David Flaherty – USA
Tunes: Paddy’s Leather Breeches – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Wow! You really launched into this tune at a fast tempo, and you’re holding together OK [until 3rd part] but what is happening is that you are losing clarity of technique and rhythm on some parts, such as the CAA combinations.

This comes apart at the seams in the 3rd part, where you can’t maintain the rhythm or the technique, and the tune comes off the rails a bit.

There are a couple of little crossing notes in the 4th part.

Pipes are pretty good, but drones not in tune with chanter.

I think the best thing would be for you to play this tune at a slower tempo, and then work to control the technique and rhythm of the various triplet groups so your tune has a consistent, in-control sound.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Karina Huber – Austria      Team: Carinthian Pipes and Drums
Tunes: jig The Whitby Runaround     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: A little lack of clarity around E strikes in 1st part. Jig rhythm is a little sticky and lacking in natural flow.

You are doing an excellent job getting right to the bottom on your various strike notes. They are very clear. One downside is that sometimes the rhythm is affected by timing there.

The 4th part comes unglued a little on the syncopated parts. I think that it would be worth working on your jig idiom on easier, possibly more traditional tunes to really establish your control over the idiom.

Pipes were pleasant, although not fully in tune.

Thanks, enjoyed the tune!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 15. Grade 4 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Dagmar Pesta – Germany      Team: Owl Town Pipe & Drum Band Peine
Tunes: Glasgow City Police Pipers – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: The rhythm of the triplet movements is a little open and not pulsed enough. You are not landing on the beats consistently.

There is a little false fingering in the 2nd part where you are leaving the bottom hand raised on C while you are playing High A.

The third part has some places where the fingering is unclear and a little slurry. One thing to consider is to try to not lift your fingers so high off the chanter. Lifting them so high makes it harder to play clearly and cleanly, and the height of the fingers can affect the rhythms too.

You are getting a few crossing notes in the 4th part on high A.

Try to play a touch slower, land each beat correctly, and really focus on the rhythm of each triplet group.

Thanks!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Harry McLachlan – Scotland
Tunes: Hugh Kennedy
The Piper’s Bonnet
Dr MacPhail’s Reel     Watch Video     Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: HA and HG flat. Drones well set. March. Good tempo. Try to mark the end of each phrase a little more. Birl end of each measure in a little early. Some good expression evident. Competent playing. Strathspey. Some untidy execution first part. Crossing noise 2nd part. Expression a little straight. Take more care with all technique. Low A before before taorluath 4th part indistinct. Reel. Good tempo and competently played. Some top hand technique a little small. Overall, a competently played set. Need to get the top hand of the chanter better set, especially HG and HA. Take more care with technique so that you nail it every time. When you finish the set, don’t give the judge and audience the annoying flash of fingers that makes no musical sense at all and does not leave a positive impression. Good potential.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Harrison Allen – New Zealand
Tunes: Mrs. MacDonald of Dunach, Dorrator Bridge, The Grey Bob – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: March. Good tempo. Drones well set. Watch HA doubling doesn’t get too small – very hard to hear. Some technique and fingering inaccuracies 2nd part. Try to mark the end of each 2-bar phrase more. Could do with more accent on the first note in each phrase. Otherwise, good listening. Strathspey. Good consistent tempo. Make F doublings bigger and more accurate. A couple of wee crossing noises. Inaccurate fingering 4th part (d-E-dbl D). Reel. Inconsistent rhythm. Rushing off some notes. Sit back and try to get an even tempo and consistent expression coming through. Overall, a good effort and enjoyable listening.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Laureano Thomas-Sanchez – USA      Team: The Great Lakes Pipe Band
Tunes: Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch, and Sandy Cameron – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: March. Good bright tempo. Make sure you mark the end of each 2-bar phrase more. Some HG and D grace notes missed. Watch top hand technique doesn’t get too tight. 3rd part – setting?? Blow crow out of High A. E grace note left off taorluath movement. Strathspey. Good tempo. Technique too tight – you are missing stuff. Good lift. Reel. Push more at the front of each bar to get a stronger pulse on the first beat. Competently played reel. You have good potential, but need to get your technique bigger so that you don’t miss any of it.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque, Lady Loudon, The Sheepwife     Watch Video     Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: March. Good tempo. Mark the end of the two bar phrase more. Drones ok, not 100%. HG a little flat. Some fingering inaccuracies throughout. Take a little more care with the technique. Strathspey. First part a little laboured – need more fluency with execution of E doublings. Good steady tempo. Some untidy fingering 3rd part. Generally ok, some good lift evident. Reel. Good tempo and rhythm. Wee slip end of first part. Crossing noises 3rd part. Could do more with expression. Otherwise ok. A good set, need to concentrate on getting clean and clear fingering executed.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. John Campbell – Wales
Tunes: The Seige of Delhi, Caledonian Canal, Bessy Macintyre – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: March. Drones well set. Good tempo. C a little flat. Watch accuracy of G strike on B. Some untidy fingering 3rd part. Try to mark the end of each 2-bar phrase a little more. Strathspey. Good consistent tempo. Achieving some good lift. Watch half E doublings don’t get too small. Minor choke. A few HG grace notes missed/left out. Reel. Watch F doublings – make them more solid. Good tempo. Some inaccurate placing of gracenotes, especially 2nd part. Minor error end of 3rd part. Overall, a good set. Keep developing technique to the point where it is fluid, and don’t let yourself away with minor technical errors – this will limit how far you will develop.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: Lord Alexander Kennedy, Lady Louden, Alick C. MacGregor     Watch Video     Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Drones well set. Blow crow out of HA. March. Good tempo. Some grace notes a little small/missed, especially HG. Try to get more expression in the tune and think about the upbeat. Grace notes missing last part (setting?) Otherwise competently played. Strathspey. Watch execution of E doublings. A little quick overall – could slow a bit and gett more expression in to the tune. Rushing a bit 3rd part. Reel. Good transition to the reel. Tempo good – no faster. Speeding up, Technique and fingering inaccuracies. Good set overall. Try to control the tempos and focus on correct execution of technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 16. Grade 3 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none ALEXANDER RADIONOV – Russia
Tunes: M – Duncan McInnes; S – Dalnahassaig & O’er The Bows To Ballindaloch; R – The High Road to Linton.  – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: March. Good sounding pipe. Good march tempo. Need more LG in your Throw on D. Watch execution of birl throughout. enjoyable listening. Strathspey. Good steady tempo, some good lift evident. Drones drifting a little now. Low G in Throw on D again. Watch execution of E doublings and birls. Strive for more accuracy in the execution of technique. Reel. Good transition to the reel. C-E crossing noises. Good reel rhythm and tempo (no faster). Some untidy fingering evident. Good overall impression, focus on getting your technique more accurate and fluent.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Laureano Thomas-Sanchez – USA      Team: The Great Lakes Pipe Band
Tunes: George Sheriff  –  Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Well Done Laureano. A very relaxed musical performance. Great stuff. Pipe well set although F slightly sharp. Also High A for me a little too colourful or unclear.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: Mrs. MacDonald of Uig     Watch Video     Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Well done Michael. Really enjoyed your very musical interpretation of this tune. Pipe was very well set. Technically pretty good although just at times the odd issue. eg last measure High G grips to the D throw – just a wee lack of timing through there. Overall really good.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: The Cock of the North – Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Very good tune Jan. Pipe very well set and blown. Some of the timing and expression for me lacked consistency and sometimes the general flow of the tune musically could be better. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. John Campbell – Wales
Tunes: Donald Maclean of Lewis. – Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Pipe well set John and generally very well blown. Possibly a note error in the 1st grouping of 7th bar of each measure – I have only heard this tune with a B where you play a D. Embellishments are tending to be on the tight side causing some lack of clarity of execution. Musically well laid out.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Sean Smith – USA
Tunes: Mrs. Lillie Christie – Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Tempo appropriate Sean however sometimes loosing the solid 6/8 timing causing a rushing effect especially at the part ends. Technically ok although the odd miss (eg E hits !!). Pipe set well although that high A is a bit too raspy for me.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Matthias Kuehn – Switzerland      Team: Lucerne Caledonians
Tunes: Seamus MacNeill     Watch Video     Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: Great presentation Matthias. Unfortunately your drones weren’t quite locked in tune for this presentation. Tempo was generally a little careful and there were a few fingering issues occurring throughout. Good stuff – keep up the practice.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 17. Grade 3 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none William Bennie – Canada
Tunes: P/M Donald MacLean of Lewis – Judge: Richard Hawke
Judge’s Comments: You drones unfortunately weren’t tuned to your chanter William causing some major sound issues. Keep working at getting  good solid 6/8 timing 1-2-3 with an emphasis on the 1st 1. Careful you don’t rush off the 1 too quickly.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Harry McLachlan – Scotland
Tunes: The Old Woman’s Dance     Watch Video     Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Harry.
Thank you for an excellent tune and for participating in this contest.
Your ability to tune the instrument is quite evident – well done.
For me your steadiness in timing is the highlight. It is absolutely excellent with no waiver in tempo.
Also, you have very good hands including excellent strike movements. It’s also nice to hear the use of back grace notes as this
tune was written. Many players play front grace notes strictly on the beat notes and with you hitting the off-beats it is very effective.
For tone, the chanter is quite flat; notably, on the top hand. You need to check this – especially with the top two notes (very flat).
Overall pitch is pretty good so I expect it is reed selection or the chanter.
A really good job overall.
Thanks and well done. Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: Cutting Bracken     Watch Video     Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Michael, what a backdrop – fantastic!
Thanks for sporting the whole attire and for looking so good. Jori will be impressed as you look a lot like him in your uniform!
I was most impressed your whole tune. To me your music stands out as just that – very musical.
But the whole package was good: finger technique, instrument, blowing, musicality. Well done!
If I were to leave you with any points it would be these:
– the G/D/E triplets are very clear but a tiny bit loose and large to me (could be controlled that wee bit). You could still attain
clarity with slightly smaller grace notes – try not to try so hard for the birl movement. I think you will be surprised at how it will happen for you with less effort. It seems stiff or jerky Michael, your tuning was very good and the overall sound excellent. Nice ring from that chanter.
Thanks for a really good job. I enjoyed it very much.
Terry Lee

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Laureano Thomas-Sanchez – USA      Team: The Great Lakes Pipe Band
Tunes: The Curlew – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Laureano, a very nice tune. You have a nice flow to your playing style and good fingers throughout.
Your pipe is nice and full with good resonance – I liked that. To me, the scale was a bit harsh at either end. I didn’t particularly like
the low G as it was flat and the High A is sharp and raspy. See if you can clean these notes up for a more pleasant chanter sound.
Drones were well set.
The tune was very exciting. If it were me I would pull it back that little bit and slow it down just a hair. I don’t want you to lose your style as it is excellent but that small drop in tempo may make your performance even that wee bit stronger.
For style (musicality) you flow along nicely. However, the connecting notes between bars and phrases are a little bit small and out of place timing-wise. So, for example, connecting bar 1 and bar 2 of the first part, the D should be on the perfect off-beat. Yours is that bit late and the note itself quite short. It could be a little larger and on time and this creates better flow between bars. Once you get this happening you will find the tune rolls along to great, exciting effect.
But, a really good tune overall…really enjoyed it and you are a nice promising player.
Thanks, Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. John Campbell – Wales
Tunes: Corkhill (jig) – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: John, a most enjoyable tune. You have very good hand technique, musicality and steadiness of tempo. Very smooth. Another
strong point for me is your posture. It is always a good thing to be in an upright, controlled position when playing. Your positioning
is excellent.
As far as the tune itself, strong G-D-E triplets are evident throughout – very consistent. For me, you are rushing that wee bit to the
second beat in each bar (off of these triplets). Make sure the second beat just happens and is not forced. So in bar 1 (for example)
the E would land at the same time your foot hits the floor and not before. Camera-wise I could have seen your bottom-hand a clearer
on screen. It was not quite all in view. Your strikes (C) are good throughout but a bit heavy in the last part. For me, it just drags
down the tempo and music that little bit but that is a fine point. Your pipe sounded good but you can continue to work on bringing your
drones closer into tune.
A very solid tune overall. Thanks for participating and enjoy your piping!
Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: The Curlew  – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Jan.
Thank you for participating in this online competition.
I really enjoyed hearing you play The Curlew – it is such a great tune.
Your overall presentation was very good – a good instrument, good finger technique, and good music.
In looking forward, watch to consistently cover all the holes. There were a couple of moments where the odd note was not perfectly clear. Your playing style is nice and relaxed which I like. Watch to not waiver in the tempo presented. In the second part, for example, there was a distinct drop in tempo. Then in later parts the tempo went up and down. Try to maintain a steady pace.
Blowing is steady although I could see you taking breaths less often. This can be achieved by squeezing harder on the bag with your left arm. More consistency in pressure allows for steadier tone with less fluctuation.
Thank you again for a very good presentation. Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Alexander Radionov – Russia
Tunes: Jig – Cork Hill. – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Alexander,
Thank you for participating in this competition. You presented yourself and your tune very well – excellent!
Remember competition should be an enjoyable experience. Try to adopt a relaxed style…where possible!
The tune was good: nice fingers, good tempo, good music and overall a nice job.
Watch to not increase in tempo as the tune goes forward. Near the end it was getting quite fast as you saw the end of the tune coming. Tell yourself to keep it under control.
Fingers are good with some occasional crossing sounds. Watch when opening to HA that your top hand fingers all lift off quickly and at exactly the same time.
Also, some triplets are tight and crammed into a too small section of time. Space them out a little (each grace note).
Other than that most enjoyable and I really enjoyed you participating.
Thank you! Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 18. Grade 3 Piping – Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: none William Bennie – Canada
Tunes: The Gold Ring – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: William.
Thank you for participating in this online competition.
A most enjoyable tune. The Gold Ring brings all the important aspects of jig playing to the forefront.
Take the time to settle and tune your pipes before starting. The sound was a bit rough, especially drones.
Your hands are pretty good overall – nice job. However, you tend to slow down in the trickier parts. You need to try to avoid this. One technique to overcome this is to start the tune at a tempo at which you can handle the hardest parts.
If not you tend to see players speed up and slow down at will and this is what I hear in this case.
Also, watch to dig harder on D throws to pull out more low G sound. As well, I feel you could be a little more even with your blowing.
I feel you are squeezing and blowing too frequently. Try squeezing more steadily for a longer period with your left arm. You should
get less body movement that way. This is not a quick fix but well worth the effort.
Overall a really good effort and a pleasant performance.
Thank you.
Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: The Walrus     Watch Video     Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Opening part played very well. Give the low A before the birl in bar 8 its full value. This bar is slightly rushed. Because you play it
so many times its important to get it right.

Your D Throw is a bit laboured too open and big for the melodic groove of this tune.

In terms of the feel and groove of the tune – you nailed it.

Bagpipe good.

Nice performance and presentation

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: The Man from Skye – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Nice interpretation and good solid phrasing.

Fingerwork is generally clean but some slurring of birls.

Bagpipes not far off the sound but a bit unsteady. Drones not locked on low A and therefore no major harmonics coming through.

You have a good understanding of the music and a nice feel for the phrasing.

Think BIRLS and TONE and you will move up the grades !

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Laureano Thomas-Sanchez – USA      Team: The Great Lakes Pipe Band
Tunes: The Captains Pledge – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: First part phrased well. Watch birls somewhat laboured and lacking in clarity. Sometimes holding up the melodic flow.
The D throw is also holding up the melody by being too laboured and drawn out too much.

Phrasing is slightly rushed and erratic causing a frantic effect in the flow.

Top notes are very raspy and scratchy ( maybe not fully blown for tone.
Drones wavering. In general the tone need to sweeten up a bit.
Otherwise good feel for the tune but embellishments letting you down

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Kevin Blasl – Austria
Tunes: Donald MacLeod – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: The pick up notes are too big and open.

Nice phrasing and composure.
Birls are weak and slurring.

D Throws are too laboured and holding up the flow of the melody

Pipes are very sharp on the top hand especially high A
Blowing unsteady and overblowing at times.
Chanter very chirpy and a few unwanted squeals.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. William Bennie – Canada
Tunes: The Pumpkins Fancy – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: Too fast and frantic for your fingers to cope.

More composure and attention to phrasing is required to make the melody strong. You are playing too straight line and not giving
attention to pointing or the main theme notes in the composition.

More clarity and definition in the note values and embellishments BUT most importantly in a manageable tempo that your fingers
can cope with.

Slowed down/stumbled in last part on repeat as well.

Some blowing issues with pipes due to the stress and strain of playing the tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 19. Grade 3 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. John Campbell – Wales
Tunes: Gordon MacRae’s Favourite  – Judge: Robert Mathieson
Judge’s Comments: This interpretation is being played as a slow hornpipe. Not sure if this tune sits well at this tempo.

Good phrasing but let let it dance more. There seems to be an over riding carefulness that is holding back the music.

Some work required on embellishments e.g. Birls are too open , sluggish and lacking definition.

False fingering and some crossing noises in the 3rd and 4th part. Slight melodic stumble in the last part.

Pipe okay but blown slightly unsteady and drones note locked in to low A.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 1. Harry McLachlan – Scotland
Tunes: Catherine’s Lament     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Very good playing here and playing a good standard. However, you had a small note mistake in the taorluath but this didn’t affect overall presentation. Good crunluath. Well played.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 2. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: The Company´s Lament     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Professional performance played well – good instrument and technique. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 3. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: The Little Spree – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Nicely played tune and a very musical performance – good pipe (aside from sharp D). You had a small note mistake on line 2 of ground however overall a very nice tune. well done

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 4. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: Lament For Alasdair Dearg MacDonell  – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Some nice playing here and a good understanding of the piobaireachd structure. Watch to hold theme notes more in the on crunluath – movement here fast and tune getting lost slightly. Keep a difference in tempo between the variations. Pipes sounded good. Well done

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 5. Rob Gebhart – USA      Team: Vancouver FF’s Pipes and Drums
Tunes: MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament (No. 1)     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Nicely phrased ground and variations – slightly untidy last line of Var 1. Good technique however some small chokes creeping in towards end of tune. Good crunluath – slightly too fast to the cadence in singling from E. Well done – musical performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 6. John Campbell – Wales
Tunes: Munroe’s Salute – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Some nice technique here – maybe move the tune on a bit quicker on changes between variations. This helps the musical presentation. Hold the theme notes in the tripling and crunluath variations. Good movement though – slight ‘choke’ in ground. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: none Michael Page – USA      Team: Wasatch & District Pipe Band
Tunes: MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament (No.1)     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Strong fingering/technique – Phrasing in ground needs looked at skipping over B&D & Fs in the phrasing in ground. Variation 1 – good playing but holding the high A at the ends of lines too long. Crunluath still needs a bit of work. Good overall presentation but look at the phrasing of the tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 20. Grade 3 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: none Sean Smtih – USA
Tunes: The Bicker – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Reuben McDonnell – New Zealand
Tunes: The Knightswood Ceilidh, Stac Polly, Fiona MacLeod – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Nice, bright tempo at start of March. High A flat. Watch 4th bar in 3rd part. Doublings not always clear.

Strathspey – good lift and tempo.

Reel – slight crossing noise e to c doubling. Grace notes tightening in the 5th and 6th bars of the third part.

Overall a very well played set of tunes. Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Ben Gibbons – United Kingdom
Tunes: The conundrum
Maggie Cameron
Kalabakan – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Overall a very nice performance played on a nice sounding bagpipe. March tempo was very nice. You are playing an E grace note at the start of the fourth
bar throughout the tune. This should be a G grace note. The strathspey was a little slow, but again well played. Watch the F couplings in the last part – they need to be more consistent. I also thought the real was very well played – nice tempo nice control good phrasing throughout. Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Ben Murray – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: March: Abrcairney Highlanders
Strathespey: Pipers Bonnet
Reel: Major David Manson     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: A nice, refined sounding bagpipe. Too much tuning on the video. Nice tempo at the start of the march. Watch not to under blow your your High As and High Gs. Slight crossing sound in the fourth part second time through the March. Slip in the 4th bar of the 1st part. Slight choke in the third part. The strath could have a little more left by playing more emphasis on the first and last beats of each bar. Strange entry into the first part of the reel. I suggest you play just G and D grace notes on that first Low A of the reel coming from the strathspey.

Excellent execution and control throughout. Nice job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: John MacColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage, Lady Louden, Alick C. MacGregor – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Nice start to the march, but missing some top hand execution in the first part. High A a bit shrill at the start. Slip in the 2nd part. Birls inconsistent – not always sounding both Low Gs. Drones drifting by the end of the march.

Crossing noise in the first part. High As need to open a bit in the 2nd part. Watch double tachums in the third part. Missed the ones on C to Low A.

Play the Half E doublings after the High As in the first part. Not playing a lot of E doublings in the 4th part.

Nice tempos and rhythm throughout your performance, but your execution needs more consistency. Missing too many doublings and the like here and there.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Therese McErlean – Canada
Tunes: Jimmy Young, Susan MacLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran.     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Sound of video distorted. Gain too high on audio. Hard to tell, but drones seemed to wavering a bit by the end.

Nice tempo and phrasing throughout the march. Rushing off of B strikes at the end of the 4th bar in the 1st part. Missed thumb grace note on High G in the 4th part.

Break to Strathspey a bit abrupt. I wouldn’t cut up off the last birl the march. Triplet in 1st part too quick. Nice bubbly movements in 3rd part. Two minor chokes as well. Good tempo here.

Rushing onto short F before E strike in 2nd and 6th bars. Slight slip in 5th part and slight choke in 6th. But generally nice rhythm and phrasing in the reel.

Generally a nice performance with little untidy bits here and there.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Rory Siems – USA      Team: Bushmills Irish Pipers of San Francisco
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Blair Drummond, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Drones out at the start. Your execution is quite good, but your not getting a lot flow and phrasing our of your march. Chanter sound sharp on the top hand.

Would have liked to hear six parts of the march.

Execution in Strathspey not as good as the march. Double tachums very inconsistent. D throws lack clarity as well. This is a very difficult strathspey to get good lift from.

Reel is a little slow. Cutting short notes too much in the 1st part. Watch E doublings from F. Getting an extra little E in there before playing the actual G Gracenote to E in the Doubling. D Throws still lacking clarity – not hearing every little note in them. Slip going into last part!

A nice effort all the same.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Owen Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: John MacColls March to Kilbowie Cottage, The Caledonian Society of London, The Little Cascade – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Chanter flat and dull sounding. Short C to F’s are too fast and untidy. Sounds like you are rolling to the F at times. Crossing noises in the 3rd part. Also watch in the 4th bar throughout the tune that you don’t cut the C before the F that precedes the B strike too short.

Strathspey – E strike crossing noise up to High A in 1st pt. Overblowing high A’s in the 2nd part. Slight rush from 2nd to 3rd part. Triplet in 1st bar of 4th part sluggish. Would like to hear more strathspey lift throughout. But played with steadiness.

Reel – Top hand going very sharp here. Untidy playing throughout. Missing some notes and doublings. Rhythmically erratic. I think this is too big a tune for this level of competition. Full of many pitfalls!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 21. Grade 2 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Ryan moore – Canada      Team: The Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay
Tunes: March – David Ross
Strathspey – Caledonian Canal
Reel – Duntroon     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: March – Low A flat and F sharp to rest of the chanter scale. Watch phrasing – rushing onto tachums. C to E in 1st part distorted. Maybe not getting bottom hand down quickly enough. Slight choke in 1st pat, 2nd time through. Check music in 2nd part. Some little note changes in 5th bar. In last part of the march, 2nd and 6th bars, the C doubling to the short B to the C to Low A tachum is unclear. Make the short B more pronounced to help.

Strath – C to High A crossing noise in the 1st part. Missing doublings in the 2nd part, plus slight choke. Another crossing noise in the third part. Work on getting more lift in the strath by bringing out more pulse on the first beat of each bar.

Reel – Cutting short Cs too much in the first part. Choke in 2nd part. Rhythm too pointed throughout. Needs to be rounder and more flowy, like the reel dance.

In general, a nice effort. Focus on cleaning up you execution.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 22. Grade 2 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Ben Gibbons – United Kingdom
Tunes: Cork Hill
Alex Macdonald – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe ok, at start. Good tempo and feel throughout-watch blowing on D-watch phrase endings. Don’t rush into the next phrase. Pipe ok at end.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 22. Grade 2 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: Rory MacLeod, The Seagull – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Pipe ok at start-D sharpish. Relaxed tempo and feel throughout -miss in 3rd part tune 1. Pipe ok at end.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 22. Grade 2 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Owen Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: The Hens March, Brae Riach – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Top hand sharp to drones from the start. The tempo and feel not 100% steady throughout.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 22. Grade 2 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Alex McGrotty – England
Tunes: 1. Alan MacPherson of Mosspark
2. Troy’s Wedding – Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Chanter sharp to drones from start. Watch control of the jig idiom for consistancy. Check the music for some irregularities in 2nd tune.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 22. Grade 2 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Rory Siems – USA      Team: Bushmills Irish Pipers of San Francisco
Tunes: The Geese in the Bog, The Lark in the Morning     Watch Video     Judge: James W. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Top hand sharp to drones from the start. Would like the tempo and feel more solid throughout. Some technique not enhancing the overall feel in both tunes. Pipe moving at end.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Ben Murray – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: 6/8 March: Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Excellent musical performance on a first class pipe – very well played.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Ben Gibbons – United Kingdom
Tunes: The cock of the North – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good performance on a nice pipe. I felt you overpointed the tune a bit – let the tune flow a bit more. But overall a good performance with good technique. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: Murdo MacKenzie of Torridon – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Musical performance and nice tempo – bagpipe good (chanter excellent – drones slightly out). Well played with good technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Dallas O’Donoghue – Canada
Tunes: the tress of north uist  – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Nice tempo and good musical presentation. Pipe was good however watch the High G (slightly sharp) and the D (slightly flat). Good strong technique but watch out for the last part (some crossing noises). Well done – overall good performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Rory Siems – USA      Team: Bushmills Irish Pipers of San Francisco
Tunes: Jean Mauchline     Watch Video     Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good tempo here watch out for some of the technique (birl light in places, B Doublings and B taorluath and D throw slightly ‘heavy’). Pipe sounds good and it was a good confident performance. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 23. Grade 2 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Andrew Kerr – United Kingdom
Tunes: 6/8; Bengullion – Judge: Euan MacCrimmon
Judge’s Comments: Good technique on excellent bagpipe. Tune played a bit slow – try and up the tempo as your technique seems good enough to up the pace – this will let the music flow more. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 24. Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Ben Gibbons – United Kingdom
Tunes: Moonshine – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice musical flow at a well-controlled tempo.

Technique is clear and full. Slight pause on the Dares in 2nd. Very nice bottom-hand run in the 3rd.

The timing is very slightly erratic in the 4th, and the odd ending biro lands just slightly early.

These are nitpicking, however. The pipes sounds good, the technique is slid and I liked the musical presentation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 24. Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Andrew Kerr – United Kingdom
Tunes: Hornpipe; Pie-Eyed Piper     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Lovely, solid drones at start.

Little technique misses in early parts, but a nicely flowing tune.

The strikes are a bit of an issue here and there-not fully closing the strike note.

Very slight crossing note in 4th part. Very good handling of rhythm here.

This was a strong performance on a good bagpipe. There aren’t a tonne of technique [doublings, etc.] in this tune, so if you miss some strikes it jumps out!

Really enjoyable overall.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 24. Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: Lucy Cassidy – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Some small clarity issues with birls and G grace notes. Not 100% accurate, and slight squeal.

Tune flowing nicely with a good swing. Nice traditional HP feel to it.

The phrasing of the tune could use a bit of work. Try to get the 2-bar phrases really defined. It will assist the overall feel of it. At times, you are losing the flow b/c you’re slightly rushing between phrases.

Pipes not fully in tune. Drones not right on the chanter from the start, and some notes need to be a bit better. D seems quite sharp at times, and there is a bit of unsteady blowing hampering the sound.

Overall, a pretty solid tune that would be assisted by a better sounding/blown instrument and a little more phrase definition.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 24. Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Rory Siems – USA      Team: Bushmills Irish Pipers of San Francisco
Tunes: Duncan Johnstone     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice background!

The B in the 2nd part is a strange note that I haven’t heard before, and I don’t think improves the original.

The rhythm is a little erratic, and you aren’t always landing the beats just so. Focus on the 2-bar phrases to try to get a stronger musical feel.

There are some low As in the 3rd part that should be low Gs.

The pipes are pleasant, although the blowing is a little erratic. You can hear that in the drone sound.

Overall, I would get a copy of the original music and check the notes. I’m OK with an individual arrangement of these tunes, but these changes sound like errors rather than preference. If that’s the setting you have, then I would seek out the original Donald MacLeod version which is published in John MacFadyen’s Collection.

Apart from the notes, establishing a solid rhythmic approach, and landing precisely on the beats will give a better musical result.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 24. Grade 2 Piping – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Dallas O’Donoghue – Canada
Tunes: Dr Macinnes’s fancy – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Sight lack of clarity at times on bottom hand, 1st part.

Tune is being played a little round to my liking, and I think the overall effect is that it comes out a little square. There are some things you could do to emphasize the beats and the rhythm that would bring out more life.

The phrase with the biros is being rushed…gets a little ahead and breaks the flow.

Good solid strike technique….landing them fully and cleanly.

Nice 4th part, although you rushed the ending a bit. Pipes were pleasant enough overall, but drones not fully in tune with each other or the chanter.

Overall, lots of good stuff. I would look for ways to give this a bit more rhythmic and musical snap, and work on getting a more precisely tuned drone sound.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 25. Grade 2 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 1. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: Too Long in this Condition – Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Ground. Watch execution of Taorluath – not always solid. HG grace note missing from the front of the Edre (bar 5 line 1). Need to pulse the tune – Strong Medium Medium Strong per bar, with 2-bar phrasing. Overall, Ground a little slow. Quaver note groupings (E-F, F-HA) expressed the other way round to the way I have the tune. Doubling. Missed HG grace note start of line 2. Could be brighter relative to the Ground. HG grace note missed on B before Taorluath line 2 last bar. Var 1. Wrong grace notes 1st phrase line 1. Wrong grace notes line 2 bars 3 and 4. Can’t afford to do this! Var 1 Doubling. Same grace note issues. Good lift in tempo. A little straight overall for me – could do much more with the pulsing. Crunluath Singling. Gracenote and technique inaccuracies line 2. Crunluath Doubling. Good tempo lift. Edre in fosgailte movement not always solid. Missed throws to F. Drones not lasting. Some potential here but much more attention to detail required – especially with respect to playing the right grace notes /embellishments and more care with technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 25. Grade 2 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 2. Ryan moore – Canada      Team: The Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay
Tunes: The Field of Gold     Watch Video     Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Ground. Drones well set together to start – could bring them down a little more. F and D a little sharp. HG grace note end of the first line on F?? (and again for line 2 and 3). Dre missed line 3. Var 1. Error end of line 2. A little straight and quick for me. Taorluath. Watch GDE movement doesn’t get too tight. Try to get more pulsing in the tune (strong medium medium strong per bar, 2-bar phrases). Error end of the variation – put an linking E note in. Crunluath. Error end of line 2 and 3 (put in D in the fosgailte movement instead of C). Some technical misses with the Crunluath – you can do the movement fine, it is a matter of taking more care. When repeating the ground, just play the first line. Finish on low A. Overall, an enjoyable listen.. You could do a lot more with the musical expression – work on this with your tutor. Make sure you are playing the right grace notes and notes throughout!.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 26. Grade 1 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Finlay MacLeod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: Knightswood Ceilidh, Macdonalds of Baleshore and Broadford Bay – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Finlay.
Thanks for joining us in this competition.
What a powerful instrument! Well set and well balanced.
The March starts off very well at an excellent pace. Very musical. Watch to keep the steadiness absolutely perfect – drifting in
tempo just slightly in passages. An excellent march.
Strathspey is too controlled to me. It needs a little drive in tempo and lift in expression. Very careful.
Your strong finger technique is very evident here – excellent. The bottom hand is especially good and clear.
Broadford Bay is perhaps also a tad careful. A great tune.
Could attack the beat notes at start of bars a bit harder to give it an aggressive edge.
The whole thing held well right to the end. Very strong.
Thanks, Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 26. Grade 1 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: Stirlingshire Militia, Inveraray Castle, Back of the Moon – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Andrew,
What a great location and thank you for joining this competition!
A very powerful and good sounding pipe you have. Excellent. At the start the tempo for me is a little too fast.
You have very strong fingers. The birls are fantastic!! Some doublings are crushed a bit and a slight drop in tempo could help.
The start of Inverary Castle is terrific. Excellent music, fingering and tempo. Well done.
Work to open F doublings consistently.
Back O’ the Moon is a shade overpointed with some short notes disappearing at times. Try to smooth off the music that little bit.
A very good performance overall and I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you. Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 26. Grade 1 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Adam Wishart – Australia
Tunes: Abercairney Highlanders/Caledonian Society of London/The Smith of Chilliechassie – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Adam,
Thank you for playing in this event. A musical start to your MSR on a good bagpipe.
Watch to keep the doublings nice and full with two equal qrace notes. You could accentuate the start of phrases more for musical
effect. The tune was held at a very steady tempo throughout.
A well controlled break and tempo to Caledonian Society. Playing well here. Would like a slightly less square style to the tune.
The beat 1’s need stronger accenting.
Nicely started Reel. Flowing well here. Watch to open double gracenoting effect. Could be more even and stronger.
Playing well right to end. The pipe was very pleasant with HG being the one note that was on the thin/high side. Nice projection to chanter sound overall.
Well done overall. Most enjoyable. Thanks, Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 26. Grade 1 Piping – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan MacLeod, The Sheepwife     Watch Video     Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Sean,
Thank you for joining this online contest.
Well started set with the March being that wee bit on the careful side. A nice sounding instrument with lovely drones.
Watch to open the C doublings. Some thinness evident to top hand of chanter. Triplet movements are on the tight side. Make
sure to open the D&E grace notes as much as the G grace notes.
Drones flat to chanter by Strathspey. I think this chanter reed is thin and drifting. Not entirely stable creating this effect.
Good tempo and music. The cut C doublings need clarity.
Nicely into the Sheepwife. Flowing very well here. I like your cutting up to HG in first lines of some parts. Nice.
Again, could open gracenoting in 6th part. A very abrupt finish.
Sean, I really enjoyed this effort but it needs a wee bit of polish. Mostly in finesses and clarity of playing.
Really a good effort. Thanks. Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 27. Grade 1 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: The Curlew, The Jig of Slurs – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Good lively tempo and control of phrases. Some triplet rhythm slightly inconsistent in the first part of The Curlew. The space
between the D and E grace notes on Low A not always the same. Very strong technique overall-excellent clarity to throws and
doublings. In Jig of Slurs, some treatment of strikes just a bit unbalanced between notes, especially in 2nd part. Very enjoyable
and confident set of tunes!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 27. Grade 1 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. finlay macleod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: The Old Wife Of the Mill Dust and The Hen’s March – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Good lively tempo and jig idiom. Some GDE triplets on Low A at times just a little inconsistent compared to the rhythm of the
other triplets in the Old Wife of the Mill Dust. Very strong execution and clarity of doublings and strikes. Tempo just seemed to increase slightly in 3rd and 4th of The Hen’s March. A slightly slower tempo here would accentuate the already strong phrasing a bit more. Very enjoyable set of jigs.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 27. Grade 1 Piping – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: Kenny Gilles of Portalong, The Curlew – Judge: James P. Troy
Judge’s Comments: Very lively tempo. Nice control of the triplet rhythm. Some half F doublings starting just a bit early in the 1st part, 2nd bar of Kenny Gillies. Some Fs before the strike on F in the ending phrase could be given a bit more value. Very strong and clear technique overall-some D throws a bit inconsistent in The Curlew. The throw movement could use a bit more Low G to give them more impact. A few very slight catches in the 3rd part. Tempo and phrasing just lost a little composure towards the end of the 4th part of The Curlew, but overall very well phrased. Very enjoyable set of jigs.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 28. Grade 1 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Leaving Port Askaig     Watch Video     Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice job on the dress and deportment. Almost can’t watch, those brogues are so shiny! : )

Very nice into march…a relaxed pace but still moving. Nice balance. Pipes sound very good in the space.

As the tune progressed, I thought that maybe overall it’s a little too relaxed, but all the other elements are in place: good technique, a lovely instrument, solid control of rhythms and idiom …and those BROGUES! ha, ha.

Very enjoyable performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 28. Grade 1 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Finlay Macleod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: An T-urramach Iain MacAoidh – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very full bagpipe sound. There’s something else too…is that a blowing/lips sound?

Wow, this is a lovely tune, and playing with an excellent musical flow. I’d say you could stand to fill out your technique in a few places. The doublings are a bit tight, and not always making the impact they should.

The most distracting thing about this play is the lips/blowing/raspberry sound you are making. It’s an important element of your piping/performance to make the listener comfortable, and this is a little unsettling. See if you can identify what/how you are making it, and get rid of it!

Having said that, I LOVED the musical flow of this tune. Excellent job, on a very nice sounding bagpipe.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 28. Grade 1 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Adam Wishart – Australia
Tunes: Lily Christie – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Nice first part. Tempo might be a bit relaxed.

A little muddy fingering in 2nd part on transition to top hand.

You are rushing the strikes in ending phrases. I think the issue is maybe that the High G is just not quite long enough.

Good bagpipe sound and a lovely tune overall. Feel that you could go for it a little more in terms of attack, and a couple of timing things to review.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 28. Grade 1 Piping – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: MacLeod of Mull – Judge: Iain MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Too bad about the gale force wind sounds blowing over the mic at start!

Good start to tune. Flowing well and showing good 6/8 idiom on a very pleasant bagpipe.

Sometimes you are rushing the phrases a wee bit…not waiting to land things exactly on beat. Top hand runs etc.

Little cross note in 4th part. Not fully articulating the grip.

Lots of great stuff overall. Pipes were pleasant to hear, and I liked the tempo/attack on the tune. What would help the overall is a more consistent approach to landing all the notes right on beat, and then there were a couple of technical glitches in the 4th part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 29. Grade 1 Piping – Hornpipes (two hornpipes, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Jim Tweedy’s Sea Legs, John McKenzie’s Fancy – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very enjoyable selection played with lots of confidence and excitement!
Some slight rushing and little squeaks in first tune but I felt you got better as you went along here and what a 3rd part!  Awesome!
John MacKenzie I felt you rushed birls at end in first part and in general the whole part seemed pushed.  Little more low A before Edre may help space things out for you?
Settled down in second part second time through I think very good to last b doubling which was missed!
High quality tunes on an outstanding bagpipe which was consistent from start to end! Solid.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 29. Grade 1 Piping – Hornpipes (two hornpipes, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. finlay macleod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: The Pipers Controversy and Crossing The Minch – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very well done!  You have a good sense of timing that allows everything to be heard in both tunes.
Bagpipe was okay but the video/audio quality created a screeching/piercing sound at times.
The Piper’s Controversy was well controlled and presented.
Crossing the Minch was presented well with a slight laboured feel the second time through the 3rd part.
Nice selection and ensure you keep up the work on controlling all technique.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 29. Grade 1 Piping – Hornpipes (two hornpipes, each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: Man From Skye, Train Journey North – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Overall well done!
I liked your bagpipe but I thought that your High A was a bit too Croaky and Sharp sending a Piercing type sound.
The Man from Skye was well presented and I am not sure of your music but I believe there are B doublings at the end of the parts prior to the tacchums going down to Low G?  Keep your doublings a little more open as I found them to be a little tight at times.
Slight crossing noises in 3rd Part at ending both times through part.
Train Journey North was very good and again my only criticism is that some of your short notes are too short pushing the beat which disrupts the nice consistent tempo you maintain for the majority of the tune (in other words when you do it it stands out!).
Very enjoyable performance!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 30. Grade 1 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Initial High G wavering – was better as you played. Ground very nice. Feel you’re pushing the ground doubling though. Also rushed into Var I by coming off of last low G of ground doubling too soon. Did the same at the end of the ground as well.

Var 1 and its doubling flat. Coming off theme noted way too quickly.

Tar. Sing – There’s the wavering High G again.
Tar. Doub – slight miss on D Tar in line 2
Crun Sing – ok

A Mach – missing the note at the end of the f grip part of the movement. While you don’t want the movement to be played in two parts, give a little separation between the grip and edre portions to make sure you hear every part of the movement.

An enjoyable tune overall.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 30. Grade 1 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 2. finlay macleod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: The King’s Taxes – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Ground a bit slow – seeming to pause at the end of each bar, rather than playing in two bar phrases.
Phrasing better in in Var. 1. Drones starting to waiver here. In both Var 1 and its doubling I think you could cut the third note of each bar a bit more than you’re doing to get more fluidity in the music.

Tripling – Rushing off of theme notes onto cadences and in bars where there are not cadences. Give theme notes their full value. Would like to hear more pulse in your 4/4 phrasing in the Tripling doubling.

Crun. Sing. Very nice
Crun Doub – Good flow and tempo here.

A nice tune, but lacking a real sense of protest in the ground

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 30. Grade 1 Piping – Piobaireachd
Placing: 3. Stephen Ross – Australia      Team: Canberra Celtic Pipe Band
Tunes: The Vaunting – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: Urlar – Rushing through B echo beats a bit in 2nd bar of each line
Var. I – Missed hiharin at end of repeat of line 1 and line 2. Drones beginning to waiver here. Good tempo and phrasing.
Var. I Doub – This variation a bit slow, lacking intensity. Could cut short notes more.
Var. I Treb – Play onto Low As after Tarluaths at end of lines more quickly to keep rhythm consistent with comes before.
Tar. Sing. – Pause on theme notes preceding cadences to set them up. This is good Piob. technique
Tar. Doub.- good
Tar. A Mach – good
Crun. Sing – Cruns from Low G generally untidy. Sometimes overholding very last Low A theme note of each line.
Crun Doub – Good tempo
Crun A Mach- Nice tempo and flow. A little slow getting bottom hand down when going to E on the A Machs

Overall a musical tune. Thanks.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 31. Any Grade Piping – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Cabar Feidh, Duncan Johnstone, Steel Thistle Lullaby, Mac and Irish, The Blue Cloud     Watch Video     Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Great selection. Good pipe, well set. Cabar F: effective transition of styles. Technically strong, but some strikes are very light verging on not being there. Excellent birls. Some impressive technique here. Duncan J: really smack those E strikes! A few minor technical issues but very solid. Good aggressive approach. Air – excellent all through. Strath: great lift and phrasing. Effective. Blue Cloud: minor bottom hand misses, but nothing to really detract from the performance. Great ending. A very impressive performance, start to finish!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 31. Any Grade Piping – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Placing: 2. Ben Gibbons – United Kingdom
Tunes: The Georgia whaling Song – Slow Air
Maggie Cameron – Strathspey
Gregorians’ Salute – HP
Silver Spear – SFU arrangement – HP
Wing Commander Donald Mackenzie – SFU arrangement – HP – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A very good selection! Pipe well set at the start. Some taorluaths a wee bit tight – maybe open them up so they’re as accurate and effective as the grips in the second part? Strathspey – good open technique here. Top hand starting to sharpen a bit. Good flow, though some of the runs getting tight, and more so as the tune went on. Gregorians’ S: little catches early on. Excellent dares! Pt 4 bottom hand work not quite as clean. S Spear – very good! HP WC D MacK: minor bottom hand issues and some little hesitations with strikes, but overall technically strong. Flashy end – pulled it off! A very entertaining set – just a few minor comments, but nothing much to detract from the high entertainment value!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 31. Any Grade Piping – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Placing: 3. Owen Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: Caber Feidh, march, strathspey, reel, jig, hornpipe – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A full gamut of Cabar Feidh! Just missing an air version….! Solid drones – very stable. Top hand a bit thin and not as stable – not very forgiving of minor fluctuations in pressure. March: aggressive and exciting tempo – solid. Some grips have an extra low A – little finger coming up just a shade early. Strathspey: a bit of tempo fluctuation and a few little catches in technique, but well presented. Reel: be careful your half doublings on E don’t come ahead of the beat – sound like you’re jumping a bit there. Maybe just loosen up the feel a bit – some of the connecting notes are just about disappearing. Jig: Good flow here! Birls not completely consistent. Hornpipe: good and relaxed, with lots of swing. A very entertaining selection!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 31. Any Grade Piping – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Placing: 4. Steve Joubert – South Africa
Tunes: Crossing the Minch, The Irish Washerwife and Afternoon at the Green Monster – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: One of the best video submissions I’ve seen for landscape! Absolutely stunning. (The passers-by were a bit funny, I must admit.) Too bad it was so breezy – the wind on the microphone detracted from the sound quality. Pipe set fairly well, but the top hand is a bit sharp. Very entertaining swing through the pointed hornpipes. A few squeals here and there on the bottom hand – hole coverage issues, esp. on birls. A few crossing noises – be careful in bar 4 of Crossing the Minch on certain parts: HG B E D D C D E – on the B to E transition and E to D. But great swing and effective shakes in Irish WW. Good transition to the round presentation of the Green Monster. Little problem in pt 2 but a well played tune. Good selection here!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 31. Any Grade Piping – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Placing: 5. Dagmar Pesta – Germany      Team: Owl Town Pipe & Drum Band Peine
Tunes: Rose Of Allandale / Paddy Carey / The Young Maiden / Molly Connel / Itchy Fingers / Mairi’s Wedding – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Great variety in your selections. Pipe set fairly well, but could use a bit more refinement. Rose of Allandale: careful and accurate technique. Well played. Jig: A bit sticky in parts, especially E strikes. Grace notes are getting a bit big. Air: well played, but be careful about overblowing a bit on top hand notes. Strathspey: some timing problems happening here – I think you could solve these if you slow down a bit! Reel: here again I think you’d be more accurate if you slow down a little, and you’d have more control. Mairi’s W: birls a bit sticky, but good flow in this tune. The first and last tunes were definitely the strongest. An entertaining selection!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 12 years or younger
Placing: 1. Harry McLachlan – Scotland
Tunes: Hugh Kennedy     Watch Video     Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: High A very flat, spoiling your bagpipe sound. Drones well tuned.

Nice tempo and execution throughout, but missing out the G grace notes on the short C’s in the fourth part.

Overall a well played tune.

Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 12 years or younger
Placing: 2. Rebecca Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: Muir of Ord – Judge: Michael Cusack
Judge’s Comments: 1st part – watch grace notes of tachums!
2nd – Be sure to sound the F pick up note
3rd – E to high A crossing noise in the repeat
4th – 4th bar a little untidy

A nice performance overall, but a little on the fast side, causing a few execution misses. Also work on getting a better chanter sound. High was very sharp.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Placing: 1. Tommy Henson – Scotland      Team: NYBPoS
Tunes: Dr E G MacKinnon (4 part march)     Watch Video     Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Tommy.
A great setting….well done!
A well set instrument and a good start to the March. A wee bit on the cautious side but very steady.
Some technique could use opening. Examples would be G grace notes on beat notes (LA & C) as well as tachums.
As well doublings such as C and E are tight (too quick). Open the grace notes.
The HA to the chanter is a bit shrill with the rest sounding very good.
A very good effort beginning to end.
Thanks for participating.
Terry Lee.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Placing: 2. Laureano Thomas-Sanchez – USA      Team: The Great Lakes Pipe Band
Tunes: David Ross – Judge: Terry Lee
Judge’s Comments: Laureano, a very nice tune.
A good sounding instrument. For me, the tune starts off too fast. This is because you are rounding off the phrasing of the tune.
A drop in tempo would allow some more pointing and musical effect to happen for you.
Watch to open some critical doublings such as C and E. Snatching at these movements somewhat.
Could pulse the first E’s in part 3 more.
A musical tune overall at an aggressive tempo.
With a little settling this could be very good.
Thank you for taking part.
Terry.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Placing: 1. Ben Murray – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: March: Abercairney Highlanders     Watch Video     Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Solid March played with lots of confidence and poise! (I would like to see you put in performances where you have not been judged unless this was just the background setting?)
Nice tempo and lots of music.  2nd time through 2nd part you were a little laboured on the E doubling and I play down to the Low A instead of waiting on E doubling in your setting which may assist you in maintaining the tempo.
Very Enjoyable performance with a strong stage presence!  Keep up the good work and a lovely bagpipe!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Placing: 2. Lachlan McPhee – Australia
Tunes: John MacColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage – Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very Enjoyable performance!
Tune came across with nice consistent tempo and swing throughout.  Make sure your technique is not too tight in order to allow you all the freedom to move about the chanter.  Gripping makes this very difficult and creates a clipped type sound for tacchums and doublings.
There were some dirty crossing noises that crept up at times which detracted from the performance.
Make sure you play and finish the tune before you go into tuning phrases as this again detracts from the overall presentation.
Your bagpipe was very good and played with lots of confidence.
Keep up the good work!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Placing: 3. Andrew Yu, Chun Kit – Hong Kong
Tunes: The 91st at Modder River     Watch Video     Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Judge’s Comments: Very solid tune on a good bagpipe with lots of chanter projection.  Hi A was again a little too croaky and sharp when underblown to maintain the pressure and ensure not set sharp.
In second part I felt your tacchums were a bit crushed creating a pushed  feeling here!  Sit back and keep those grace notes small and loose not tight!  Watch the endings with the tacchum E to C to B and ending on Low A combination.  Keep the D grace note small to prevent it from being on top of the Low A.
You have nice swing in your march playing and tempo were consistent from start to end.  Good Stuff!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers age 18 to 20 years
Placing: 1. Loo Zhi En – Singapore
Tunes: Donald MacLean’s Farewell To Oban –  Judge: Greg Wilson
Judge’s Comments: Good tempo. Some C-E crossing noises. Watch execution of the birl – need a double sound. 2nd part – some good technique and playing here. Some grace notes missed 3rd part (high G). Watch execution of tachums – a little clipped. Need more Low G in your throw on D. Some fingering inaccuracies through out. Competently played

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 1. Sean Regan – USA
Tunes: Lord Alexander Kennedy     Watch Video     Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: Excellent tune. Fabulous bagpipe. Well done. Just a few little comments to make, but overall this was superb. A few taor misses, but technically sound – killer birls! You’re slowing down a bit in parts 3 and 5 – in your phrasing if you hold all beat notes it becomes less effective and affects your tempo – be aware of keeping the same lift and life you have in the other parts and you often get that by careful attention to off-beats. If you overhold the notes on the beats your offbeat can get lost. In a few places I felt you came off the the B at the end of bar 4 into the pickup notes a bit early – but just a wee bit. Overall a very enjoyable rendition.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 2. Finlay MacLeod – United Kingdom      Team: Lewis Pipe Band
Tunes: Clan MaCcoll – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: An excellent rendition. Pipe well balanced and well tuned – very steady. Phrasing is well thought out and presented all through. Just a few places where you’re a little ahead of the beat: the first is bar 3 of the first two parts, beat two… Be sure to place the G grace note right on the beat – at the moment it’s ahead of the beat. Another is birls in the final bar of each part – they just start a bit early. And finally, a few D doublings – the most noticeable is in the fourth part, bar 3, beat two – again, be careful to place the g gracenote of the doubling right on the beat. So, just a few small details – apart from those, this was a great tune. Technically sound. Well played on a very good instrument.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 3. Michael Jeschofnig – Austria      Team: United Maniacs of St. Gallen
Tunes: Lord Alexander Kennedy (J. Honeyman) –  Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A very solid and enjoyable performance, start to finish. Good pipe – high A maybe verging on sharp, but overall sound quality is very good, and well set. Careful and accurate technique. A few small crossing noises or catches here and there going from bottom to top hand. Well phrased all through. I do think the ending phrase could be improved a bit – I find that you’re landing on the off-beats early in both beats of bar 7. C E low A C, B D low G B – Hold the E a bit so the low A isn’t early, and the D so the low G isn’t early. It’s also nice to pull out the low A and low G on the off-beat to get some lift. Maybe try experimenting with that a bit? After all, it is played 12 times! Part 6 was very well played, with lots of control – not an easy part to add phrasing to without jumping. A very well played march.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 4. Andrew Kerr – United Kingdom
Tunes: 2/4; Tommy MacDonald of Barguillean     Watch Video     Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A very enjoyable performance and a great tune choice for this contest. Outstanding bagpipe – resonant and full and well balanced. Technically very strong – I think you can handle a more lively tempo. I feel you need to just let it go a bit and have some fun – difficult to get good swing at this reserved tempo. Maybe worth a try? All the pieces are in place: good hands, good phrasing (I really appreciate your attention to phrase endings). Just one beat to work on controlling a bit more – the start of part four. In the combination High A, F, F, E of beat one, you’re coming off the High A a bit early (the pickup notes before are very good, it’s just the A on the beat that’s too short), and then you’re overcutting the first short F – that puts the off-beat quite early. Then you’re skimping a bit at the end of the beat on the E, so beat two is a bit early. So I suggest you hold the A more, soften the cut Fs, and then pause on the E until your foot comes down for beat 2, and you’re set. Similar comments for bar 2, but it’s most noticeable in bar one. But apart from that this performance was in complete control and very sound. Well done!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 5. Jan Belak – Germany
Tunes: Lord Alexander Kennedy  – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A well played march. Pipe fairly well set, but I think the balance could be a bit better for chanter tuning – the top hand is a bit sharp, and the bottom hand a bit low. So, if you add just a bit of hemp and lift the reed ever so slightly, it should bring the range in better balance – the top hand notes will be affected at a greater rate than the bottom hand notes. Careful and accurate all through, and perhaps a bit slow. Be careful of some early birls at the end of parts, and sometimes you’re a bit hasty in bar four – the C doubling, B and the taorluath. I would suggest you hold the off-beats in bar 7 a little bit more as well – the low A and the low G – will build more control into the ending. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March – for pipers 21 and older
Placing: 6. Owen Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: The Braes of Castle Grant – Judge: James MacHattie
Judge’s Comments: A very good rendition of a difficult tune – but one of the greats! I appreciate the careful phrasing – very consistent all through. I find the top hand a bit sharp and a little unstable – F, high G and high A are very unforgiving of any irregularity in pressure. Drones very steady and well set. I find a few passages a little clipped – as an example in part three, bar one, beat two – low A, B, C, E. The B and C are so short they’re almost inaudible at times – might get a bit more fluid playing if you relax the cutting a bit. Another minor issue – you’re jumping off the B into the pickup notes in the fourth bar of the first line of each part, after the strike. Overall, good lift, well phrased, technique generally good – an enjoyable march.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 101. Beginner Drum Pad 3/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Stephanie Luxford – New Zealand      Team: Red Hackle Tawa
Tunes: Wellington/Hawke’s Bay 3/4 Extravaganza  – Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Good timing. Rolls a bit crushed but good structure. All flams well executed. Great patience resulting in a well timed performance not showing any signs of pushing or rushing. Work on posture, keep your head centered and look forward as much as possible (you can still check in on your sticks, but focusing on them the whole time does not get the best out of the performance for the audience), and try for less curvature of your right wrist. Well played.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 101. Beginner Drum Pad 3/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Trish Rasmussen – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: Green Hills of Tyrol –  Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Good timing throughout. Be careful not to allow seven stroke rolls to become a five stroke with two taps at the end, this seemed to occur throughout.
Some flams not executed properly with a high hand and low hand, thus coming across ‘flat’, as in the notes strike at the same time. Keep the high hand at 1′ and the low hand at 1 to get a nice clean separation and more open sound.
Nice execution of all drags, but again watch the heights to get the best separation.
Work on eliminating all stick clicks, as you play in higher grades this becomes less acceptable.
Keep at it, you obviously are musical and it comes across.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 101. Beginner Drum Pad 3/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. PAUL CONNOLLY – United Kingdom      Team: London Scottish
Tunes: Green Hills of Tyrol –  Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Intro rolls not at the same tempo as the score and over pulsed – go for a 25 stroke roll based on eight triplets. Good roll quality on all 13 stroke rolls. Several left flams coming across very flat, keep them separated by always keeping the high hand 1′ and the low hand 1. The tempo changed throughout the tune, try playing to accompaniment or a metronome as often as practical to ensure that you are not losing tempo during certain phrases that may be busier. Overall, very promising. If you played 25 stroke rolls the way you play 13 stroke rolls you would be much better off. Keep at it! Thanks.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 102. Beginner Drum Pad 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. PAUL CONNOLLY – United Kingdom      Team: London Scottish
Tunes: Scotland the Brave  –  Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Your introduction roll timing is a little unsure, work on accurate three pace rolls.

Settling nicely into the March and creating great feel and swing.

Roll texture throughout the march is very smooth and consistent. You could enhance this performance even more with some natural dynamics.

You have fantastic potential Paul, keep it up.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 102. Beginner Drum Pad 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Trish Rasmussen – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: Battle of Waterloo – Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Great tempo and timing on your first introduction roll. A little out with the timing to the pipe melody E at the end of the 2nd roll.

You play well to the melody line throughout the performance. Your buzz texture is nice and closed however you could afford to smooth out the overall roll to provide a richer roll quality.

Great timing and execution.

An enjoyable performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 102. Beginner Drum Pad 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Kathleen King – New Zealand
Tunes: 4/4 march, first 2 parts – Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Well done.

Your rolls are a little uneven – work on making your left and right buzz the same height and volume. This will help you produce a very smooth roll.

Great timing throughout the March and a strong awareness of the pulse.

Keep up the great work, an enjoyable performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 103. Beginner Drum Pad 2/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Trish Rasmussen – New Zealand      Team: Riccarton & Scottish Society Pipe Band, Christchurch
Tunes: Brown Haired Maiden – Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: The two intro rolls and entry to the march suffered slightly as a result of using recorded music. The same could be said in general with the phrasing speeding up and slowing down in places throughout the performance. The score was well set and had good content for this level.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 103. Beginner Drum Pad 2/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Samuel Ordieres – Spain      Team: Banda Gaites Ribeseya
Tunes: 2/4 Buskers –  Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: The two intro rolls sound uneven and the pulses are a little bit too open. The tempo is slowing down after your rolls. Flam movements are played too close together causing the sticks to give a popping sound. Again in the third part, the tempo is slowing down. Sometimes when you go from one part to the next, you don’t play the start of the part in time, causing the balance of the march to slow down.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 103. Beginner Drum Pad 2/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Lety Cernuda – Spain      Team: Banda Gaites Ribeseya
Tunes: 2/4 Buskers –  Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: The intro rolls could be played with a smoother pulse. The tempo slowed down in the first four parts of the first part. I would like to hear better phrasing as it is causing the drum score to be played in a way that sits behind the beat, rather than spot on the beat. When this happens, the general tempo tends to get slower as the performance goes on. When you play flams, they are sometimes played with both sticks together, this produces a popping sound from the pad. The accented rolls in the third part are not being controlled properly. The left hand buzz is coming out as a single tap. The drum score is set at a good level.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Eilidh Young – Australia
Tunes: Duncan McInnes – Judge: Keith Orr
Judge’s Comments: Intro good with nice roll quality keeping a good tempo and staying well with the melody. Good use of light and shade in 3rd and 4th parts. Good overall performance – drum a little flat on top head.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Jessica Capon – Australia      Team: Biloela Pipe Band
Tunes: – Judge: Keith Orr
Judge’s Comments: Intro rolls a little open on pulse – try not to play behind the beat (2nd part). Settling down a little in the 3rd part – overall quite a steady performance. Drum sound a little choked on the top snare.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Kenneth Hiner – USA      Team: Wolf River Pipes & Drums
Tunes: Prince Charles’ Welcome to Lochaber     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr
Judge’s Comments: Intro rolls could be stronger. Watch single 5 runs – these are not coming over clearly. Not playing on snares at all times. Drum sound quite good, although I feel if you were closer it would help in the recording.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 105. Grade 5 Side Drumming 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Oliver Fitzhardinge – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: 4/4 Massed Band Set     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Uneven roll texture in intro rolls. Good uptake to march. Falling behind melody on entry to 2nd part. Drifting from melody line as performance progresses. Clean flam execution. Be careful not to over-accent. Single stroke execution needs a bit more practice to assist your execution of this score.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 106. Grade 5 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Ben Tarbotton – New Zealand
Tunes: 6/8 March (4 Parts)     Watch Video     Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Good introduction rolls, would sound better in the very center of the drum. While the contest calls for a 6/8 march, I found that the second part more resembled a 2/4 march. Also, you added an extra beat at the end of the first part each time. You have good stick control and roll quality, I suggest you focus on the pipe tune that the score is meant to be played to, listen to it and play along with accompaniment so you can play the tune not just the timing. Loads of potential, keep at it!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Eilidh Young – Australia      Team: Northern Suburbs Pipe Band
Tunes: Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality. Positive entry to march. Good expressive playing evident. Clean flam execution. Good crescendo roll work. Steady playing throughout, good tempo and well controlled with good musical presentation. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. George Mauger – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Kirkwell Bay,
Donarch highland gathering     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Uneven pulsations in intro rolls. Good entry to March. Falling behind pipe melody in execution of accented roll movement in 2nd part. Lagging behind beat in 3rd part. Clean flam execution. Execution of 4th part needs more practice for accurate presentation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Hannah de Bourcier – Canada      Team: White Spot Pipeband
Tunes: Ellenorr. – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality. Steady uptake to march. Clean flam execution. Single stroke execution needs a little more practice for a more fluent execution of the score. 4th part, lagging behind the beat in execution of bars 1 & 2.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Ewan Dallas – Scotland      Team: Bucksburn and District
Tunes: King George V’s Army, Dornie Ferry, Bridge of Bogie     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Well presented rolls. Rhythmic march phrasing at entry, well set to melody. Tending to rush execution pt 3 and lose consistency. Losing precision of triplet phrasing in last part. S/pey phrasing and execution laboured and lacking natural dance idiom. Untidy execution pt 4. Relaxed and well controlled reel entry, accented rolls osing precision pt 3. Untidy phrasing spoiling integration in last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Patrick Moran – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm, Mac N Irish, Becky Ewen     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Roll pulse slightly uneven. March tempo overcontrolled and losing natural flow and precision to melody pt’s 1 & 2.Short rolls not exact pt 3. Temp unsteady at s/pey entry spoiling integration. Phrasing very stright and lacks natural s/pey dance idiom. Execution losing precision in last part. Controlled reel tempo at entry again phrasing on the staraight side and lacking natural rhythmic pulse to the detriment of your execution clarity in last 8 bars.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Aidan Smith – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Delcia Chishom, Mac an Irish, Becky Ewen     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Roll pulse uneven both rolls. Tempo variation at entry spoiling integration with melody, short roll execution laboured in pt 3. Scoring at times not suited to melody. Untidy s/pey entry. Execution straight and lacking natural dance phrasing. Untidy execution pt’s 3 & 4. Tempo unsteady in pt’s 1 & 2 of reel and losing integration to melody. Tempo laboured and spoiling execution precision in last 8 bars

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 4. Sophie Gualter – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John McColl, Mac’n’Irish, Becky Ewen –  Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Rolls unevenly pulsated. Phrasing rushed and lacking precision to melody. Execution lacks clarity and rhythmic definition in last 2 parts. S/pey phrasing very straight and laboured. Lacking natural dance flow to melody. Tendency to clip execution at bar endings and lose integration. Relaxed reel tempo at entry. Scoring forced and at times does not match melody. Losing execution precision in last 8 bars.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 5. Nick Shropshire – USA
Tunes: March: 79th’s Farewell to Gibraltar
Strathspey: Highland Harry (parts 1 and 2)
Reel: Lexy McAskill (parts 1 and 2)     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Both rolls unevenly pulsated. Phrasing rushed and lacking precision to natural march rhythm. Short roll execution pts 2 & 3 lacks clarity and definition to melody. Untidy phrasing spoiling execution pt 4. Tempo unsteady at s/pey entry. Phrasing very straight and laboured. Lacking natural dance idiom. Integration errors last part. Lively reel tempo at entry. Scoring rushed and losing execution clarity.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 6. George Mauger – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John McColl, Maggie Cameron, Brown Haired Maiden     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Very uneven roll pulse. Phrasing lacking precision to melody. Tending to rush execution and lose integration causing execution errors. S/pey tempo laboured at entry. Scoring not matched to melody and lacking natural rhythmic pulse. Roll tempo again laboured and losing integration to melody. More attention to detail with piper would enhance your future performances.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Brayden Drummond – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan McLeod, John Morrison of Assynt House –  Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin Placing: 1

Slight pulsation on the first roll, and it appeared to be cut short. Second roll much better. Creating nice swing and feel in the march.

Some dead flams coming across at times, make sure to keep them all open. Nice detail with triplet rolls. You often play on the back of the beat in relation to the melody – try being more assertive so you are on top of the beat. You are tending to fall behind the beat in the ending phrases.

Great expression of the tune. Dynamics really shining in Part 5. Triplet rolls quite nice in last part, perhaps a little stilted.

Solid break to Strathspey and establishing some effective dynamics. You could afford to open up your 16th note groupings as then come across a little forced at times.

Again, a little bit on the back of the beat at times through the Reel. Take your time on the tempo so it allows you the space to execute all of the detail with swiss ruffs and paradiddle movements.

Well done, a very promising performance.

Judge: Paul Turner – 2

Roll pulse uneven. Rushing phrasing pt 1 and losing natural march flow to melody. Pt 2 & 3 execution straight and losing clarity. Tendency to force roll execution and lose precision to melody. Phrasing untidy and losing clarity in last part. End phrases not always consistent. Lively s/pey tempo at entry. Phrasing very straight and lacking natural pulse. Bar ends clipped and lacking precision. Controlled reel entry. Unsteady phrasing spoiling execution clarity and integration in pt’s 3 & 4. Execution untidy part 5 and phrasing becoming rushed in last part and losing integration to melody

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Nick Parr – USA
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan MacLeod, Tompson’s Dirk     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin Placing: 2

First roll is a touch short. Settling into a nice swing and feel. You are very much in control of the beat and delivery.

Some times forcing 32nd notes – take the time to execute each note accurately.

Entry to 3rd part not sitting 100% musical to my ear – it spoils the swing a little. There are a few others aspects of the score contradict the melody line a little too much to my liking.

Break to Strathspey is very confident and direct. Perhaps a little aggressive with the delivery – you could afford to add more softer tones into the dynamic range. You are playing great roll movements through here – a very full sound. Not 100% locked into the melody throughout. The strathspey scoring sometimes feels a little more triplet based.

Nice break to reel but starting to lose control and execution on 16th note groupings.

Overall, a very nice performance and lots of great swing. Well done.

Judge: Paul Turner – 1

Both rolls unevenly pulsed. Rhythmic and controlled march entry. Slight loss of integration pt3. Execution at times rushed and losing clarity in parts 4 & 5Forcing execution in last part and losing integration. S/pey phrasing very straight and laboured and losing natural flow to melody line pt’s 1 & 2. Over phrasing bar end in last part spoiling integration. Lively tempo at reel entry. Execution losing clarity and precision in parts 2 & 3. Tempo not consistent in last 8 bars spoiling execution clarity.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Douglas Bilsland – New Zealand      Team: Manawatu Scottish
Tunes: The 79ths Farewell to Gibralter, Captain Horne, Dolina McKay     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin Placing: 3

Solid rolls and confident uptake to the March.

A very lively tempo and enjoyable to listen to, try pulling backing on the roll buzz intensity – it can create a little too much pulsation at times.

Some dead flams coming across, make sure to present your flam open and correct at all times. You are really enhancing the melody nicely through here. Some more dynamics would really lift the last part of the march.

A confident break to the Strathspey – a few little timing fluctuations here but sticking to the melody line for the most part. Perhaps some more soft dynamic would enhance this score.

Again, another confident break to the Reel. Perhaps the tempo is a little on the quick end, try pulling it back and may find it easier to express your dynamic range.

Fantastic performance, great potential.

Judge: Paul Turner – 4

Controlled and lively march entry. Triplets pts 2 & 3 at times forced and losing clarity. Slight loss of integration in 4th part. Unsteady temp at s/pey entry. Tendency to rush phrasing and lose the natural pulse of the melody. Controlled execution at reel entry. Tendency to try and force phrasing in pt’s 2 & 3 and lose execution clarity. Phrasing in last 8 bars losing precision.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 4. Aaron Mitchell – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John McColl’s Farewell to Kilbowie cottage, The Caledonian society of London and the Brown haired Maid.     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin Placing: 5

Pulsation in the introduction roll – try to smooth this out. This also carries into the first bar of the tune. Settling into a nice swing and great depth in single stroke notation. Not sitting 100% to the pipe melody in part two, very much pushing and pulling at times.

Some great technique coming through in the drag work in Part three but again a bit of pushing a pulling to the melody. Part 4 is swinging very nicely indeed.

Great break to Strathspey, but you seem to pick up the tempo and fluctuate from time to time on the downbeat placement. A minor slip in the 2nd part. Some great technique being shown throughout. Adding some nice dynamic touches, but try to highlight the lower end a little more.

A great break to Reel, and a very nice tempo. Only a few areas where you are fluctuating with tempo. Some nice execution on accented singles. A great positive finish to the MSR.

Great potential here. Well done.

Judge: Paul Turner – 3

Slightly uneven pulse in both rolls. Relaxed and rhythmic entry to march. Triplets in pt 2 forced and losing accuracy. Roll phrasing unsteady in pt 3. Phrasing very straight last part and losing integration to melody. Unsteady tempo spoiling entry to s/pey. Phrasing very straight and lacking natural s/pey idiom. Execution lacking clarity of natural pulse in parts 3 & 4. Unsteady entry to reel spoiling integration. Tendency to force execution in last 2 parts and lose precision to melody line.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 5. Hamish Gardner – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John Mcoll (March), Maggie Cameron (Strathspey) and Brown Haired Maden (Reel)     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin Placing: 4

Great roll texture and delivery. Your uptake is lively and confident with lots of swing.

You tend to push through your single strokes and 32nd notes which gives the tune an uneasy feeling at times. Try spreading all of the notes evenly.

Playing difficult material to a good level. Part 3 needs more development, and pull back on the aggression through here. You begin to increase your tempo towards the end of the march.

A confident break to the Strathspey – however you are a little too aggressive on the weak notes of the tune. A few separations to the pipe melody timing – always follow the melody closely. GREAT potential with this score.

Break to Reel needs to be clean and clear. A very bright tempo – no faster than this as it could fall apart. Again, the single strokes are a little forced through here – open them up and relax.

Well done on a great performance.

Judge: Paul Turner – 6

Roll pulse uneven. Tempo unsteady at march entry spoiling integration. Execution losing clarity and spoiling precision to melody pt 2. Phrasing rushed and losing clarity pts 3 & 4. Temp laboured at s/pey entry. Phrasing very straight and lacking natural flow and dance idiom. Watch over phrasing bar ends. Unsteady tempo at reel entry. Execution rushed and losing clarity in t’s 2 & 3. Execution losing precision and integration in last 8 bars.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 6. Greg Weber – Australia      Team: Burns Club Canberra
Tunes: John McDonald of Glencoe, Maggie Cameron, Willie Cummings Rant
Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: James Laughlin – 6

Roll has a little bit of pulsation. Settling into a nice March tempo and swing.

Quality of 4 stokes needs more definition at times and flam clarity is fuzzy at times. Make sure to present clear flams at all times. You are a very musical player. You play well with the Melody line and express yourself nicely.

Great confidence in break to strathspey but starting to fall behind the pipe melody. You are a little less sure with the pipe melody and timing through here. The key is feeling the lift and the downbeat through the tune. Be confident with your delivery.

A nice lively tempo into the Reel. Settling nicely into the 2nd part but a little unsteady in part 4. Some really promising technique showing Greg.

An enjoyable performance. Keep it up.

Judge: Paul Turner – 5

Roll pulse uneven. Tempo unsteady at march entry. Tendency to rush execution and lose precision to melody pts 1 & 2. Phrasing unsteady in parts 3 & 4 losing execution precision and clarity. S/pey tempo laboured at entry. Phrasing very straight and lacking natural accent lift to melody causing loss of clarity and precision. Rushing tempo at reel entry. Phrasing unsteady and lacking clarity to natural rhythm.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Brayden Drummond – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: McLeod of Mull  – Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Great introduction rolls. You establish a really swingy march from the offset.

More soft end dynamic in your rolls would really enhance the tune.

Great showing off technique and control.

An incredibly enjoyable performance.

Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. James Murray – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Kirkwall Bay, Dornoch Highland Gathering – Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Its very difficult to hear the drum quality, it seems that the mic is muffled possibly.

Your roll texture is a little pulsated a times. A very confident performance but it sometimes feels a little rounded, try to really admire the dot on the down beat.

You play very well to the pipe melody for the most part but try to hone in on the dot/cut accuracy.

An enjoyable performance, fantastic potential here.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Greg Weber – Australia      Team: Burns Club Canberra
Tunes: Dr. Ross     Watch Video     Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Your roll is a little uneven in pulses. Pipe melody and your tempo are not locked in 100% at times.

Some great technique shining through at times Greg, and lots of expression. Just make sure you get lots of time to prepare with your piper so that you are both on the same page musically.

An enjoyable performance.

Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Hamish Gardner – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: St Andrews Pipe Band 6/8 March     Watch Video     Judge: James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Very confident rolls and uptake to march.

You should lean on the dot a little more, the tune is a little rounded and feels a little more like a 2/4 March.

You are starting to introduce some dynamics with your rolls, make sure to do the same thing with the intermediate notes.

An enjoyable performance – well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Brayden Drummond – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Alan McPherson of Mosspark  – Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Rushing triplets with drags in them.
Nice open flams, great roll quality.
Drum well set.
Score fits the tune well but you are pushing and pulling with the beat. You should tap your foot or watch the piper’s foot. 3rd part is the best ensemble.
Good execution, work on presenting the tune better with consistent tempo within phrases, not just starting and ending at the same BPM.
Load of potential here.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. James Murray – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Karen Nuttall     Watch Video     Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Drum flat.
Cautious tempo. Great tune.
Not lining up with the piper in several places, usually involving singles. Use accents as anchors to avoid running through passages.
Nice dynamics and ensemble in the fourth part.
Good phrasing for the most part.
Great flam doubles throughout which suggest great potential. Rolls smooth, just fix the ensemble.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Greg Weber – Australia      Team: Burns Club Canberra
Tunes: The Curlew     Watch Video     Judge: Duncan Millar
Judge’s Comments: Great sound quality. Nice use of microphones and great acoustics.
The first part is very good. You start confidently and the score fits the tune well.
The second part is also good. Nice phrasing. Great ruffs, nice light touch.
Third moving nicely.
Fourth part got lost, felt like you forgot the score rather than could not play it. Great execution until this point. I was really enjoying it.
Overall could use a bit more meat at times to get the tone out of the drum and counter your excellent light touch. You don’t need any more content in there, the fourth could have been the simplest part and it would have been excellent if played cleanly.
Keep at it – work on the performance aspects.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Hamish Petersen – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John Mcoll’s Farewell to Kilbowie Cottage, Maggie Cameron, Major David Manson – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality. Lively tempo with positive uptake to March. Flowing well to melody with good expressive playing on display. Nice use of dynamics. A well presented March. Good to Strathspey. Effective strathspey rhythm coming through. Playing well to melody line with clean execution. Clean break to reel, good lift and dynamics here. Occasionally lagging behind pipe melody as score progressed. Generally a well presented MSR with only a few minor issues.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Lachlan Gibb – Scotland      Team: Bucksburn and District
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders
Blair Drummond
John Morrison of the Assynt House – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality. Good tempo and entry to March. Clean execution of score with effective dynamics however musical presentation being spoiled occasionally by over-accenting. Very good execution of Strathspey with good strathspey rhythm coming through in the presentation. A well presented score. Good to reel. Again clean execution here. You appear to be pushing this slightly, clipping the phrasing of the score. Untidy finish to performance in last part. A well presented MSR with only a few minor issues. Good stick technique on display.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Oliver Bernhardt – Germany      Team: Teutonia Pipe Band
Tunes: Mrs. John McColl, Susan MacLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality. Positive uptake to March with good tempo. Expressive playing here, with good touch on the drum. Clean execution. Well presented march. Good break to Strathspey. Very steady playing with effective strathspey rhythm. Clean execution throughout. Good rhythmic definition in reel with good dynamics. Flowing well with nice lift and clean execution of score.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: Donald McLean’s Farewell to Oban
Captain Colin Campbell
John Morrison of Assynt House     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro roll quality with nice entry to March. Good weight variation and expressive playing evident here. 3rd part appears to be slowing down slightly. 4th part lagging behind beat in bars 3 &4. Good break to Strathspey. Effective strathspey rhythm coming through. A well presented score. Clean break to reel with good lift and tempo. Clean execution of score with good rhythmic definition. Nicely played.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Kelsey Dougan – Canada
Tunes: John MacColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage, Blair Drummond, John Morrison of Assynt House     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Slight uneven pulsation in intro rolls. Positive entry to march. Good tempo, nicely controlled. Slight execution issue in 2nd part ff. Good weight variation and expressive playing evident. Clean break to Strathspey Good Strathspey rhythm initially. Execution of 3rd part very straight, losing strathspey feeling. Good crescendo roll work. Single stroke execution could be more fluent. Good to reel with nice lift. Good rhythmic definition here and good use of dynamics.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. David Spotswood – Australia
Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, Maggie Cameron, Lexy McAskill  – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Good intro rolls. Positive entry to march, lively tempo. Good weight variation in score presentation. Flowing well to melody line. Triplet accented rolls could be more defined. Last part slightly laboured in execution here. Good to Strathspey. Slightly behind pipe melody line on occasion. Last part execution of 1st bar untidy and thereafter lagging behind melody. Reel – sticking generally clean but tending to drive on here losing musicality of piece. A more subtle approach to this score would greatly assist the overall musical presentation.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Borja Cayado Venta – Spain      Team: Banda Gaites Ribeseya
Tunes: Donald Cameron, Blair Drummond, John Morrison of Assynt House – Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Intro rolls appear slightly uneven in pulsation and coming across forced. Positive entry to March with good tempo. Interpretation of 1st bar 3rd part is inaccurate. Playing very straight in this march lacking light & shade. although the execution is fairly clean throughout. Good to strathspey. Very deliberate here and over-controlled, lacking strathspey rhythm. The execution sometimes appears slightly laboured. Again sticking is clean. Reel – good tempo but needs a bit more lift and swing for effective presentation of this score. Generally you have a good understanding of the Duthart scores with regard to the sticking but you need to address the dynamics for better all round musical presentation of the MSR.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Finlay Benton – New Zealand      Team: Manawatu Scottish
Tunes: John McDonald of Glencoe, Maggie Cameron and Thompson’s Dirk.  – Judge: Arthur Cook

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Lachlan Crook – Australia      Team: Australian Pipe Band Club
Tunes: March: Pipe Major Tom Macallister
Stras: Islay Ball
Reel: Jhon Morrison of Assynt House     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Slight uneven pulsation in intro rolls. Good uptake and tempo into march. 3rd part execution could be cleaner here. Good dynamics coming through. Parts 5 & 6 appear slightly deliberate in execution and not flowing naturally. Good to Strathspey. You are stretching the bar line here in the early stages and lagging behind the beat on occasion. Last part very straight in presentation and losing strathspey feeling. Reel – Flowing well here and very natural presentation with good rhythmic definition and dynamics.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Michael Jenkins – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan McLeod, Major David Manson     Watch Video     Judge: Arthur Cook
Judge’s Comments: Slight uneven pulsation in intro rolls. Good uptake to March with good tempo. Tending to push ahead of melody line in 2nd part. Good dynamics evident. Occasionally drifting from melody line. Triplet accented roll movement could be cleaner in execution. Strathspey – driving ahead of pipe melody in 1st part. Phrasing not always accurate with melody line. Reel – ahead of pipes in 1st part but settled into tempo thereafter. Again drifting from pipe melody. Generally the sticking is very clean and there is good technique on display, however you appear to be searching for the melody line in all three tunes and this results in phrasing issues where you are either in front or behind the pipe melody.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Oliver Bernhardt – Germany      Team: Teutonia Pipe Band
Tunes: Mrs. Lily Christie     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Rolls unevenly pulsated. Relaxed Tempo at entry to March. Open drag runs not consistent pt 2. Tendency to over phrase execution and lose rhythmic flow in pts 3 & 4.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: St. Jean Des Vignes     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Rolls not of and equal duration. Unsteady opening phrases spoiling integration. Phrasing in part 2 very staccato and lacking natural pulse to melody. Triplets pt 3 losing consistency. Over phrasing spoiling execution precision in last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Michael Jenkins – New Zealand
Tunes: Not Sure.     Watch Video     Judge: Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Rolls unevenly pulsated. Tempo at entry laboured and phrasing very straight. Over-phrasing rolls in pt 2 and losing integration. Again phrasing in parts 3 & 4 very straight and lacking natural compound time idiom.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Lachlan Gibb – Scotland      Team: Bucksburn and District
Tunes: The Crumbling Stack
Boys of the Lough – Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 1

Rolls sounded very heavy at the start. Playing a good bright tempo and clean execution. More variety in the score would help(maybe a little more roll work with some more subtle touches). Jig – Again a good lively tempo and a more interesting arrangement. Overall good precise playing and a clear sound from your drum.

Judge: Paul Turner – 3

Both rolls forced and uneven. Lively tempo at H’pipe entry. Execution at times forced and losing rhythmic balance. L/hand flam execution lacks consistency. End bar phrasing not exact. Bright jig tempo at entry. Again some flam execution lacks precision and spoils clarity. Short roll phrasing in last part crushed and untidy.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: Lucy Cassidy
The Judge’s Dilemma     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 4

Intro rolls a little uneven. Drum sounds a little dull. Playing well enough here, but watch ending bar of hornpipe, it seems to slow down. 3rd part sounds impressive. Jig -sounds much flatter than the previous time. I feel you need more soft areas in this tune to make it more appealing, although still executed quite well.

Judge: Paul Turner – 1

Both rolls well sustained. Relaxed and rhythmic scoring at entry to H’pipe. Nice use of score variations to enhance rhythm. Triplet rolls in pt 3 lack consistency. Tendency to rush execution in last part and spoil phrasing. Triplets in end bar not always exact. Controlled Jig entry. Nice clarity of execution evident. Watch precision and tempo in last part. as it tends to become rushed.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Lachlan Crook – Australia      Team: Australian Pipe Band Club
Tunes: Hornpipe: Beverley’s Wedding
Jig: Gold Ring     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 5

Good enough rolls but the top snares on the drum are spoiling the effect (also sounds to be a strong overtone from the bottom) Execution errors in the last part of the hornpipe. Quite good technique overall with some minor execution errors, but for me the top snares are preventing the work you are doing from coming through.

Judge: Paul Turner – 2

2nd roll pulse uneven. Lively tempo at entry to H’pipe. Over phrasing spoiling execution clarity and rhythmic clarity. Short roll execution untidy parts 2 & 3. Rushing over phrasing in last part and losing execution definition. Lively and controlled jig entry. Execution forced and losing clarity in pt 2. Tempo variations in last 2 parts spoiling execution precision.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Michael Jenkins – New Zealand
Tunes: The Pivovar Express, Donald Willie and His Dog     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 2

Good intro, nice first part staying well with melody and the score enhances overall effect. Well presented hornpipe showing good technique and a musical feel. Good break to jig, again good playing and presentation

Judge: Paul Turner – 6

Roll pulse forced and uneven in both rolls. Tempo unsteady through out H’pipe and causing phrasing and integration issues. Execution forced in pt’s 3 &4 and losing clarity. Lively tempo at entry. Phrasing very deliberate and forced from pt 2 and lacking clarity. Tempo unsteady in last part and losing integration.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Oliver Bernhardt – Germany      Team: Teutonia Pipe Band
Tunes: Up Hold The Right, Rory MacLeod     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 3

Intro well played, generally playing well with good technique. Watch single to roll movements as they sometimes sound as if they are merging into one. Good first part to jig, playing well here with a good tempo. Jig overall well played. Drum sound is bright and clear

Judge: Paul Turner – 4

1st Roll unevenly pulsated. Relaxed and rhythmic entry to H’Pipe. Over phrasing in pt 2 spoiling execution clarity. Triplet rolls unsteady and lacking consistency. Slight loss of execution clarity part 4. Lively Jig tempo at entry. Phrasing unsteady in pt 2 and losing clarity. Tempo rising in parts 3 and 4 spoiling execution precision and clarity.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Raul Tronco – Spain      Team: Banda Gaites Ribeseya
Tunes: Mason Apron, Donald Cameron Powder Horn –  Judge: Keith Orr, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 6

Intro rolls uneven. Mason’s Apron keeping a nice tempo but sounding very straight all through (needs more weight variation). Some areas of execution are indistinct. Recording perhaps a little echoey?? Flams sounding closed and single work is not always clear. Jig – I feel the execution is better here and getting a more overall musical sound, light and shade better here.

Judge: Paul Turner – 5

Roll pulse uneven. Tempo unsteady at entry and spoiling execution clarity. Execution losing precision pt’s 2 & 3. Tempo variation spoiling clarity and precision in last part. Untidy entry to Jig. Phrasing very straight and lacking rhythmic definition and clarity.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Jamie McEwan – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan McLeod, Smith of Chilliechassie     Watch Video     Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Good intro rolls. Nice lively tempo set in march. Slight loss of feel in 2nd part. Watch the accented triplet rolls in 2nd part. Nice open work in 3rd part. Flam rolls in 4th part not being executed with proper control. Watch first 3-4 Bars in 6th part. You don’t have the same rhythmic flow here.

Tending to push the first few bars of Strathspey. You have a tendency to play with a staccato feel in parts of the Strathspey. Particularly when playing Swiss roughs.

Good break to reel. Speeding up in 2nd part of reel. Not playing with same control in 3rd – 4th part and not with piper. Generally the reel sounded a little unsettled with some phrasing issues.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban
Captain Colin Campbell
John Morrison of Assynt House     Watch Video     Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Nice intro rolls and good tempo into march. Rushing slightly in first few bars of 2nd part. Phrasing not 100% in 2nd part. Better in 4th part.

Good break to strathspey. Not spot on with piper, first time through 1st part. Again in 3rd part, 4th bar, not phrasing along with tune.

Good break to reel. Nice steady tempo here. Accented triplet rolls not being executed properly. Making a couple of slips in 4th part. You started to lose a bit of concentration in 4th, 4th,6th parts. Piper going off wouldn’t be helping, but that happens.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Diego Puron – Spain      Team: Banda Gaites Ribeseya
Tunes: Highland Wedding, Atholl Cummers, Mrs. McPherson of Inveran     Watch Video     Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Good intro rolls with steady temp going into march. Flam double movement in first bar, third part, a bit shaky. Tempo slowing down slightly here. Good control on accented roll move in 5th part. March well played with intended feel.

Solid break to Strathspey. Single/drag movement at start of 2nd part not played evenly. Watch this. Accented roll phrase in 2nd part not executed properly. Tempo slowing slightly in 3rd part. Better in 4th part onwards.

Good break to reel. Slightly over accenting your flams here. Rushing slightly into 2nd part. A few phrasing issues n the reel, but you are playing very close to the phrasing required for this MSR. Watch the open buzz movement in last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Colin Hearty – Canada
Tunes: Donald Cameron, Blair Drummond, The Smith of Chillechassie  – Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Good intro rolls. Tempo slowed down after intro rolls. First part was a little bit shaky, particularly going into the two bar endings (both times).

I feel that the open work with drag movements, throughout the march are not being played with proper control, causing the rhythmic flow to suffer. Open buzz movement in last part of the march is not executed with enough control and is speeding up.

Good break to Strathspey. First two bars in second part, lacking control and intended sound. The endings of the Strathspey seem to be a shade rushed and are not being phrased in time.

Smooth entry to reel. Nice tempo. Single phrases with drags, not being controlled. Dynamics being used to good effect. Little technical slips throughout reel but generally played with good feel.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Simon Want – Australia      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John McDonald of Glencoe, Susan McLead, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran – Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Good intro rolls. The tempo slowed down slightly going into march. Some execution issues in 2nd part with flam movement. Some of your open work is being played with a very open style. This is taking away from the feel of the music. The tempo slowed down throughout the march, making it difficult to play with proper control and phrasing.

Shaky entry to strathspey, and not spot on with piper. 3rd part, not in time with the piper and lacks the strathspey feel. Playing behind the piper in 4th part, in last 4-5 bars.

Break to reel was slightly rushed. Watch the execution of the singles with drag movements in 2nd part. The 4th part is not being played in time with the phrasing of the tune. A few execution and phrasing issues through the reel.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Kelsey French – USA      Team: Jamestown Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Hugh Kennedy, Dora McLeod, Mcalister’s Dirk     Watch Video     Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Intro roll pulses slightly uneven. Tempo slowing down in repeat, 1st part. Watch long roll with accents in 3rd part. You tend to stray from the beat and lose the feel. Flam movement in 4th part breaking down a little so watch the phrasing here.

Shaky break to Strathspey. Tempo slowing down towards end of 1st part, and not with piper. Better in 2nd part. I didn’t get the Strathspey pulse and phrasing here. It sounded like you lacked a little bit of confidence in the Strathspey.

Break not spot on with piper. I feel the tempo is a bit slow for this reel. This makes it very difficult to play with good phrasing and causes problems with rhythmic flow and lift. Slight slip towards end of last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Callum Marr – United Kingdom
Tunes: Donald Cameron, Maggie Cameron, Pretty Marion. – Judge: Jim Kilpatrick

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Rory McPherson – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Balmoral Highlanders, Susan MacLeod, The Smith of Chillecassie  – Judge: Jim Kilpatrick
Judge’s Comments: Nice intro rolls. Tempo spot on going into march. Roll movements, starting with flams, not being executed properly. Some of the open work is being pushed slightly, and you are playing just ahead of the piper in places. Slightly aggressive in first couple if bars in 5th part. Again in 6th part. Triplet accented rolls in 6th part not being executed properly and not in time.

Solid break to Strathspey. Accented rolls in 1st part not being controlled. Open work in 4th part not played evenly. The Strathspey suffers from playing with proper feel and pulse. Some phrasing issues throughout, along with over accenting of flams.

Good break to reel. 2nd part of reel not flowing with music. Flam windmill strokes not in time. You don’t seem to be getting a great balance with the score in terms of phrasing and control. I feel your open work is being played with a staccato sound and it is not helping the music.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 117. Grade 1 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: St. Jean Des Vignes     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, Arthur Cook, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Arthur Cook – 1

Good intro roll quality with positive entry to march. Good tempo. Effective use of dynamics and playing well to melodic line. Good presentation of 6/8 idiom. A well executed score.

Judge: Keith Orr -1

Drum sound quite flat on intro. Playing well with good feel for 6/8 rhythm. Some movements are very snappy but fit the tune nonetheless.

Judge: Paul Turner – 2

Both rolls unevenly pulsed. Relaxed scoring at entry. Some execution has tendency to become very staccato and lose natural flow to melody. Untidy phrasing spoiling pt3. Slight loss of integration in last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 117. Grade 1 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Colin Hearty – Canada
Tunes: Ellenor – Judge: Keith Orr, Arthur Cook, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Arthur Cook – 2

Good intro roll quality with positive entry to march. Good tempo. Effective use of dynamics and playing well with clean execution throughout. Good 6/8 rhythm.

Judge: Keith Orr – 2

Good solid intro. Nice bright tempo for 6/8 march. Some minor execution errors but nothing to worry about. A little more light and shade would help improve overall musical effect.

Judge: Paul Turner – 1

Well presented rolls. Relaxed and controlled 6 8 rhythm at entry. Tempo variation part 3 spoiling execution consistency. Slight loss of natural rhythm in bars 1 & 2 part 4.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 117. Grade 1 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Simon Want – Australia      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Duncan McGillivray Chief Steward – Judge: Keith Orr, Arthur Cook, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Arthur Cook – 3

Good intro rolls. Positive entry to march with good tempo. Good use of dynamics but over-accenting the right flams occasionally spoiling presentation. Playing well to melodic line with clean execution. Good 6/8 rhythm.

Judge: Keith Orr – 3

Good solid introduction. Holding a nice steady tempo and 6/8 rhythm. Also good use of light and shade to enhance overall sound.

Judge: Paul Turner – 4

Both opening rolls heavily pulsated. Over accenting of main accents spoiling natural rhythmic flow to melody. Some execution has tendency to become very staccato and spoil integration. Loss of clarity and pointing spoiling last part.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 117. Grade 1 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Louis Norton – New Zealand      Team: Auckland & District
Tunes: Heights of Cassino – Judge: Keith Orr, Arthur Cook, Paul Turner
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Arthur Cook – 4

Good intro rolls. Positive uptake to march. Good tempo. Effective dynamics. Not accurate with pipe melody in 3rd part. Generally clean execution.

Judge: Keith Orr – 4

Nice intro. tending to play behind the beat at times (1st and 2nd part). tempo is a little slow for me. Overall quite well executed.

Judge: Paul Turner – 3

Rolls pulsated and not of an equal duration. Bars 3 & 4 lack consistency of execution. Tempo variation in part 3 spoiling flow of score. Triplets in part 4 not exact.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Louis Norton – New Zealand      Team: Auckland & District
Tunes: Blackie McLeod, Rory McLeod  – Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 1

Nice intro. Good lively tempo and getting a good musical feel for the tune. Nice bright variation in 3rd part. execution clean and clear with only some small errors. Jig – again good execution for most of the way, but watch some flams which are not coming over cleanly. Overall very musical and enjoyable

Judge: James Laughlin – 2

Great roll quality. You are assertive and controlled with the uptake to the Hornpipe. Perhaps lacking a little bit of finesse in places, with the lower end of the dynamic range. Very strong from a technical stand point. Letting the phrasing sway at times will really help the tune come to life more.

A few closed flams at times, make sure to keep your fla-fla movements open.

A confident break to Jig – a little stiff in places though with your phrasing. At times it feels like you sway from the pipe melody and metric beat. Some very nice material through here.

Very well done Louis, keep up the great work.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Simon Want – Australia      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: The B52, The Beaker, Jim Wards and The Judges Dilemma – Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 5

Intro rolls uneven. Playing well here, but snares on top are a bit off putting.(falling behind the beat at times) 2nd hornpipe sounds more musical than the first ( nice last part). Good break to jig. 1st part of jig going well- losing integration 2nd part. Watch single runs, not spot on at all times. Top snare is making the stick work sound thin.

Judge: James Laughlin – 1

Nice roll texture. Drum feels a little flat to me and could do with a little more snare adjustment on the bottom head. You are playing very musical material and working nicely with the pipe melody. Just be sure you stick to the round feeling, don’t let it go round you. Nice transition to the second hornpipe. I like your drive and punch through here. Perhaps more dynamic on the lower end would enhance your performance. Keep your flam clarity open.

Confident break to Jig. At times it feels you are behind the pipe melody metre. You manage to hold it together. I like the arrangement, and lots of lift and drive in the 2nd tune. Some technical execution not 100% through here.

A very enjoyable performance, well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 3. Jamie McEwan – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Scotsaire Hornpipe, Inspector Campbell of Ness     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 2

Interesting score to the hornpipe. Score goes well to tune apart from ruff at ending bar. Musical hornpipe. Jig moving quite quickly – again some nice touches in your material – enjoyable performance.( Video detracts slightly)

Judge: James Laughlin – 4

First roll a touch uneven. A very confident uptake to the hornpipe. Perhaps pushing in the second bar a little too much. A very musical performance. You could highlight the lower end of the dynamic range a little more to show off your technical prowess. The tone of the drum is very muted, I feel it may be a microphone thing. A bit of a fumble in last part of Hornpipe.

I felt the break to jig was a little erratic, pull it back a little and let the music sing. You highlight your lower range here a little better. Lots of nice musical touches through here.

Perhaps open up your flam clarity during fla-fla movements. The very end of the performance was a little untidy.

Overall, a very nice performance with lots of musical flair.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 4. Colin Hearty – Canada
Tunes: The Big Road Brusher, The Curlew – Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 3

Generally playing well with a good feel for the tune; I feel the ending bar of the hornpipe is a bit crushed(watch flam/ paradiddles at times). Good to jig. good attention to light and shade in the 2nd part of the jig. Jig well played overall. Execution is quite good and a nice feel for the tunes.

Judge: James Laughlin -3

Fantastic roll quality. A positive uptake to the Hornpipe. Some lovely dynamics in the initial parts of the hornpipe. You are sometimes lacking clarity on the softer dynamics. Also, 5 stroke and 4 stroke roll movements could be a little more refined. The first bar of the 4th part is a little stiff and lacking music.

The snare has a rattle, ringing during ending phrases – a little off putting at times.

A very confident break to Jig – establishing compound time very effectively. I enjoy your feel through here, just some little blemishes with swiss ruff and flam clarity.

Well done on a very solid performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 5. Rory McPherson – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Kizbaum’s Frenzy, Biddy From Sligo –  Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr – 4

Good intro. Score fits well with melody although some flam parradiddle movements sound a little unclear. Ending bar slightly behind the beat in hornpipe. Jig – again playing quite well here, but could do with a bit of weight variation. Again score content fits the tune quite well, but watch flam work. Drum sound a bit flat.

Judge: James Laughlin – 6

Rolls are a little pulsated. A confident uptake to the Hornpipe. Rolls throughout the tune are a little pulsated, lacking closed roll definition for the most part. You are a very musical player and really highlight some great melody points. Some of your single clarity is a little muffled, i feel you could drop your height and weight at times. You are forcing your flam weight in the last part closing down on your clarity.

A very confident break to Jig. Nice feel through here, a solid drive to the melody line. You start to labour a little in the 2nd part. Some great technical and musical prowess in the 3rd part. You are not sitting with the pipe melody throughout the score.

The drum could do with a little more snare for the surroundings.

Very nice work! Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 6. Catherine Wall – New Zealand      Team: Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
Tunes: Lucy Cassidy, Biddy from Sligo – Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr

Good intro. drum a bit boxy for me. Execution is quite good for most of the way, but losing integration with piper 3rd and 4th part. Started well to jig. Jig is a bit straight (not enough light and shade). Again losing integration with piper quite badly in parts.

Judge: James Laughlin – 5

Roll pulsation coming through here. You settle into a nice swing and effect through the hornpipe. Perhaps lacking dynamic range especially in the softer end of the performance. Fantastic technical control throughout. More finesse with your filler notes to match the bagpipe melody will take this performance to the next level.

A confident break to Jig. It is feeling a little stiff through here, perhaps a little over controlled with the technique. Again the softer dynamic range will really add sparkle an otherwise very enjoyable performance.

Well done, keep it up.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Eoin Aitken – Australia
Tunes: Lucy Cassidy
The Judge’s Dilemma     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: none Kelsey French – USA      Team: Jamestown Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Jimmy Tweedie Sea Legs, Skymans Jig     Watch Video     Judge: Keith Orr, James Laughlin
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Keith Orr

Nice intro. Drum sounds a bit boardy (top snares choked). Execution is clear and precise, if a little laboured at times. A little more softness needed in some passages. Similar in jig. Execution is clear, but playing can sound a bit stiff and laboured.

Judge: James Laughlin

Well sustained roll quality. A little stiff initially in the Hornpipe, not locked into the pipe melody. You are tending to play slightly behind the pipe melody, try being more assertive and on top of the beat.

This is a very nice musical setting and swings along nicely – perhaps a little vacant with the triplets in Part 3.

You have great technical control with your single stroke exercises – very precise and even throughout. Perhaps more dynamic range overall would enhance this performance even more.

Piper and Drummer not entering jig together. It settles into the first part. You have a good grasp of the jig idiom. Dynamics again are the key to really adding that extra sparkle to an otherwise enjoyable performance.

Well done, keep it up!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 203. Grade 5 – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Jean Russell – USA
Tunes: Pipe Major Willie Grey’s Farewell to the Glasgow Police  –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- nice full pre-play arm movement, however it looked like you were going for a cross, the ending position was not as defined as I would have liked.
Beatings not spot on with the rolls.

Excellent arm work in first bar of the tune, split the feather flourish nicely done.
7 movements slightly awkwardly placed in the tune for my liking, especially when done in the first part where a strong simple rhythm should establish the tempo.
In the first part piano, slight hesitation in the 5th bar coming off this 7movement as a result also affecting an inconsistency of playing volume.
Nice choice of arm movement for ending phrase.
Nice forte stall combo
1st bar of the second part piano, be careful when executing moves when hitting the drum while your sticks are crossed, it seemed as though you made and unintentional deadstick that is not repeated in the forte.
Nice transition to the cartwheel in the forte, nice and straight, a bit wild catching and coming down before the playing part. Nice fluid combo before the ending, but again slightly floppy with the catch, especially the left hand.
3rd part, some inconsistencies in the playing volume here, especially after the forte spin alternating single cartwheels. Very nice stall in forte, very quick and even.
The playing in the piano is a little bit stiff/closed, try and relax a little on it, open up your playing runs. Again, catching of the left hand in flourishing combos of cartwheels are a bit loose.
Overall, good height and extension throughout the performance! Make sure to be aware of the angle of your flat spins, might be the camera angle but they looked not as flat as they should be. Good speed of flourish rotations and use of piano/forte style of flourishing with good variety of moves.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 203. Grade 5 – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Geena Hanson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: MISS DELCIA CHISHOLM  –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- nice pre roll move, make sure the ending is nice and even with regard to stick position, might be the camera angle but it looked slightly off.
Rolls nice and even, steady tempo established.

Good use of single movements and straight time to get into the tune, slight hesitation in the ending of the forte of the first past. This seemed to happen when the piper took a breath, try not to let things like that distract you when playing.
Playing in the piano 5/6 bars seemed a bit stilted and forced here coming off the flourishing catches, try and work on transitioning from spinning to “dead-stop” catching straight into playing in one fluid motion.
3rd part, good use of space here, double handed single spins used tastefully here, nice and even. Piano ending last 3 notes, you seem hesitant going to the last of the three.
Try to be aware of what your body is doing while you are playing, you tend to use a lot of head movements, which is very apparent in the piano of the forth part when you appear to make a small mistake.
Also, be aware of the movement of your right hand/arm, it tends to wander in the performance while the left stays mainly on target.
Try and work on the control aspect of your flourishing, especially in catching.
Very good overall, nice and steady.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 204. Grade 5 – 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Geena Hanson – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: KNOX GRMMER –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- Pre roll movement good but try not to let the stall/bounce flop so far back before the cross, and try to hold the end position steady until the rolls are played. Second beat of second roll hesitant and not consistent in volume.

Good opening and playing well with snare drummer in piano. 1st beat in forte not spot on coming off the double single set, again toward ending when sticks cross/collide off the same move again. May have been a result of the aforementioned act, but would like to see more movement in your arms for the last three beats of this part.
Second part endings on the piano seem slightly behind the beat.
Playing bits in the 3rd not spot on with the snare and not consistently played. Try to relax your hands and open the movement up. They seemed cramped and forced.
Playing in 4th part much better than third, open movements like this when playing are what is needed in the 3rd part, you seem much more confident and at ease in this part. Last ending phrase in the forte, slightly hesitant. Last ending flourish, again try not to let your sticks “flop” so much.
Overall very good. Be mindful of your left hand catches through your sets, they tend to be a little wild. Try to catch your stick inline with your forearm and as straight as possible.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 204. Grade 5 – 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Cathleen McGarvey – USA      Team: Jamestown Pipes and Drums
Tunes: The Siege of Delhi     Watch Video     Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- good pre roll movement, steady beatings here.

1st part, good tempo establishing playing and flourishing. Forte 2nd bar spin a little wild in the catch, hard to tell from the video angle but it looked like a forward outside spin with an arching arm movement. These can be tricky to catch because of all the “double” momentum of the stick with all of the combined movement. Try and relax on moves like this and take your time doing them, in the video it seemed as if you were cramming it in. Second major spin in the forte, try and lessen your hand movement in the cartwheel, good transition getting into it though. Cartwheel angle slightly off toward end into the transition spin to the down stall feather. Good integration of sticks in the feather. A good combo but a little too long off the drum for my liking.
Playing well in 2nd part piano. First 2 bar beatings while spinning are a bit stilted in the forte, try and relax your arms and hands, this can be difficult because what you are doing here is the equivalent of patting you head and rubbing your stomach while trying to play a rhythm. Good upward cross move, the catch and transition to the downward cross was a little shaky. Try and make more of a defined and even catch or bounce when transitioning. Good butterfly movement, but a little mushy on the end. Again, try and have more of a defined stop to the end of the move on a designated beat or even off beat as long as it is calculated and deliberate when transitioning from one move to another.
Good single stalls in the 3rd forte. Your hands do not drop into the cartwheel evenly here, the left hand makes a larger pushout motion. Same again on the second set.
Good composure and timing when the piper was going off in the piano of the 4th part! Good form on figure 8s in the forte, good technique with the thumbs out. Ending cartwheel and transition much better here than in previous parts, again a little too long off the drum for me, but a good finishing move.
Overall, very steady with a lovely variety of tasteful flourishing. The only thing I would change is to try and find some way to break up the 2 large forte spin combos to where they keep moving but come down halfway through the flourish for even just one single beat to make that gap in the space here not seem so void of sound. Good combos though, just try to sharpen up your transitioning. Well done!

No placing — you played a 2/4 March, but entered the 4/4 event.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 206. Grade 4 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Claudia Mitchell – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm
Mac ‘n Irish
Becky Ewen –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- slight flub with stall on left hand in the pre roll movement, but nice ending position with the cross.
Rolls are steady

Good form on your straight 4 timing and excellent flourishing control on catches, very precise. Playing with good volume.
Playing well with the snare in 2nd part roll movements, good ensemble.
Good splits in the 3rd part, nice and even.

Break to strathspey, a little awkward, slightly ahead of the piper and snare drummer.
Nice arm movements and steady timing in the first part, but ending phrase a little off making the ensemble drift.
Left hand flats in second part a bit tilted, right hand is pretty solid. Piano ending here a little shaky sounding continuing into the forte with a little ensemble disconnect.
Good cartwheel combo in the 3rd, try to lessen your hand movement with the cartwheel, you are having a slight “pedaling a bicycle with your hands look here”.
Nice overhead swipes, good coverage and extension.
Solid 4th part, good use of butterfly move.
Slight clipping of notes throughout entire strathspey, relax and wait for them.

Good break to reel and arm position for setup to the break.
Slightly hesitant on the first set of single spins in the first part, good extension on the flourish however.
Missed beat in the second part after the last set of split double single moves.
Good figure 8s in regards to hand form and technique in the 3rd part. In the future would like to see more figure 8 rotations (amount per move) put in to each individual figure 8 flourish.
Good arm movement in the last part. Last beat of the part ghosted/missed, not sure if this was intentional, but it sounded awkward.

Overall, very good arm extension and form throughout the performance. Good speed and control in catching. Would like to hear more dynamic volume in the strathspey in regards to s/w/m/w protocol, but overall good playing volume in performance.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 206. Grade 4 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 2. Alice Gualter – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm, Mac’ N Irish, Becky Ewen     –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- quick and snappy pre roll movement , make sure your ending cross movement is even and straight. Steady roll beatings.

Good height of flourishing and speed, nice tempo and use of singles and straight time in the first part to establish the tempo and beat.
Playing well with the snare drummer in the 1/2 and 5/6 bar roll movement.
In the 3rd part, on the 2nd single split flourish movement your right hand made an awkward stop, if this was planned try to make the movement more deliberate otherwise it looks like a mistake. Happens again in the 3rd split in the forte.
Good use of straight time here in the fourth part, but would like to hear a little more variety in the dynamics of playing weight here with all the straight time being played.

Break to strathspey, slightly timid, you seemed pretty on with the piper and snare, would just like to see a little more confidence hitting that 1st beat.
Arm set up to break a little awkward/not optimal.
Nice open and confident playing here in the first part ending, but watch the playing weight, on the verge of becoming “bashy.”
Offbeat playing in the second part a bit off on the last beat leading back into the strathspey idiom on the piano, played better in the forte. Be aware of your flat spins, they are slightly angled back and not as flat as they should be.
Nice opening combo to the 3rd part, watch your stalls and cartwheels and make sure they are evenly spaced and together, left hand is slightly above the right, cartwheel tilted in the forte.
Be mindful of your catches coming out of your combos as well, they are a bit wild.
Quick butterfly movement in the 4th, would like to see your hands a little closer in this movement, nicely done overall though.

Good arm setup and break to reel.
Good tempo established and choice of flourishes in 1st part, well executed forward single hand 8.
2nd part, try not to cut the notes here so much in the opening sequence, they sound a little stilted. Odd resonance coming off the drum at times from this going into the flourish.
Try and keep your hands in an open position when doing figure 8s, nice ending move to reel, try and keep the single stall straight.

Good height of flourishing and arm movement throughout. Left hand at times slightly higher than the right, most likely because it is unencumbered by your sling, just something to be aware of. Would like to hear more dynamic playing in the weight of notes especially in the strathspey for the s/w/m/w feel. You are very quick with all of your motion, very good job overall.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 206. Grade 4 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
Placing: 3. Cathleen McGarvey – USA      Team: Jamestown Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Captain Norman Ore Ewing, Molly Connel, The Sting in the Tail     Watch Video     Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- nice pre roll movement and steady intro rolls.

Steady use of time in the piano of the first part. Right hand not moving as high as the left, not sure if this is intentional or not, it is consistent however and may be because of the sling, just something to watch out for.
Good cartwheel in the forte, but a little wild in the catch coming out.
2nd part, would like to see a little more movement when playing these runs, seemed a bit stilted and tense here.
Nice extension in the right arm over sweeping movement.
1st beat of the forte hesitant. 5/6 bar empty, not sure if this is intentional or not, if a mistake, good keeping of composure! If not, would like to see something here, effective pauses are good but this seems like a little too long without something to fill the gap.

Slightly timid arm movement for the opening beat, but pretty good for not looking at the screen at the piper for a cue!
1st part , catch from flourish with left hand coming down for the ending phrase a little floppy, weight of playing coming in a little loud and suffering as a result. The 1st cross movement is well executed.
Nice butterfly move in the second part, would like to see the move tightened up a little by moving the hands together a little closer. Be careful of your left handed catches when coming out of your cross moves.

Reel break- again a bit timid, would like to see a little more deliberate beat and movement.
Good opening cross stall movement, nice and even/straight. Would like the singles in the first part to be a bit more vertical and in-line with your forearm.
A little too repetitive in the 2nd part with the four note movements. Nice ending variation unexpected and appreciated with a nice cross at the ending.

Good overall, would like to see/hear a little more use of straight time movement in the strathspey to get more of the “strong/weak/medium/weak” feel. Good job!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 207. Grade 3 – March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
Placing: 1. Harriet Moran – New Zealand      Team: St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
Tunes: John McColl’s Farewell to Kilbowie Cottage, Maggie Cameron, The Brown Haired Maid     Watch Video     Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Solid intro rolls.

Solid confident start, spot on. Double figure 8 stall well done, left hand in forte a little off on the stall/bounce movement but nothing major.
Good endings, would like to hear your “five” movements a little more open and not played so much “into” the drum, a little more “out” and bouncy
2nd part, good dynamic with snare drummer in 2nd bar, good precise flourishing and arm movements. Watch flat spins, slightly angled.
Great feel off the start into the 3rd part accompanied by a good variety of spins. Good left inside hand catch off the cartwheel. In the forte the move was a little crooked.
Nice cartwheel combo in the 4th with cross ending. Just nitpicking here, but try to tighten up the cross and catch a little by trying to keep your hand as close as possible while trill being able to do the move.

Solid and confidant break to the strathspey, spot on.
Very snappy stalls in the 1st part, again watch your flats and try to keep the cartwheel straight.
Very good playing ensemble with snare on the accents in the 2nd part.
3rd, possible mistake in the forte, not a big deal, added a left arm movement that wasn’t there in the piano, head movement gave away that something was different. Again, nitpicking, try to tighten up the butterfly and keep the hands together.

Reel break, abrupt but on.
Not much to say here, very good playing with snare drumming throughout, watch where you are hitting the drum, at times you tend to creep back toward the inner rim of the drum.

Very good overall, great sense of timing and dynamic accents with the snare, would like to hear more dynamic volume in the variation of straight time. A very lovely performance

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 208. Grade 3 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Leslie Stankiewicz – USA      Team: Angus Scots Pipe Band
Tunes: Bonnie Dundee     Watch Video     Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- good start cross, nicely held and steady rolls.

Sprightly tempo established. Nice open playing and excellent full extension and movement with arms. Singles, not sure if they are supposed to be regular or flat, they are somewhat in between, try and make them either straighter vertically or flatter.
Good split the feathers in the 2nd part. Flick put movements on the right hand are a bit dodgy in the forte, the rotation of the stick seems not to move as fast ast the left hand causing it to look off in the ending position. It is either that the right hand is more controlled and going slower than the left that is rushing into the move, or that the left is stronger and diving into the move while the right is struggling to catch up. Either way, try to make the movement one flowing and even motion.
3rd part forte, when throwing into the cartwheel, slightly not together and a bit split, but not totally bad, just nitpicking here. Same on second cartwheel, very good use of left side/ right side independence here. Very good single wheel, nice and steady while the right arm comes around to slice!
A little wild in the windmill here, try and tighten it up here with less arm crossing movements, try and keep the arms more stationary and use more hand/wrist movement. Same on the cartwheel into the windmill, good transition from one to the other, but again a little wild.
Overall, very good. Be mindful of your catches out of your windmills and the angles of flourishes. At this point I would also suggest trying to vary your dynamic range in playing volume a little more, it was a little hard to tell from the recording if this was being done. Good feel for the idiom and confidently played. Well done.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 210. Grade 2 – Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Amber Bartholomeusz – USA
Tunes: Lillian Livingstone, Humors of Ballylaughlin  – Judge: Blake Schmidt
Judge’s Comments: Nice rolls
Drum a bit flat may just be recording
H/P
First time through first part- watch speeding up of playing against speed of pipes/drums
Swings fit well.
Not sure if supposed to miss 1st note in 7th bar of first part but… you hit it in the rest of the parts. It felt like it was missing. May just be my interpretation.
2nd part – good syncopation in first bars
watch 2nd note in runs of 4th bar. Seems a bit sticky and not as fluid as could be.
3rd flourish fits well with music. Dead stick very cool and makes good impact with score. Watch to clean up stalls… could be a bit straighter

4th part-
long swing- looked uncomfortable to get in to. I like that it was a bit longer than normal and had variety to it but I would have liked to see it with a we bit more control and a bit tighter
nice break

Jig

Good energy in to jig. Nice swings. Watch coming out of split cartwheel a little muddy.
3rd part cool dead stroke after run. Watch swing coming out of 4 not run right after.

Last part works well.

Overall, nice consistent performance

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 211. Grade 1 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Amber Bartholomeusz – USA
Tunes: Clan MacRea, Dora MacLeod, John McKechnie  –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: Intro- right hand catch on second beat of first roll a bit odd looking, solid playing however.

Brisk tempo, not bad, but a little quick for my liking for this tune (I know it’s a recording and you cant change the tempo). Nice use of visually dynamic flat spins. First part is a little busy for my liking as well flourishing wise for my taste, but good choice of moves. Playing volume a little “bashy” sounding, could be recording.
2nd part opening stalls not straight on stall, wandering out when crossing the body. 3/4 bar playing bit slightly off and a little stiff sounding.
Nice 3rd part variety and use of arm movement with flourishing. Try and keep your figure 8s vertical and straight, they are angling in a bit.
Playing in fourth part coming in a little loud off the split movement. Splits so far very nicely done, very even with good “mesh” integration of the sticks. Good cartwheel in the variation, try and “snap” the catch a bit more coming out for added visual effect.
5th part, 2nd wave of opening sequence right hand slightly dodgy, good arms level variations thought in height.
6th part opening runs piano, slightly stilted, seems like it is being played “into” the drum instead of “out” of the drum. Bouncing on the double 8 stall moves, hand height is not always the same. Stalls in forte not stalling at the same time.

Solid break to the strathspey, good use of time and well-established s/w/m/w/ feel!
Good arm extension in movements.
2nd part butterfly, just nitpicking, try and keep your hands closer together to sharpen up the move.
I really enjoyed the 3rd part piano, very good use of visual dynamics and tasteful choice of moves.
Right hand in singles in forth part don’t seem as strong as the left, especially in regards to height extension, could be due to sling encumbrance, just something to be aware of.

Good setup position to break for reel. Seemed a bit quick on break, but going along with piping and drumming. Flat spins not flat in 1st part and opening second part bars. Movement leading up to side stall swipes a little awkward. Alternating up and down 8 movements, would like them to be a little more precise.
Forth part down the body spin right hand not in line with left, cartwheel not as in-line as I would like.
Attempted 7 movement notes in 5th part leading to second line clipped and rushed.
Stick crash in 6th part derailed the combo move slightly, good recovery though.
At times in performance, it comes across that many of the moves look frantic, especially at that tempo, and as a result look as if they are just thrown in. would like to see a little more effective use of space in set, you are throwing a lot of great moves out, but they become melted together with no breaks in between. Work on control in catching and then slowly increase the tempo when practicing. Playing at time was a bit loud with not much dynamic. Runs at time a bit closed, a good example is in the ending 5’s at times in march. The strathspey playing was lovely because the tempo, although brisk, left you more space to work with and seemed more relaxed.
Just nitpicking you, a very good display of ability and good job overall.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 211. Grade 1 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Alexandra Hunt – Australia      Team: Hawkesberry Nepean Valley Pipe Band
Tunes: March: Pipe Major Tom Macalister
Strathspey: Islay Ball
Reel :John Morrison of Assynt House  –  Judge: Michael O’Neil
Judge’s Comments: (entered grade 2, but said in video was entered in grade 1)

Intro-nice pre roll movement into rolls, creative and effective. Solid rolls.

Ending of 1st part piano notes slightly clipped sounding, good tempo established however. Nice combo move in the forte, good cartwheels, nice and straight. Flat spins slightly angled back and not flat. Beatings after the combo are a bit awkward.
Forte 2nd part, a little too long off the drum for my liking on the combo, seemed like you just threw it in because the timing of when it stopped was off with what was going on.
3rd part good use of straight time in piano. Great extension of arm movements in flourishing on forte.
4th part, playing well here, some catches here are a bit “floppy” and I would like to see them a little more precise.
Slight disconnect with the drummer in the piano of the 6th part.

Break to strathspey on, but a little abrupt.
Good visual flow of flourishing here with good feel for the idiom.
2nd part, a little bit of searching for the beat, much better in the first line of the 3rd part, but again drifting in the 2nd line.
Hesitation in the beating in the last part, with some major ensemble issues, leading to a large hesitation in the break to the reel.
Playing well with snare in the 2nd part 2nd line of reel.
Right hand in second line 3rd part, stall slip. Good use of highs and lows on the movement spectrum of flourishing.
4th part opening sequence very well executed cross stall, would like to see it “stick” a little more on the stall.
5th and 6th part opening bar not very strong and timid in beatings. Nice ending flourish.
Very good flourishing throughout, You are very flowing and are doing some very hard moves, and for the most part pulling them off very well, it is hard to tell from the video, but it looks like you are doing revers windmills and cartwheels, good on ya! You are very flowing and have good control over the stick while flourishing but need to work on the timing of your moves in relation to the music and your stops/catches. This greatly seems to affect your playing after long combos making the notes being played after hesitant and off. Work on the transitions in between and going from flourishing down into playing. I know it can be hard to find a piper and snare drummer at times but I think having a piper definitely would have helped the timing of you and your snare drummer in this performance. Overall, very good performance, very lovely to watch.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 302. Intermediate (Grade 3 & 2) – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Bronwyn Martin – Australia
Tunes: 79ths Farewell to Gibraltar, Susan McLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran  –  Judge: Mike Cole, Chris Pollock
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Mike Cole

Good intro.

Some very effective and well placed syncopated phrasing in the march. Excellent visual meter and motion.
Would have liked to have seen your dominant (right) hand!
Very nice control and good dynamics.
Slightly late in the last beat of the march.
—good break to strathspey
Effective pulsing and controlled heavy-weak-medium-weak throughout the idiom.
Dragging a bit in 2nd part
Good use of O P E N space in your playing.
Nice dynamics in 4th part

Good break to reel

Would like to feel move drive and motion in the reel.
Slip in 2nd part
Some very effective syncopation for this tune.
Nice use of tacets…perhaps to much open space in the reel…still, very well placed.

Overall

A very enjoyable performance! You have a nice steady touch and a good feel for the music. As a suggestion…don’t let your arm motion effect your beat placement. Work on stick control….approach the mallet as you would a snare stick. Light grip with thumbs forefinger (middle finger) use your fingers more & wrists less.
Thanks for participating!

Placing: 1

Judge: Chris Pollock

INTRO – Take care to play intro rolls at the tempo set by the Piper/PM. That said, uptake to first part of the march is good.
MARCH – Overall, a good march. Nice incorporation of tacet space, but take care to anticipate the beat, particularly the accent after tacet periods. Aim to play on the B of the Beat rather than the T!
SPEY – Good break. Watch that weak beats aren’t too heavy. Remember Strong Weak Medium Weak phrasing. In general though, a good strathspey
REEL – Good break. For the most part a good reel though watch that you don’t lose the flow by occasionally accenting slightly behind the beat and also over employing the use of space.
OVERALL – You have developed a good style to your performance. (I suspect that when played in a band context the input of the tenors might highlight appropriately the tacet bass periods, though try not to use this too often as it can diminish the impact.)
Take care to play in the ‘sweet spot’ of the drum it will generate a truer sound and avoid rim shots!

Placing: 2

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 302. Intermediate (Grade 3 & 2) – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Stuart Baker – USA      Team: Tucson & District Pipe Band
Tunes: Lord Alexander Kennedy, Maggie Cameron, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran – Judge: Mike Cole, Chris Pollock
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Mike Cole

Very smooth and controlled introduction.
Steady tempos-excellent swing feel and effective use of dynamics in upbeats & syncopated phrasing. Kept the march flowing nicely.
–Good break to the strathspey
Heavy weak medium weak idiom well played. Nice use of open space in the third part.
–Solid break to reel
Very good flowing feel for this classic tune. Subtle syncopation working well…not obtrusive.
–Overall
A very steady and controlled performance.
I would suggest some more variety in your syncopated phrasing repertoire. While your place was in the pocket it seemed a bit cautious. Most of your accents are on upbeats…not a bad thing, but your playing would move to another level if you opened things up a bit more using, for example, some dot and cut feels or extended triplet phrasing here there.

I was happy to have had the opportunity to watch your performance!

Placing: 2

Judge: Chris Pollock

INTRO – Good intro rolls
MARCH – Tempo drops from intro in the first part before settling in second. Overall, save a few minor issues with beat anticipation (Aim to play on the B of the Beat rather than the T!) a good march.
SPEY – Good break. Watch that weak beats aren’t too heavy. Remember Strong Weak Medium Weak phrasing. Over emphasising weak beats can lead to SMMM or SMSM phrasing. In general though, a good strathspey.
REEL – Good break and nice uptake to reel. Good use of tacet space in the second and fourth parts For the most part a good reel though losing flow a little at times in fifth and sixth parts.
OVERALL – An enjoyable performance.

Placing: 1

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 303. Advanced (Grade 1 and Open) – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 1. Amber Bartholomeusz – USA
Tunes: Clan MacRae, Dora MacLeod, John McKechnie –  Judge: Mike Cole, Chris Pollock
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Mike Cole

Very confident and well played march. Tasty syncopated phrasing & solid control of tempo. Well set to the score. 6th part a bit overplayed…less is more.

Solid break to strathspey.
Well pulsed to the tune & s/s idiom
nifty cut ‘n dot phrase in 2nd part.
very smooth and ‘timely’ work!

Excellent break

Reel well established from the ‘git-goo’!
Solid tempo management throughout.
Good use of open space…lovely syncopated phrasing!

Overall. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance. Very well played with command and control!
Well Done!

Placing: 1

Judge: Chris Pollock

INTRO – Good intro rolls
MARCH – Nice uptake to march which is well played throughout. Nice interpretation particularly of the third part – showing good empathy to other instrumentation, though in the same fashion the sixth part is perhaps too overcomplicated.
SPEY – Good break. Strathspey played consistently to the tempo of the other instruments though take care to differentiate the medium beat from the weak beats to fully capture the feel of the idiom.
REEL – Good break and nice uptake to reel which is well played throughout.
OVERALL – An enjoyable performance, Played with a nice understated but reliable style.

Placing: 1

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 303. Advanced (Grade 1 and Open) – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Dominic Andersen-Strudwick – Australia      Team: The Scots PGC College Pipes and Drums
Tunes: Arglyeshire Gathering, Dora MacLeod, McAllister’s Dirk     Watch Video     Judge: Mike Cole, Chris Pollock
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Mike Cole

Solid attack—a bit heavy handed.
Nice open sound from the drum.

–March
I feel that you are putting too much emphasis on the 2nd beat of each measure in the opening part of the march. In general the tune, most marches for that matter, would swing more with a solid stroke on the ‘one’ and glancing or incidental stroke on the ‘two.
Off the beat in the 2nd pulse of the 5th measure in the ff

Playing opened up a bit in the 2nd part…still heavy on the 1 and 2. Effective syncopated phrasing on the ending variation.

Fourth part felt a bit pushed, phrasing wise

–Strathspey

Not feeling the H w M w . Syncopated phrasing not with the pipes.
Nice use of empty space (tacet) in 2nd part. Phrasing issues…a bit late.
Slip toward the end of the 4th part

Break to reel – not quite spot on.

Reel lacking flow. Feeling quite choppy and not always in sync with the tune. Some very nice syncopated ideas, but, not ‘ in the pocket’ as the saying goes.

–Overall

A very spirited and lively performance. You have a very wide range of motion and excellent visual meter. I would recommend that you concentrate controlling your strokes and, ultimately, the drum. Consider occasionally striking/stroking through the drum on your downstroke as opposed to coming directly into the drum from a 90 degree angle. It creates a warmer and fuller sound off of the drum as opposed to a more percussive sounding stroke.
I see a lot of potential and verve in your playing. I enjoyed having the opportunity to listen to you!

Placing: 2

Judge: Chris Pollock

INTRO – Good
MARCH – Good uptake to first part, though beginning to play slightly behind the beat at times towards the end of the part, through the repeat and at times in the remainder of the march (Try to play on the B of the Beat no the T) Nice interpretation of the march. Just watch the timing.
SPEY – Good Break. Remember the Strong Weak Medium Weak phrasing. Don’t flatten out the accents to a Strong Medium Strong Medium as it interrupts the flow of the idiom. On occasion As with the march be careful to play on the beat not either side of the beat.
REEL – slightly laboured break. A well interpreted reel, though lacking a little in dynamic range.
OVERALL – Well done, a good effort. You are developing a good style. Take care though to concentrate on the drum strike rather that just the style that surrounds it. Use style to HELP you with your timing not hinder you. Also, try to develop a breadth of dynamics in your play, this will also help maintain the desired flow of any idiom – in a band setting work closely with your leading drummer as the dynamics of the snare line will help you with your play.

Placing: 3

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Event: 303. Advanced (Grade 1 and Open) – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Placing: 2. Kenneth Hiner – USA      Team: Wolf River Pipes & Drums
Tunes: The Stirlingshire Militia, the Atholl Cummers, the Smith of Chilliechassie     Watch Video     Judge: Mike Cole, Chris Pollock
Judge’s Comments: Judge: Mike Cole

1st beat missing on attack. Fundamental error.

Some very good syncopated phrasing here and there but not always on the beat.
End phrase lacking resolution on last downbeat…. and TWO.

Missed break to strathspey.

Good triplet ending phrase, however, for better effect and impact, it should be played in the 8th measure, perhaps every other part…not every four measures.
Dead stick too heavy in 5th part…play to your ‘accompaniment.’
Off of the tune in last part

Break to reel-ok
Ending in 1st part a bit tentative.
Some nice syncopation in the reel…watch your ending phrases…as in 1st.
Good flow and pulse in this part of the set.
Ending early to accompaniment.

Overall
You played with confidence and verve.
Too bad about the attack…akin to not getting pipes up.
Some very fluid motion and visual meter. and effective dynamics.
You have some good syncopated phrases in your set…variation…less is more.
Thank you for participating!

Placing: 3

Judge: Chris Pollock

INTRO – Good intro
MARCH – Lovely uptake to march. March generally well played throughout, though watch off beats in repeat of second part. Take care with accents in third and fourth part also.
SPEY – Missed break. Nice interpretation of Strathspey though take care to differentiate Medium accent from Weak beats as this can interrupt the flow of the Strathspey.
REEL – Slightly laboured break but generally a good reel, just watch beat anticipation doesn’t err slightly to either side of the beat.
OVERALL – A very enjoyable performance. GREAT sounding instrument. DON’T dampen drum at the finish. Let the good tone ring out!

Placing: 2

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

401. Grade 5 – March medley
Placing: 1. 8CH Moncton District – Canada
Tunes: Duncan McInnis, Jenny’s Bawbee, I’ll Gang Nae Mair tae Yon Toon. –
Judge’s Comments:

P1: Michael Cusack Placing: 1
E’s graduated at start. Phrasing would be helped with more attention paid to keeping short notes short. Unison generally pretty good.
High A’s and High G’s sharp. Top hand execution in first part of “Jenny” not together. Not sure everyone is playing the same thing, e.g. “g grace note on F to High G” or “High G doublings.”
Drones slightly out of tune, but given the acoustics of the hall, not too bad.
Good job for this grade level.

P2: Terry Lee Placing: 1
Thanks for participating in this online adjudication. The band presents itself very well with a good look and balance to its sections.
A good positive opening to your march medley is evident although I felt the drums and pipes were not completely locked in the introduction (drums a little ahead I think starting both rolls).
It settles quickly and I really like the tempo called and delivered. It is very positive in direction and musicality.
The acoustics are challenging in this venue as sound is bouncing everywhere. Hats off to you for getting the playing together as well as you do. The bass drum seems to help in how consistent it is (this even thought the sound of the bass is distracting). The sound of the band projects well with some shrillness evident to the chanters overall. Also the drones seem to be wavering from the start. Two notes that could use more tuning attention are E and HA. Both seem flat and out of tune. Some of it could be uneven blowing but try to focus in on these notes when setting up the band. Speaking of blowing, most players are doing a great job of standing very steady when playing. I always feel this is important for steady sound.
I like the breaks between the tunes – very smooth transitions and nice key changes. A musical selection right the way through. The cutoff is a little uncertain and could be quicker/cleaner. It seems like you are holding past the beat.
A really enjoyable band and performance overall. Nicely done. Terry Lee

P3: Iain MacDonald Placing: 1
Pipers up together pretty well, but a sliding E up to full pressure. Pipers re-adjusting pipes under arm once the E has started, which will detract from sound. Try to limit the amount of upper body physical movement while playing.
Pipers are playing well together for the most part, with controlled tempo. Phrases and part endings could have better unison. Pipers not always executing together.
Very few note errors–for the most part quite clean in that regard, and good musicality displayed throughout.
The bagpipe sound needs some work. There is not a stable scale from the very outset, and the top hands are thin, sharp and at times blown to be very quite unpleasant. The top hand sound comes and goes in a wide range, so likely some pipers are overblowing off and on.
Good ending!
A nice performance overall. I liked the tempo, the musical performance of the tunes, and the fact that it was pretty tight. Some refinement of individual technique, sound and blowing would give a much better overall impression.

P4: James W. Troy Placing: 1
Attack OK but not 100%. Strive to clean up the chanter sound and make sure the drones are 100%. I have heard Grade 5 bands in California producing great sound. Tempo steady throughout. Watch phrase endings for time. Some top hand figures in 2nd tune clipped. Give every note its full value. End OK.

D1: James Laughlin Placing: 1
Side drummers not all starting the intro rolls on the first beat accurately, and some ending the roll short. There is also a slight pulsation in the roll texture.
Leading Drummer setting a nice tempo here in the initial parts of the march. Nice scoring for these grade level, very sympathetic to the bagpipe melody. Drummers are generally playing neat and tidy. More dynamic range would really enhance this performance, more visual height when playing accents and flam accents.
Bass Drummer is maintaining and nice swing and constant tempo, however some variation in weighting and scoring would enhance the overall package. Tenor drummer could add a little more dynamic range to lift the performance. Very good steady timing though.
Some integration issues and untidiness in the last March. But overall a very enjoyable performance. A very good standard. Well done.

D2: Paul Turner Placing: 1
Rolls forced and very heavily pulsated across corps. Tempo variation in opening part unsteady and causing separation from melody. Triplet execution straight, lacking natural rhythm and losing precision. More care required with short roll definition. Tendency by FF to force phrasing in parts 3 & 4 and lose execution precision and clarity. Execution in bar’s 3 & 4 in both parts 5 & 6 very untidy by FF. Losing integration with melody in part 7. FF rushing phrasing in last 8 bars and losing execution clarity. Bass accent weight throughout performance disturbing band balance. Tenor and Bass need to vary accent weight and rhythmic patterns to enhance the melody line.

D3: Keith Orr Placing: 1
Intro rolls sound a bit heavy at the start. keeping a steady tempo 1st part after introduction. Bass sound a bit flat. More variety needed in weight from bass and tenors. Drum scores fit the melody and flowing. Going well – good show.

E1: Robert Mathieson (piper) Placing: 1
Opening rolls not fully together with someone anticipating the first beat ahead of the metronome and as a result of this the rolls don’t finish together. The very first touch of the drum is too sloppy and over powering. Pipe corps not producing a flat line E on the attack. Pipers need to address the short notes in the opening phrase and define the note values in unison. The c grip seems to roll into the D throw which is also too laboured. The 2/4 idiom needs to hold the big notes and really cut the shortest ones to help get phrasing and swing. Some intonation problems on the top hand as well as some over blowing. Bar 3 in the second tune is stretching in the snare line – drum score might be a bit busy or needs compressed to match the tempo pulse. Loss of integration here. Generally the band has the just of playing these marches but more light and shade with dynamic range is required from the drum section. When I listen to the bass and tenor I hear a constant beat of the same dominance which becomes very monotonous and a bit hypnotic. It is steady but lacking in any subtlety. The tenor drum should not play a carbon copy of the bass score as appears to be the case. The bass and tenors need to rest at some point. Suggest you select an appropriate part, maybe 2 bars tacit to offer some landscape dynamics. Silence is often the strongest accent you can showcase. Some good key changes in your tune choice.

E2: Duncan Millar (side) Placing: 1
2nd introductory roll slightly clipped, finished before the beat. Nice lively start. Good tempo, well set by P/M. Tempo dropped throughout the set.
Bass player has good timing but should rest every so often for a beat and add a few eighth notes to end phrases. The constant quarter note pattern throughout does not assist in presenting the phrasing. Try using the quarter note driving through the first time of the first part of each tune, then vary slightly to emphasize the phrases.
The whole band should work together to avoid rushing to the note after cut notes. Greater hang- time effect could easily by obtained by waiting to play the next note right on the beat.

E3: Mike Cole (mid-section) Placing: 1
Good attack
Pipes- E – solid & together
Dragging slightly in expression and phrasing.
Both sections not always locked in together.
Some untidiness in last part D. McInnes
Side drummers not ending all rolls together in Jenny’s Bawbee. A bit of push-pull in this tune.
Band locked in well as a unit in final tune.
Pipes: tone held well to end of tune.
Side drums: crisp snare response and full bodied drum sound. Could not hear tenor drum.
Bass and tenor could use some variety in your scores…too much straight time, not providing syncopated support to the rhythmic structure.
Ending…late drone Overall.
Nice work! Other than a few issues with expression and phrasing between pipes and drums, well done!

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

402. Grade 4 – March medley
Placing: 1. Keith Highlanders Pipe Band – USA
Tunes: Roses of Prince Charlie, Pay the Piper, Bloody Fields of Flanders –
Judge’s Comments: 

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

402. Grade 4 – March medley
Placing: 2. Carinthian Pipes and Drums – Austria
Tunes: Lochanside, PM Angus MacDonald, Castle Dangerous     Watch Video 1     Watch Video 2
Judge’s Comments: