Spring 2022 World Online Piping & Drumming Championships Official Results

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Complete List of All Events

The World Online Piping & Drumming Championships is the world's first and only piping and drumming competition in the world to publish a complete a record of the entire competition, including every performance, every result and every judge's comment. We hope that these excellent musical performances and detailed comments from our world-class judges will be a lasting and valuable resource for education and entertainment.

Includes competitor info, tunes played, placings, judge's comments, and video links. Click Watch Video to view the video on YouTube. Click Download Comments for the Official Judge's Comment Sheet PDF.

Events listed by event number.
Solo Piping Events: 1-50
Side Drumming Events: 101-212
Tenor Drumming Events: 201-213
Bass Drumming Events: 301-304
Band Events: 401-403

Event 01. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Leo Peck 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Scots Wa He      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent hand position! That will set you up well for good technique. Good timing in part one, but make sure at the end of phrases (end of bar 2 and bar 4 especially) that you give the big notes (D in these cases) their full value. Excellent grace note quality. Make sure the top of your hand doesn't open too soon on D throws — it can open only after you hear that low G, not before. It still feels like you're playing low G because the little finger is down, but if the other fingers are up, you can't hear it. On the first time through you had a few top hand notes with your B finger up, but that was resolved in the repeat! I'm really impressed with your second part — sure there were memory errors, but you stuck with it and kept on going, putting on a good show! That takes courage. Well done — I'm impressed, and I look forward to hearing more piping from you in the future!
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Event 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Competitor: Rebekah Walker 🇬🇧      Place: 1      Tunes: Castle Dangerous      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Rebekah! Well done to you for competing in the event, and a very strong performance here! From a technique lens, the only thing I have to critique is there were a few spots where you had very minor crossing noises (from F to D and D to F mainly). These were very small, and did not detract from the performance, but as you move forward into new music, these are something to watch out for. You want to always be sure your hands are ready for the destination note before you close up the starting note. Musically and rhythmically, you put forward a very good tune, Rebekah. Tempo was strong and maintained well throughout. I think you might be able to anchor the downbeats of measure 3 in both the first and second parts a little bit more, but this was also a minor thing. At times, I thought you moved off of the low A after the rodin a little early. Overall, you did a very good job here! You had all of the technical and musical proficiency to put forward a fine tune, and you achieved that. Well done, and I look forward to seeing you compete in the future! Jack
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Event 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Competitor: Isla McLean      Place: 2      Tunes: Castle Dangerous      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Isla! Thank you for competing in this event, and it's always good to hear a classic tune like Castle Dangerous played well. You have a very strong technical foundation and you displayed it well here! Doublings and throws were very clear, precise, and well-timed. There were one or two crossing noises that slipped in, and specifically you'll want to be careful about transitions from E to High A (and vice versa). If your ring finger is moving just a tiny bit too early, you can sound a very short low A on accident. But, that was by far the odd one out in your otherwise excellent technical delivery of this tune. Musically, you had a strong performance here as well with a good understanding of the melody and how to deliver it to the listener. There were a few spots where the rhythm seemed to get out in front of you a little bit, so I would be sure to practice measure 3 in both part 1 and part 2. You'll want to do your best to be patient with the low A after the rodin, because there were a few instances where it didn't get quite all of the weight of a full quarter note (crotchet). Overall, you had a really good performance here, and one that you should be proud of. I look forward to seeing you compete in the future, and very well done! Jack
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Event 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Competitor: Todd Schroeder 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Bonnie Galloway      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Todd! It was nice to hear you playing Bonnie Galloway, and thank you for entering and competing. From a technical standpoint, there are a few things for me to nitpick, but overall you have a strong foundation. The main technical thing for me to point out is you had a few crossing noises showing through on note transitions where you moved from one hand to another (bottom hand to top hand). More specifically, be careful when you are going to F from D that you aren't covering any lower holes before you've opened up the holes to sound F. After a throw, it's very tempting to let things fall back to the chanter, but that temptation can lead you astray. Musically and rhythmically, you had a very strong and confident performance here. I do want to mention, I think you might be served well to slow down your tempo a little bit to give yourself time to fit all of the notes of part 2 measure 4 in comfortably. I felt that you lost some of your rhythmical grounding and stability there, and starting with a slower tempo would help bring the strength of that measure up to match the rest of the tune Well played performance, and very enjoyable piece of music. Hope to see you competing in future events! Well done! Jack
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Event 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Competitor: SJ 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Castle Dangerous      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Sarah, thank you for competing in the event! I enjoyed listening to your tune, and it was a fitting entry in a strong field. From a technical standpoint, you're doing a good job with this tune. There were a few points where I felt that your grace notes had different weights from one another, so do your best when you are practicing to try and make each G grace note sound very similar to the way you play D grace notes (for example). Thumb gracenotes are a good candidate for this, and that work will pay dividends for the whole of your piping career! I will say that I think, from a rhythmic standpoint, this tune is losing a little bit of the characteristic 3/4 feeling. It's very important, especially in this tune, to make sure your 1/8th notes (quavers) are locked and anchored into the beat. Two quavers at most can fit in one beat, and that beat is equally budgeted between them. This tune's first part has a pretty dependable structure in each measure of two moving notes (usually quavers or dotted quavers) going into two 1/4 notes (crotchets). There were a few times where the 1/8th notes didn't seem firmly anchored into where the beat starts. You seemed a little more confident with the moving notes in the second part, so I'd work to bring that confidence into the first part to match the second. Overall, a very good performance, musically and technically. You've got a tremendous sense of control over your hands, which is definitely something to nurture. Once you get the rhythm a little more solid, you'll be in excellent shape! Jack
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Event 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
Competitor: Bryan Wuest 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Salute to General Mark Clark      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Bryan! Thank you for competing in this event, and well done for putting forward a strong performance here! This is a tune I'm not familiar with, but I enjoyed it and will be on the lookout for the music. You had a strong performance from a technical standpoint. I think you will want to be on the lookout for times where your G grace note doesn't quite make it out of the chanter. There were a few spots where I could see your finger flex like it was going to move, and your brain was telling it to move, but the gracenote itself didn't make it out of the chanter. I tend to think of this more as a finger height issue than a finger speed issue, so be sure when you practice your embellishments that you are practicing quick grace notes. But, you also want to achieve quick gracenotes with plenty of space underneath your fingers when they come off the chanter. It's amazing how just a tiny bit of extra lifting height on grace notes can make all the clarity difference in the world. There were also a few doublings where the movement came out on top of itself without a clear sequence between the notes. I tell my own students all the time, and I tell myself this too when I'm having difficulties with a new piece of music: musical technique is purely linear. Do your best to avoid the temptation of thinking about movements as being simultaneous. In a doubling, especially ones that start with G grace notes, clarity of attack and finish with the G grace note are a necessity for a successful doubling. This will also be aided by the finger height point I raised above. Musically and rhythmically, your presentation of this tune was great. There were a couple of spots where in the first part you played an E grace note, but in the second part you played a G grace note, where musical conventions would suggest that the grace notes should be the same in both. Again, I don't have a lot of familiarity with this tune, so I would be sure to double-check your grace noting next time you have the sheet music out. This was a minor thing, but I do want to be sure to make you aware of it. Really enjoyed this performance, Bryan, and thank you for playing in the contest. I hope to see you competing and playing again in the future! Jack
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Event 03. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Luke Caskey 🇬🇧      Place: 1      Tunes: The Taking of Beaumont Hamel      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent hand position and extremely clear technique to start - along with excellent and patient timing. Only concern with hand position is the curling of the D finger — that could lead to more missed D grace notes down the road. A strong sense of the offbeat shown here, which is essential for 2/4 march playing. The B to low A tachum not quite as clean as the C to low A ones. A few little catches going from bottom hand to E — a bit late occasionally lifting your E finger. A very well played march with a great deal of promise!
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Event 04. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Todd Schroeder 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Bonnie Dundee      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Todd. Nice job! It was difficult to see your hands from where you were standing, but from what I could see, your finger positioning on the chanter looked good. Try to keep your embellishments more open. Some of your movements are too crushed. Grips and taorluaths should always have 2 low G sounds; one before the D grace note, and one after. You’re sometimes missing the second. Watch the C to E crossing noises. I’d suggest slowing things down a bit which will help you with your technique and timing. Finally, make sure to play the repeats with this tune. Keep working!
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Event 05. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Bryan Wuest 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: MacIntosh's Banner      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: A very nice, musical rendition of this tune, Bryan. Well timed, and played boldly at a brisk tempo. Clean fingering and good technique throughout. Grips especially strong. Be careful to play the grace notes accurately and to avoid introducing extra ones. This is very important as grace notes provide the accents. You are playing a number of extra G grace notes in each line. In particular, you have developed a habit of playing a G grace note onto low A in your low A cadences, but that note is plain — you should just play a G grace note on E and proceed directly to A. An enjoyable tune. Thank you!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Gregory 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Mist Covered Mountains      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and nice pipe but drones could be a little closer in tune to improve the overall sound quality! 1. Nice playing, well done staying in time. 2. Good stuff! Maybe missed a G grace note on Low A first time through the 2nd part (or setting?). Overall very well done here. I like your sense of timing and would like to see you relax your hands more to allow them to be more efficient in terms of moving freely about the chanter. This will also make you more relaxed and more accurate which will assist in your continued development. Very enjoyable!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Sean Stewart 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 2      Tunes: The Fallen      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Good tempo and pipe pretty good here . . lovely High A! 1. Good playing 2. Good playing and keeping time nicely Overall well done! This comes across as more of a quick march but you played it controlled and with poise. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Jan Roberts 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Morag Duncan      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe is pleasant and well tuned. 1. Nicely playing. Slight chirp at end of 2nd time through going to Low G. 2. Good and again a slight chirp on the Low G at the end of the part on the Low G. Overall, well done on a nice instrument and suitable tempo for this tune. Ensure you don't jump ahead to complete pieces of technique (ie. rushing slightly to the half doubling on F in bar 2 of 2nd part). You have the time to relax your hands and put them down as required right on the beat which will be easier on your hands and most importantly allow you to be more accurate. Great feel for the music. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Alan Sutherland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: Thug Mi Gaol      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe chanter okay but drones not in tune together nor on with Low A detracting from the overall quality of sound. 1. E doubling the grace notes are big and on top of one another but nicely played in time. 2. Good playing on the beat here as well. Overall well played on an instrument that if better tuned would certainly increase the quality of your presentation (not a huge factor at this grade level for me BTW and just want to mention so you are aware). You are playing well on the beat throughout which is great however you appear to be holding onto the chanter very tightly which makes moving about the chanter much more difficult. Work on loosening up your grip and relax which will allow your fingers to move when you want them to more efficiently and accurately. If the pipe is too hard this can contribute to tension as well so be mindful of that. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Frank Bantle 🇩🇪      Place: 5      Tunes: Cronan      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Tempo nice and pipe pretty good! 1. Watch Taorluaths and ensure grace notes are not too big causing them to be on top of one another inhibiting the nice 1,2,3 rhythm. Ensure you go to the Low G to start your D throws from other notes. 2. Well played. Again start the Taorluath early on the B at the end of Bar 4. Overall well played on a nice instrument you seemed to have solid control of throughout your presentation. Try to loosen your grip and work on playing smaller grace notes to make technique a little more precise and will be much easier on your hands (i.e., Taorluath — lifting grace notes high off the chanter can increase likelihood of them being on top of one another losing the desired rhythm). NIce feel for music. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Megan Carlson 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Going Home      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Tempo okay and pipe okay just need to get the drones a little closer together and on with low A. 1. Good playing here and keeping time well. If only playing a grip on B to end line then good but if Taorluath, E grace note not sounding out! 2. Blowing a little inconsistent here and top hand a tad sharp on F and High A. Slight choke but again playing pretty well here. Overall you have a nice feel for the music and are doing pretty well. Ensure pipe is not too hard and work on maintaining pressure more consistently through both blowing and squeezing. As you continue to develop keep trying to loosen your grip to allow more freedom of movement which will be easier on your hands and will make you more accurate. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Ann Snow 🇨🇦           Tunes: Hearken My Love      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe okay but drones not quite in tune detracting from the overall sound quality in your performance. 1. Okay playing here. Keep the grace notes small and this will assist in making your tacchums in bar 1 a little more precise and cleaner. There are also a few crossing noises coming across which may be attributed to gripping and tension on the chanter which causes fingers to be left behind. 2. Okay and tacchums are better first time through from C with the B tacchum to Low A. Overall well done! You have a nice feel for the music and the comments above stem from being comfortable on your instrument. If it is too hard a player will grip the chanter and this can cause some of the comments mentioned above. Try to relax a little more (building yourself up or making reed easier) and then see if this takes care of the crossing noises. Stay in time to allow yourself all the time required to play the technique. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Derek Sullivan 🇺🇸           Tunes: Loch Rannoch      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe okay but drones not quite locked on with Low A detracting from the overall sound quality. 1. A little laboured with the Grips to C in part 1. Nice playing in time though. 2. Slight crossing noise coming from E to C at end of first time through part. E doubling in Bar 5 of repeat not clean. Overall a nice performance on a decent instrument. You are playing well in time and have the music down but think a little less grip on the chanter will allow your hands to move more freely and will most likely eliminate the slight crossing noises as commented on above. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Faith Kats 🇺🇸           Tunes: Mist Covered Mountains      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe okay but drones not together and in with the Low A detracting from the overall sound quality. 1. Some grace notes coming after the note you go to. Try timing the Taorluaths a little more in time. 2. E doubling in 2nd part again the grace notes are coming after you go to E instead of being clean to the E with the G grace note that starts the doubling. Overall a very nice performance. Keep working on being accurate with your grace notes which will allow you to be in time and make your grace notes and doublings more precise and accurate. Work on going from the note prior to the doubling by just using the G grace note to start and master this before adding the rest of the doubling. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Jadon Han 🇺🇸           Tunes: Skye Boat Song      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe okay 1. Missed Taorluath at end of 2nd time through 1st part on B. 2. Good - Just watch you don't come off the long note on F in the 2nd ending coming from High A to the F and short E back to the F as this creates a pushed feel. Overall a nice performance with lots of quality. Just need to relax your hands a bit more to allow them to move freely about the chanter which will eliminate any slight crossing noises becoming audible. Ensure you stay in time to give yourself all the time you need to play the material. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Kane Gordon 🇳🇿           Tunes: I Gin I were a Baron’s Heir      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: NIce tempo throughout and pipe okay however I felt the top hand a little sharp on HIgh A and High G when you got into the 2nd part. 1. E doubling not clean but playing nicely in time. Slight crossing noise going from D to E to start repeat of the part. You played a Low A at the start of the final D throw in the 2nd time through the tune? 2. Nice playing Overall well done! Keep your hands loose to allow them to move about the chanter more freely and accurately. The more you grip the more some of your fingers get left behind creating the slight crossing noises. You show excellent potential, well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Katrina Skerritt 🇺🇸           Tunes: Going Home      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo selected — pipe okay 1. G grace note in the C doubling not sounding clearly at start and slightly pushing the beat going to it. 2. slight crossing noise in 2nd part and pushed the final birl a tad. Overall nice performance on a decent bagpipe you appear to be controlling nicely throughout performance. Work on staying in time to allow yourself the necessary time to play the desired technique such as the C doublings in the first part as mentioned. The G grace note to start the doubling was not articulating properly and you were jumping to them creating that pushed feel. Keep working on sounding all the technique in time and accurately from start to finish with nice, relaxed hands to allow you to move about the chanter more freely and clearly. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Maren Rohmeyer 🇩🇪           Tunes: Farewell to Govan      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: NIce tempo and pipe okay but drones not quite locked together and on with Low A. 1. Slight crossing noise heading up to the short E to F at start but got better on the repeat. 2. Slight crossing noise before C doubling run-down on repeat of 2nd part. Overall well played and nice feel for the music. Try to loosen up your grip on the chanter a little more which will allow you more freedom to move about the chanter which in turn will also eliminate little crossing noises as mentioned above. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿           Tunes: O Gin I Were A Baron's Heir      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe okay but F is slightly sharp and drones not quite locked together and on with the Low A detracting from the overall sound quality. 1. Nicely played. 2. slight crossing noise going from F to D at times. Overall, well done, and I liked the consistent tempo and poise you displayed throughout the tune. Keep working on keeping your hands loose to eliminate the slight crossing noises that can become audible because a couple of fingers linger behind due to tension. Your timing and precision will allow you to continue to develop. Well done!
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Event 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Robert Real 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bells of Dunblane      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and nice consistent tempo on a decent bagpipe with drones not quite locked together detracting from the overall sound quality 1. D grace note to the opening C is too big causing it to be on top of the note creating an unclear passage on delivery both times. 2. Slight crossing noise coming from the F to the D both times through. Overall nicely done on a decent instrument you appear to have nice control over. Try to relax your hands a bit more to allow them to move about the chanter more freely which may eliminate the slight crossing noises being heard. This will also make it easier to play smaller, more precise grace notes which will accent notes and not consume them. You have a nice feel for the music and the comments above are part of your continued development. Well done!
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: William Nicholls 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Will! Looking sharp and sounding good. Thank you for competing in this contest! You put forward a great performance here of an absolute classic tune (criminally underplayed in my opinion). Overall, you played with tremendous patience and control throughout, technique was very good, and pipes were sounding great. Be mindful of crossing noises from a top hand note to a bottom hand note. There were a few instances where you had very slight crossing noises (more along the lines of fuzzy note transitions rather than full crossing noises). These only came up a few times, but they were noticeable because the rest of the tune was so clean. I would also say to try your best to keep grace noted cut notes really stable and solid. In a few spots like the cut F in the ending phrase leading to the high A, the grace note and the quick F weren't quite as firmly anchored as the rest of the technique. It's very easy to lose track of these and things start to get fluttery. The final recommendation I can make for you is to let your grips rumble a little bit more. This is one part smoothing out the rhythm and one part letting your D grace note breathe a little bit more, and you are well on your way to having excellent grips. Very well played presented with a lot of maturity, poise, and confidence. Well done! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: The Siege of Delhi      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Patrick! Thank you for competing, and I enjoyed listening to your tune. Well played! Pipes are sounding good, although your high A is right on the octave, which is a little sharp end for my taste. I tend to go for a slightly flatter high A (which is entirely an opinion thing), but it also leaves me a little strategic room in case I get nervous or sharpen up over the course of a tune. You've got very good technique, a good sound, and a solid sense of musical delivery. There are a few things I would look at in order to take your performance to the next level: The first and the fourth part have a lot of parallels, and I noticed the same thing in each of them. In the first part the melody bounces off of quick low As, and in the fourth part the melody bounces off of quick Ds. In both places, I felt that you could work to make the longer notes (at the end of the bounces) a little clearer and cleaner. So in part 1, the E with a doubling in bar 2 beat 2 could be a little more clean and clear. Similarly, in part 4, the high A in bar 2 beat 2 could have a tiny bit more emphasis and be cleaner. Very minor thing, but it will refine the sound just that little bit more. Another thing I would consider is to very lightly soften how cut your cut notes are when they land on a downbeat. For example, in bar 4 of each part, the melody cuts from the downbeat F to a long high A. If you soften that cut the smallest bit, it adds to a sense of stability within the beat and tempo of the tune. Very good performance here, Patrick, and one you should be proud of. Well done, and hope to see you competing more in the future! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Joshua Gregory 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Captain Norman Orr-Ewing      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Joshua! Thank you for competing, and you're sounding good! Technique and pipes are very clear, which is a major plus. Drones aren't quite locked together, I think it's a discrepancy mainly between the tenors, but it's minor. Be careful not to overly cut the F before high G doublings in the second part. At times, it was cut so much that it almost became part of the movement itself. Very strong melodic presentation here, and the tempo was extremely consistent throughout. Like I noted above, technique and instrument were both strong and well put forward. I think you've got mastery of the tune enough to maybe bring the tempo up slightly, but there was plenty of music in this performance. Well done! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Leo Burns 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Captain Norman Orr Ewing      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Leo! Thank you for competing in the event. You're looking sharp, and your pipes sound very nice here. Overall, this is a very enjoyable performance. I did feel that you didn't seem to be entirely sold on what tempo to play this tune at. There are a few contributing factors to this that I get the sense you can feel, and some work on these will help that unsettlement. There were a few points where I felt you were rushing off of the upbeats, predominantly the pick notes that link each measure to one another. Using the intro two notes as an example, a little more time on the F gives the audience a sense of lift and lilt. With a tiny hair of emphasis, these pick up notes will sound and feel a lot more settled, leading to a more settled overall package. A few spots where the melody is a decorated scale, thinking of measure 2 leading into measure 3 of the second part as one example, the quick notes aren't always coming through clearly. Letting the quick F breathe a little bit more links the first and second phrases together more clearly The second time through the second part you had a rhythm slip, but you recovered very nicely with the tune. A minor thing, but I do want to mention it here. Your technique is very good, and it's clear that you've put a lot of concerted and fruitful effort into it. I would suggest letting a little more low G come throw on your D throws, mainly when coming from a top hand note. This will help balance your top hand D throws to your bottom hand ones, which are very good. This performance was at its best in the fourth part, and I did want to make a special mention of it. I got to sit back and listen to a great tune here, and I want to thank you for that. Well done, and I look forward to seeing you competing in the future! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Kane Gordon 🇳🇿      Place: 5      Tunes: Siege of Delhi      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Kane! Thank you for competing in the event, and thank you for a well-presented tune. Your tempo and musicality were both confident and strong, and they served you well here. Pipes were sounding good, and my critiques are all predominantly technical things. Birls: I think you could maybe work to have a little more low G come through on your birls. It's easy to overdo, but for my preference, you're on the light end of things Grace noted strikes: Some people call these slaps, but I am thinking of the embellishment in part 2 bar 2 beat 2 (on D) — you want to be sure that you are placing the G grace note on the beat rather than the strike. You did these correctly the majority of the time, but the few times where it crept forward in the beat stuck out a little bit. Crossing noises: You had some crossing noises creep up (mainly in the fourth part), so be sure to practice the cleanliness of note transitions (especially thinking about D-F-High A-F-D) The final thing I would say is to try and lift grace notes a bit higher off of the chanter. You've got great hands, fast and snappy, but there were a few points where I saw your muscles moving but no G grace note made it out of the chanter for some of your doublings. You played a very good march here, and once these technical things get ironed out, you'll be in excellent shape. Well played, and I enjoyed listening! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Jadon Han 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: King George V's Army      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Jadon! Pipes are going well here, though I might say that your high A is a little flat for my taste (maybe the reed is new/hard?). There were a few chokes which also suggest to me that the reed may be a bit hard for you at the moment. There were a few spots where gracenotes were not quite making it out of the chanter (1st part, bar 4, cut F to high A as an example), so I might work on opening up your grace notes. Not so much in making them slower, but getting your fingers up off of the chanter a little more. Minor thing, but it will pay off hugely. A few slips (added notes) in the third part. These are in the middle of arpeggios, but you recovered nicely and stayed on the tune. Overall, you presented a musical and rhythmically enjoyable tune here. A few maintenance issues and a few technical slips were the main things to be critical of. Once those are addressed, you will be in very good shape. Thank you for playing, and I look forward to hearing more from you in the future! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Ann Snow 🇨🇦           Tunes: Muir of Ord      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ann! Thank you for competing in this contest, and I enjoyed your performance. Muir of Ord is a great tune, and it's always good to hear players insking their teeth into it! I noticed your note in the video description about your high G, so I'll mention it here. It's only a little bit sharp, so a spot of tape and you're good as gold there. Pipes are sounding pretty good, although your drones aren't quite locked together into one pitch. Overall, it seems that your drone pitch and chanter pitch are together, so it's just a drone matching drone issue. I think one of your tenor drone reeds may be on the verge of being too open for your pipe set up, because I can faintly hear some pitch movement like it's about to double-tone while you're playing. Something to look at for sure, and it may help make your pipes just that little bit more efficient. The primary technical thing I noticed with this performance is very straightforward to fix once you know what to look for. In portions of the melody where you are playing decorated chunks of the scale, you've got a tendency right now to overly cut the short notes. So, the first example in the tune is in measure 2 (low G to low A to B). That quick low A is getting overly cut, and at times isn't sounding clearly out of the chanter. The ending phrases are another example: high G, F, E, D. The quick F is getting cut harshly at times, and it seems to pull you forward in the beat to a degree. Soften those cut notes up, and the whole tune will have a lot of added lift and life. There were a few crossing noises here and there, but they were one-offs and minor. This was a strongly musical performance, and you have all the underlying elements to take this tune to the next level. Soften up those scale run cuts and you will be in very good shape! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Derek Sullivan 🇺🇸           Tunes: The High Road to Gairloch, Teribus      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Derek! Thank you for competing in this contest, and you put together a well-thought out set for it! Pipes sound good, and musically, you put forward a very appealing package. You have a strong melodic sense, and you delivered it well here. I would watch out for the times where you might be over-cutting a note. Cutting a note is a powerful tool in the service of holding things and emphasising other things, but you have to take caution that the cut notes don't disappear from the tune. There were a few spots where I felt the cut note had been cut too much. Technique-wise, you have a solid start here. There were some crossing noises that I noticed, so be watchful for those. When they came up, they tended to be moving from the bottom hand to the top hand (not the other way around), so Teribus is a good tune to use as you work on those. The other technical thing I want to mention is doubling consistency. It's clear to me that you have a lot of really great doublings going on, and you have a good understanding of what delineates a good doubling from a rougher one, but the key to aim for now is consistency. Some of your doublings were starting after you had already transitioned between notes, and others were more/less open. The goal for your doublings is for each of them to sound identical rhythmically, so the only differences are the tones of the doubling themselves. In other words, a C doubling needs to sound just like a D doubling, just on C. You've got a lot of great things going on here, and you clearly have a very musical head on your shoulders here. I enjoyed this performance, and I look forward to seeing you progress in the future! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Lynn Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: The 51st Highland Division at Wadi Apart      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Lynn! Thank you for competing in this contest, and thank you for an enjoyable musical performance! Your chanter sounds pretty good, but I think there are some tuning issues happening between the drones and the chanter. It sounds to me like the drones are tuned to each other reasonably well, but they are tuned to a different pitch than your chanter's low A. There were also a few chokes where the chanter reed cut out, so I am inclined to think you were relaxing off of the chanter to flatten the pitch to match the drones. You might try backing your chanter reed out of the chanter an 1/8th or 1/4 turn to flatten it a little and seeing how that changes the blending of the sounds of your pipes. Musically, you've got a good sense of the tune, and that confidence comes through. This melody is strong, and you've presented it well here. From a technique perspective, there are two things I want to mention. It's good to be prepared with your bottom hand to avoid a crossing noise, so that your hand has a tiny window of time where you are false-fingering so that you get clean note transitions, but there were a few points where I thought you might be over preparing your hands to play C. The tricky part with over preparing your bottom hand to play a different note is when you are on E, and you start doing things with your bottom hand, it can flatten the pitch of the E pretty noticeably. In this tune, the ending phrase is a spot where that is likely to come up, so be sure to watch out. Es are particular, so you do have to make compromises to avoid altering the pitch overly much. The other technical thing is your bottom hand doublings are quite as strong as your top hand ones. Your top hand doublings are, by and large, very clear, precise, and well-defined. The bottom hand doublings are quite there yet, so you'll want to spend a little time strengthening that technique. Good show here, Lynn, and I enjoyed listening to you play. Hope to see you competing in the future, and glad you were able to enjoy a sunny day in a beautiful setting! Jack
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Robert Real 🇺🇸           Tunes: Corriechoillie's 43rd Welcome to the Northern Meeting      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Robert! Thank you for playing, and I enjoyed your tune. Unfortunately, the contest rules called for 4 total parts of 2/4 march (either one tune or two 2 part tunes played sequentially). Your performance only had two parts, though you have a great start with this classic tune. With that said, below is my feedback for your performance of Corriechoillie's. Hope to see you compete in future contests, and thank you for your entry! Jack Right now, I think you have a lot of room to let the low G in your D throws come through more. There were a few throws with very little low G, and consistency is key. A little more low G will also help anchor the embellishment in the rhythm of the tune. I would also advise you to be sure to work on making your grace note work more internally consistent, so that your G grace notes all sound the same as each other and as D and E grace notes (and vice versa). There were a few points where you lost definition in your doublings because G grace notes were losing some of their crispness. Your pipes sound nice, and your playing is melodically very sound and confident. Well played!
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Event 07. Grade 5 Piping – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts OR 2 different 2 parted tunes)
Competitor: Stephen Cady 🇺🇸           Tunes: Captain Norman Orr Ewing      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Stephen! Thank you for competing, and thank you for your entry! Pipes are sounding good here Stephen, with a good blend of tenor, bass, and chanter presence. For me, your top hand was on the sharper side, so you might consider backing your reed out of the chanter a 1/4 turn. That will also flatten off your F, which was the sharpest of the three (F, high G, high A). Otherwise, very good sound coming from your pipes. Musically, this is a strong performance. You have a clear idea of the melody of the tune, and you're communicating it clearly and precisely. From a technical perspective, there are two things to draw to your attention. Your D throws are inconsistent from each other, and the tendency is to be overly light on the Low G. At times, I could tell you were opening up your technique, and you had quite a few really good D throws in those moments. But, many of your D throws had far too little low G in them. The initial low G in a D throw, light or heavy style, is very important to the rhythmic effect of the embellishment. Add some weight here, and you'll have a much easier time timing the throw within the rhythmic structure of the tune. The other technical thing to note is over-cutting quick notes when you're in the middle of scale runs. This tune has a lot of three note snippets of the scale that are decorated, and the cut note is important to achieve that scale motion. Over cutting those quick notes can disrupt the flow, so be on the lookout for those runs. Since scales are the first thing we learn, they are easy. And easy things are, ironically, easy to rush. Well-played, and I enjoyed listening to it. Pipes and music galore here, Stephen. Well done! Jack
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: A Hundred Pipers      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Patrick. This is an excellent performance for grade 5! In fact, you’re easily playing at a grade 4 standard. The version of Hundred Pipers you’re playing has limited embellishments, but overall, your execution is very clean and crisp. Taorluaths are very good! Very good control of dot/cut phrasing. Tempo is appropriate for grade level. Timing quite good, but perhaps a bit early to some phrases at times (for example; D strikes). Pipes well tuned and steady. A few small squeaks which can be a sign of a reed that’s too easy and/or inaccurate finger placement. Overall, this was a really good performance. Well done!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Gregory 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Atholl Highlanders      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Joshua, Really good performance! I’d say you’re playing at a grade 4 level. Your execution is generally very clean and crisp. Doublings are coming out clearly and consistently. In the second part, make sure that you’re fully closing the D grace notes on the C 1/16th notes during the A/C/E sequences. If not fully closed, you end up actually playing a D rather than a C. Good tempo. Good control of phrases with a nice dot/cut feel. This is critical to good 6/8 playing and you did a nice job. Some slight rushing of phrases in last time through second part, but overall, nicely controlled. Pipes were steady and well tuned. Chanter a bit chirpy at times which could be a sign of an overly easy reed. Very nice performance overall. Well done!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Alan Sutherland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 3      Tunes: The Glendaruel Highlanders      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Alan, Nicely played tune! Some good execution, but a bit more clarity needed in some embellishments. Try to keep movements a bit more open until you develop more consistency. You have a tendency to bend your E finger after playing a tap. I’d suggest avoiding this as it will interfere with your technique as you get closer to full tempo. Not a habit you want to develop! Tempo is a bit inconsistent as you tend to slow down during more technical points of the tune. Try to start with a tempo that allows you to play the most difficult parts cleanly. Pipes are steady, but out of tune. Tuning is not necessarily a priority in the lower grades, but it’s still important to learn how to tune your pipes, and if possible, get help getting them in tune for contests. Otherwise, it really distracts from your overall performance. Keep working!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Charles Taylor 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Piobaireachd of Donald Dubh      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Charles, Nice playing! You have good control of your dot/cut phrasing which is crucial to good 6/8 playing. Nicely controlled tempo and timing throughout. Some execution issues to address. Your bottom hand strikes need work. Make sure to fully close the bottom hand when striking the chanter. You should hear a distinct low G sound on all strikes. Doublings need a bit more clarity. Try to separate the individual grace notes within each doubling. Yours tend to be a bit crushed. Pipes nicely tuned and steady throughout. Good performance overall!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Stephen Cady 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Gary Owen      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Stephen, Nice job! You’re playing with good, controlled phrasing and tempo which creates a nice “swingy” 6/8. There are some execution issues to address that could further enhance your playing. Grips and taorluaths need work. Both should include a distinct low G sound which yours are missing. I’d suggest slowing these movements down until you are able to ensure you’re creating a good low G sound within the movement. Doublings need more clarity. You’re merging the 2 grace notes within the doubling movements together. Make sure to fully complete the first gracenote before beginning the second. Very nice bagpipe sound! Very steady and well tuned throughout. Nicely done!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Ann Snow 🇨🇦      Place: 6      Tunes: 10th Battalion Light Infantry Crossing the Rhine      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ann, Nicely done! You have a nice dot/cut approach to your phrasing which is important to good 6/8 playing. Good, controlled tempo also. Some execution issues need improvement. Most of your movements are much too tight. Grips and doublings need to be much more open and relaxed. Also; be aware of the crossing noises when transitioning between top and bottom hand notes. While tuning is not a priority in grade 5, it can definitely enhance or detract from your performance. A poorly played tune on a well tuned instrument is much more pleasing than a well played tune on a poorly tuned instrument! Start by focusing on tuning each drone to one another, and then learn to tune to the low A on your chanter. Takes time, but well worth the effort!
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Event 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Robert Real 🇺🇸           Tunes: Atholl Highlanders      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Robert, I like that you maintained a nice, slow tempo for this tune. Most beginners attempt to start too fast. Regardless of tempo, it’s important that your tempo remains steady throughout the tune. You tended to slow down and speed up at times throughout. Practice with a metronome to determine where you’re slowing down. Your embellishments are mostly good. Keep them open and relaxed until you can play them consistently throughout the tune. You’re struggling to keep the dot/cut phrases clean. Focus on the three note sequences. The first dotted ⅛ note has to be held, but you still have to hear the second 1/16 note clearly. Nice bagpipe sound! Well tuned and steady throughout. Keep working!
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Sean Stewart 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Donald McKillop      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Sean, thanks for your entry today. Wow, a bright tempo with mostly clean fingering. A couple of wee surges, couple of catches too, pipe quite well tuned, a flattish high A distracts. A good performance, would like to hear those other 2 parts . . .
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Lt McGuire's Jig      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Patrick, thanks for the good entry. Drones close but not 100% locked. Solid tempo with mostly clean fingering. 1st part, a few crossing noises 2nd part. 3rd part nice. Again the occasional crossing noise last part, however you established and maintained a bright tempo, with no errors, chokes or hesitations on a presentable pipe, a solid effort in this grade. Well done.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Ong Tsz Cong 🇸🇬      Place: 3      Tunes: The High Drive (Jig)      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Tsz Cong, nice pipes, and a pretty jig for grade 5, mostly well handled. The shakes are very good. Nice tempo and rhythm, birls a wee bit sticky but mostly cleanly fingered. Enjoyed your tune, thanks.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Gregory 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Marjorie Lowe      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Joshua, thanks for the entry. Nicely tuned pipes, wee chirps distract, nice tempo, wee fumble end of second part. Mostly clean fingering, wee missed strikes in second part. An enjoyable tune,well done.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Zheng Tong Cheng 🇸🇬      Place: 5      Tunes: Paddy's Leather Breeches      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Tong Cheng, thanks for entering the online contest. Another classic jig. Good tempo, well tuned pipes A couple of wee crossing noises and choke first part, watch that GDE movement C to low A, it's a consistent trap for you in this tune, well maintained jig rhythm throughout. Well done.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Danielle Leow 🇸🇬      Place: 6      Tunes: Oft In The Stilly Night      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Danielle. Well done on entering, pipes nicely tuned, bright tempo. You have quite fingers, make sure you eliminate those crossing noises, which were present from start to finish. A musical interpretation however, you have loads of potential, keep up the good work, tiny error to finish. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Megan Carlson 🇺🇸           Tunes: Cork Hill      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Megan, thanks for taking part today. Pleasant pipe. A classic jig to present. 1st part wee bit down in tempo but consistent rhythm and good technique. 2nd part a few chokes. I think there is a lot of potential here, make sure you blow your pipes at a pressure where you don't choke when you're moving to the top hand — this would improve the overall performance, well done.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Robert Real 🇺🇸           Tunes: Cork Hill      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Robert, thanks for the entry. Pipes pretty well tuned at start. Bass not quite locked. Conservative tempo. MIssing gracenotes 1st part — G grace notes really important to mark out the pulse of the jig. Crossing notes and errors distract 2nd part. Third part losing the flow of the tune here, and 4th part the gracing is incorrect, with wee errors and chokes. Good effort — really pay attention to those gracenotes especially the GDEs. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Stephen Cady 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Irish Washerwoman      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Stephen, thanks for taking the time to compete. Nicely tuned pipes. Good tempo at outset, watch those crossing noises — a bit distracting. Wee pause 2nd part. Pretty good performance, would be enhanced by cleaner fingering, especially in the first part, well done.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: The Glen is Mine      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes well tuned, just a slight hint of a wave. Ground well set out and nicely phrased. Line 2, small catch C to E, and also B to F. Edrees played very well. Well done Patrick, keep up the good work!
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Kane Gordon 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Black Donald’s March      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes well set up and tuned nicely. HG Grace note following the C grips a little too abrupt in places, need slightly more room. I understand you need to get to it, however, it’s a bit too rushed. F vedree a little untidy. Good phrasing throughout. Small catch up to F in line 2. Wee note change in line 3 last phrase. You are on the right track here Kane. Keep working on your technique and to get this neater. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Joshua Gregory 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes close but not quite locked in. Some minor intonation issues on B, D, F (very sharp). Ground set out well. Some little inconsistencies with the grip movement. Tune flowed quite well. Keep up the good work.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Leo Burns 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Lament for the Old Sword      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes beautifully tuned. Line 1. Low A before grip bit long. Getting bogged down mid bar. Try to play through the phrase. Watch little catches in cadence to C. Lovely Piob HG. Tiny wee catch up to the HA line 2. Again tune here could flow a little more. Need a little more accuracy in cadences to B and C. Try singing through the phrase as you play to get better flow of the tune. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Charles Taylor 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: The Desperate Battle      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes tuned relatively well, some movement as you went along. Ground set out well. Maybe a little early to the B and Cs before the grips at the end of the phrases. Some blowing discrepancies especially up to HA. Keep up the good work.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Alan Sutherland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 6      Tunes: The Company's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bagpipe not quite locked in from the start. Low A to C a bit abrupt, try to swell up. Echo on E a bit rushed. Intonation on B sticking out (sharp). line 2 you’re rushing up to the F (Bar 2), just let it breathe. F echo last bar also squashed. Lots of easy fixes here Alan. Work on your timing and try singing it as you play. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Ann Snow 🇨🇦           Tunes: Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes not tuned, unfortunately, drones distracting as fighting with the melody. Musically playing quite well. The key to a good performance is to get all three elements good – Bagpipe, Music, and Technique. Keep working hard on learning to tune your instrument and you will sell the overall performance much better.
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Event 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
Competitor: Robert Real 🇺🇸           Tunes: Company's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bagpipe pretty good. Some technical deficiencies throughout the ground. The echoes on E and F could be neater as coming across a little laboured. The space between HG grace note and the E strike could be smaller. Some crossing noises throughout, especially up to HA. Otherwise not too bad. Keep singing the tune through to help with the timing and subtleties. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Anthony Song 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: John McColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Anthony, this was an excellent performance! Your technique is clean and crisp. Some birls not 100% clean, but otherwise excellent execution. I like that you’re grips and taorluaths were played very open and cleanly. This is important when you’re first learning so that these movements are accurate and consistent. At some point you’ll need to tighten these up just a bit so that they better fit into the context of the music. Tempo was steady throughout. Very good control of the dot/cut phrasing. Timing was good, other than the previously mentioned issue with grips and taorluaths. Beautiful bagpipe sound! Solid drones with a bright and resonant chanter sound. You’re a very promising player. Keep it up!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: John McColl's March to Kilbowie Cottage      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Cameron, This was an excellent performance! Your execution is very good. Really good clarity with your embellishments. Some birls and B strike not 100% clean, but overall very good. A steady and controlled tempo throughout. A very nice dot/cut feel. Some overcutting at times. Excellent bagpipe! Well tuned and blown steadily throughout. Great potential. Keep it up!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Adi Moss-Sheth 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: King George V's Army      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Adi, great job! Some really good playing. Your execution is very good with clean and crisp technique. Some minor crossing noises in 3rd and 4th parts, but otherwise excellent. Really good tempo control. Timing also good with good control of your dot/cut phrasing. Pipes were steady, but drones not quite in tune. Nice chanter sound. Overall, this was a really good performance. You can develop into a really good player. Keep it up!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Aubre Scott 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Willie McCallum Senior's March      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Aubre, some very good playing! Your execution is clean, crisp, and accurate. Good tempo control throughout the tune. Very accurate timing with a really good dot/cut approach. You’re capable of a bit more tempo with this tune which would make it much more musical. Pipes were steady throughout. Drones well tuned, but chanter top hand notes very sharp. Overall, this was a very good performance. Well done!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rylan Cliff 🇳🇿      Place: 5      Tunes: The Glenfinnan Highland Gathering      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Rylan, Very nice performance! You have nice crispness to your fingering. Embellishments are generally clean. Careful not to be too aggressive with the cut notes. Good tempo control. Nicely expressed tune with good dot/cut approach (other than some overcutting at times). Some rushing in the 3rd part caused by leaving phrases early. Nicely tuned bagpipe. Good drones with nice, bright chanter. Well done!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lisa Martin 🇳🇿      Place: 6      Tunes: Men of Argyll      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Lisa, very good performance! Your execution is very clean and crisp. A few missed embellishments towards end of tune. Some crossing noises throughout. Tempo was slow, but steady start to finish. Nicely expressed with a good dot/cut feel. A bit more tempo would be more musical; however, only if you can keep the execution clean. Good chanter sound, but drones were out of tune from start. Not critical in grade 4, but it can distract from the overall performance. Nice job!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Allan Kerr 🇨🇦           Tunes: King George V's Army      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Allan, Good playing! You have good snap in your fingering technique. Execution is generally quite good. A few minor slips, but overall quite good. Timing and expression need some work. Your phrasing is too round. I’d suggest slowing your tempo and then focus on extending the dotted notes more for a more dot/cut feel. This will create a much more musical 2/4. Bagpipes were mostly steady. Maybe a couple moments of underblowing. Drones not in tune. While this isn’t critical in grade 4, it still can distract from your performance. It takes some time to learn, but it’s well worth it! Thanks for submitting your tune. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Amanda Brennan 🇮🇪           Tunes: Donald Mac Clean Farewell to Oban      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Amanda, nice job! Your execution is quite good overall, but there are some areas for improvement. Tacums are not clean. The D grace note within your tacum movement needs to be a bit snapier. Grips are inconsistent. Try opening both of these movements up a bit more until you can play cleanly and consistently. Some inaccurate grace note placement. Make sure grace notes happen directly on the note. Very good tempo control. Timing and phrasing good, but could use a bit more dot/cut approach. Pipes mostly steady; perhaps some slight overblowing at times. Well tuned drones and nice chanter sound. Overall, a very nicely played tune.
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brad Wilson 🇺🇸           Tunes: Prince Charles Welcome to Lochaber      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Brad, Thanks for the submission! Execution is a bit sloppy throughout. Try for more clarity within doublings by opening them up a bit. A slower tempo would help you to clean up the execution. Timing is too round for 2/4 march. Need to sit on the dotted notes more to create more dot/cut swing. Pipes were steady, but not in tune. Chanter set too flat to drones. Drones not tuned to each other. While not a critical element in grade 4, poor tuning really detracts from your overall performance. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carol Peabody 🇨🇦           Tunes: The Siege of Delhi      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Carol, Nice job! I’d suggest slowing your tempo a bit. This would allow you to clean up some of your execution. Most of your embellishments are nice and open, but they don’t fit within the context of your tempo and/or timing. If you slow things down, you’ll be able to properly point the dotted notes and not over-cut the cut notes. Right now, your expression is too round because you’re having to leave notes early to get your embellishments in cleanly. Pipes were steady throughout tune. Nice, big chanter sound, but drones not quite in tune. Overall, some good playing. Just need a bit less tempo and a bit more pointing!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Charlie Gregg 🇳🇿           Tunes: John mcColls march to kilbowie cottage      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Charlie, Nice job! Your execution is quite good. Embellishments are mostly clean and crisp. A few missed doublings here and there. Taorluaths technically accurate, but not fitting within context of the timing. That will come as your fingering develops. Good tempo for you, but some rushed phrasing at times. Practice with your metronome and make sure you’re not starting phrases ahead of the beat. Overcutting the Es in 3rd part. Keep things a bit more open and relaxed here. Very nice bagpipe sound. Well tuned chanter/drones. Some slight underblowing at times. Overall, this was a really nice performance. Well done!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Freddy Tan 🇸🇬           Tunes: Donald Maclean's Farewell to Oban      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Freddy, Nice performance! You have some good technique, mostly clean and crisp fingering. Phrasing is a bit too round. For 2/4 marches, you need to emphasize the dotted notes at the beginning of each phrase. This will produce more “swing” to your 2/4 playing. You might find this easier to do with a slightly slower tempo. This allows you to spend more time on the dotted notes while still getting the cut notes in. Your technique is good enough that you shouldn’t have any problem doing this. It will make for a much more musical 2/4 march. Pipes were steady, but drones were not in tune. Chanter a bit sharp on top hand. Some good stuff. Keep at it!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guido Riedemann 🇩🇪           Tunes: Lady Lever Park      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Guido, Well done! I’d encourage you to slow down the tempo a bit for this tune. You’re struggling with execution and timing, both of which could be improved with a slower tempo. This will help you to clean up your embellishments and give you more time to get the cut notes in cleanly. To help with your phrasing, try to make sure you’re holding the first and last note of each phrase. You have a tendency to leave the last note of phrases early, which means you're early to the first note of the next phrase. Playing with a metronome can help with this. Your bagpipes were steady throughout; however, drones were not in tune. Good chanter sound. Overall, some things to improve on. Keep at it!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Htut Myat Min 🇸🇬           Tunes: The Knightswood Ceilidh      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Htut, Nice performance! You have good snap to your fingering; however, several movements are a bit sloppy. It’s important that the first grace note of your doublings falls exactly on the main note. Yours is sometimes slightly late. This can be especially difficult when the preceding note is a cut note. Birls and grips are inconsistent. Good tempo at start, but really slowing in 3rd part. Timing is quite good. Bagpipe unsteady throughout. Make sure you’re comfortable with your instrument. It shouldn’t be hard to play! Drones not quite in tune. Tuning is not paramount in grade 4; however, a poorly tuned bagpipe will detract from your performance and is harder to play. Thanks for submitting your tune! Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ishan Prasad 🇺🇸           Tunes: 79th Farewell to Gibraltar      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ishan, pretty good playing overall. Some execution issues to work on; crossing noises when transitioning between top and bottom hand notes, a bit more clarity needed in doublings, taorluaths sloppy at times. Each of these can be improved by slowing down and focusing on opening up your movements. Watch that your tempo doesn’t change throughout the tune. You tend to slow down during the more difficult sections (e.g., 3rd part). Good bagpipe sound, drones slightly out. Some unsteady blowing at times. Overall, good potential. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ivan Agarkov 🇧🇾           Tunes: Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ivan, looks like a nice place to play bagpipes! Nice job with D. MacLean. Generally, your execution is lacking crispness and clarity. Try to open up your doublings a bit more so there is a clear separation between each gracenote within the doubling. Make sure that the gracenotes are placed squarely on the note. Yours can be slightly late, especially D gracenotes. Your tempo is good; however, the expression is too round. Try to emphasize the dotted notes more for a more dot/cut feel. This is critical to good 2/4 march playing. You may need to slow down the tempo more to achieve this, but over time it will benefit your playing. Bagpipes were steady, but drones not quite in tune. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: James Gendron 🇨🇦           Tunes: Taking of Beaumont Hamel      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi James, Nice outfit! Your execution is a bit inconsistent. Some movements are clean and crisp, others not so much. Birls and taorluaths are very good, but doublings need work. Some embellishment exercises would be beneficial! Also, lots of crossing noises. Most crossing noises occur when transitioning between top and bottom hand notes. There are some good exercises for these, but ultimately you have to diagnose when they’re happening and then spend some time isolating and fixing the problem. A slower tempo might also help with all these execution issues. Put the work in and you’ll see an improvement over time. Good luck!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura Stott 🇨🇦           Tunes: Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Laura, Nice job with a challenging tune! Your execution is generally accurate but lacking a bit of crispness. Make sure your taorluaths include 2 low G sounds. If you lift your low G finger too soon, you’ll miss the second low G. Tempo was slow, but steady. Expression a bit round. In order to properly express the tune, you’ll need a bit more tempo and pointing; however, until you can develop a bit more crispness to your movements, this will be difficult to do. Experiment with tightening up your movements while maintaining a slow tempo. Once you can do that, then try a bit more tempo. Once you can do both, you’ll be able to play with a bit more dot/cut feel making the tune much more musical. Good luck!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Matthew Owen-Hunt 🇨🇦           Tunes: The Inverness Gathering      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Matthew, well done! You have some nice snap to your fingers, but a bit more control and accuracy in your execution is needed. Tacum movements especially need some work. Make sure the D grace note is placed accurately and quickly during the tacum. Try to work on eliminating the crossing noises when switching between bottom and top hand notes. You appeared to be struggling a bit with the pipes as your blowing was quite unsteady and you had a few chokes later in the tune. This could be a bagpipe maintenance issue so double check that your bag is airtight, joints are tight, and drones reeds not taking too much air. Some good potential; just need to clean up the execution and get more comfortable with your bagpipe. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: McLin Choate III 🇺🇸           Tunes: Siege of Delhi      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi McLin, thanks for submitting your tune!! Your execution is a bit inconsistent. At times, your movements are clean and crisp, and at times they become inaccurate and sloppy. Focus on keeping all movements open and distinct. Things get sloppy when movements become crushed. Good tempo, but timing is pushed. By that, I mean you’re playing slightly ahead of the downbeat. Practice with a metronome and focus on placing the first note of each phrase directly on the downbeat. Nice bagpipe sound. Good drones and nicely balanced chanter. Overall, you need to focus first on developing a bit more consistency in your execution, and then you’ll be able to better address the timing issues. Good luck!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael O. Brandt 🇺🇸           Tunes: Mrs. MaClean      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Michael, nicely played march! Execution is lacking clarity and crispness particularly on the bottom hand. D grace notes, especially in the B tacums, need to be tighter. Taorluaths not always clean. Nice, controlled tempo throughout tune. Very nicely expressed with a good dot/cut feel. Very nice bagpipe sound. Drones well tuned and chanter balanced. Very good chanter/drone blend. Really, you just need to clean up some of the bottom hand execution and this would be an excellent performance. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Monty Messenger 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Dundee Military Tattoo      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Monty, Nicely done! Your execution is pretty good. Fingering is quite crisp. Need to work on cleaning up the crossing notes when switching from bottom to top hand notes. Good taorluaths. Some doublings not clean, especially when coming from short notes. Phrasing is very round. You might try slowing your tempo down. This would help you to clean up your execution while also playing with a more dot/cut feel. Nice sounding pipes! Well tuned and steady throughout. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Peter Allen 🇹🇭           Tunes: Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Peter, a challenging tune for grade 4! Your execution is generally too tight and crushed. I’d suggest slowing your tempo a bit. This would allow you to play much more open and cleanly. You’re really struggling when you get to the more technically demanding 3rd and 4th parts. When determining an appropriate tempo, start with the most technically challenging part of the tune. Whatever tempo allows you to play those sections cleanly should be the tempo you start the tune with. Pipes are quite steady. Drones well tuned, but chanter pitched a bit too high. Overall, a slower, more relaxed approach would be beneficial. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott McKinley 🇺🇸           Tunes: William Grey's Farewell      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Scott, Very nice bagpipe sound! Good projection from chanter and well balanced. Drones well set and steady throughout. Chanter very slightly flat to drones. I think you’d benefit from a bit slower tempo with this tune. This would allow you to play with a bit more dot/cut approach and clean up some sloppy execution. Right now your expression is a bit round. Some embellishments sloppy, especially in 3rd and 4th parts. Again, a slower tempo could address both these issues. Keep at it!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott Phillips 🇺🇸           Tunes: Siege of Delhi      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Scott, very nice playing! Good, controlled phrasing with a nice dot/cut feel. Nice crispness to your fingering technique, but it’s a bit inconsistent. You might try to keep movements a bit more open to increase consistency. Watch the crossing noises in 4th part! Good, steady tempo from start to finish. Steady bagpipe with well set drones. Chanter not quite balanced (sharp D, and F, flat high A). Overall, pretty good playing. Just a bit more consistency needed. Well done!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tim Riddle 🇺🇸           Tunes: Father John MacMillan of Barra      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Tim, nice job! Nice sounding bagpipe! Well balanced and bright chanter. Bass drone slightly out of tune. Good snap to your fingers, but some movements are sloppy and/or inaccurate. Some doublings lacking clarity. E doublings from F need work especially. Tendency to run past some of the short, cut notes. Take your time and try to give the cut notes a bit more time. A couple chokes later in the tune, but pipes were otherwise steady. Good tempo control, but playing is a bit round. A slightly more dot/cut approach would be more musical. Keep working!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vickie Gray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Lady Lever Park      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Vickie, well done! Execution is careful and precise. Great approach for this level. A couple minor slips, but overall executed very well. Cautious tempo, but again appropriate for level. At some point, you’ll need to slowly ramp up the tempo in order to play the idiom properly. Very could control of phrasing with a nice dot/cut approach. Pipes were steady and drones well tuned. Chanter a bit on the thin side, which contributes to some of the “chirpiness.” Overall, a very cleanly played tune!
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Event 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Yong Chang 🇸🇬           Tunes: Ms John McColl      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Yong, thanks for your submission! Some good things going on, but also lots you can work on. Your basic execution is quite good. Nice snap to fingers and movements are technically correct. Careful not to run over the cut notes! You should go back and review the music as you are playing several wrong notes. Your biggest area of improvement would be timing and expression. You’re not really playing in 2/4 time and you’re also not keeping a steady tempo. The best way to work on this is by practicing with a metronome. Keep the tempo slow and set the metronome to double time so you can properly place the down and up beats. Finally, try to work on getting your drones better tuned. While not a critical element in grade 4, it really does distract from your performance if drones are way out. Try to get help from an instructor or look online for some tuning ideas. Keep working!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Anthony Song 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Maggie Cameron and The Brown Haired Maid      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe. Well blown too. Good strathspey flow, but don't neglect your phrasing. Keep in mind the importance of the first and third beats, and two bar phrase structure. Excellent clarity of technique. Runs a little tight in last part of Maggie. Good break to reel. Well presented. Last bar of each part just a wee bit hurried. Excellent open work on bottom hand. Very well played.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Rylan Cliff 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Mac an Irish, The Brown Haired Maid      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent sound quality to your pipe, and it is well set and blown. Lively tempo, with good strathspey feel. A few little top hand misses but nothing major. Be careful not to overcut in the final bar of each line. Well phrased. Terrific break into the reel. Relaxed reel flow with lots of control. Technique tightening a bit here — keep it loose and open, and keep your top hand relaxed. When you get High A cut E to F you're often a bit too tight on the E — keep it open like your other cut notes. Very impressive!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Mac an Irish & Bessie McIntyre      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Very good sound quality, well tuned and well blown. Lively and bouncy, as a strathspey should be! A few top hand misses but nothing major. Don't push into the chanter on your birls — won't stick! Good flow and phrasing all through. Good break to Bessie. Good flow. Be careful on beats where you have B quarter note, then cut C to E — don't put the C ahead of the off beat. Cuts in part four ahead of the off beat/beat a little bit. Very well played!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Charlie Gregg 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Mac n Irish and the brown haired maid      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set, and well blown. Good flow to your strathspey, but there's still room to be patient on the dotted notes. A few top hand misses but nothing major. Don't forget the extra pulses on the first and third beats and the two bar phrase definition. Very well played. Good break into the reel. Technique starting to tighten up a little bit here. Bit of surging of pressure on high G in places. Relaxed flow and very strong bottom hand work. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Adi Moss-Sheth 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: The Lad that Wears the Plaid; The Advasar Blacksmith      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set and well blown. Steady drones. Very good strathspey feel established. A few catches going hand to hand. Technique clear for the most part otherwise though. Excellent third part. Consistent runs. A few little fluctuations in pressure but not big. Good break to reel. Moving along very well here! Well played reel — well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Scott McKinley 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Maggie Cameron, Lexy McAskill      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent sound quality to your pipe and well set. Lively tempo with good phrasing to start. Clear technique. Part three — open up the double C on beat two and wait until the next beat for your birl to start. Back into good timing for part 4. A very well played strathspey — just stay right on the beat in part three. Good break to reel. Relaxed but rolling along well with good reel "feel." A few G grace notes missing but not a big deal — except that you have the hands to get them in! A few odd sounds on Bs before strikes —maybe a bit too much pressure approaching the strikes? Not sure — may just be a reed issue. Nothing major. Well played!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Amanda Brennan 🇮🇪           Tunes: Captain Colin Campbell, Captain Lochlain McPheil of Tiree      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set. D a bit sharp. Drones steady. Be careful not to increase pressure on high A. Good strathspey feel and good phrasing. Be sure not to overcut in part three — but better than being round. Consistency of runs in part four could be improved, but most good. Good break to reel. Good flow to the reel. Jumping into E strikes early. When you get dot-cut-cut-dot, be patient on the first dot, and then keep the cuts relaxed. Birls from B . . . Not easy! Make sure you don't press into the chanter so they don't stick. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Callum Ross 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: John Roy Stewart, Alick C. McGregor      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Chanter fairly well set but a bit flat on top hand notes. Drones not quite locked. Good strathspey feel, but beware overcutting if you have a cut on a beat, and on your runs. Be sure not to start runs ahead of the beat. Take care not to increase your pressure on top hand notes. Technique tightish but fairly clear. Good break to reel, and moving along well. Good recovery in part two. Little hesitation going into part 4 . . . Make sure you don't start your final GDEs with an E grace note. Loads of promise here - you're showing a great understanding of how the tunes should be played — just be patient and a little more relaxed!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Carol Peabody 🇨🇦           Tunes: Lady MacKenzie of Fairburn & Molly on the Shore      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set — just beware overblowing on the top hand. Lively and bouncy tempo. Be careful not to start the run in part one a bit ahead of the beat, same with the C doubling in bar 2. Could use a bit more time on the low As starting bars in the second part, and on the B on the second last beat of each line to complete your phrase. A few minor catches but good technique for the most part. Good feel to the reel when you get dot-cut-dot-cut passages. When you have dot-cut-cut-dot passages be sure to hold the first dot but not overcut the two cuts. Low G, low A and B tachum to Low G - the low A disappears and the tachum could be more relaxed. I'd say that's the main thing in the reel to attend to. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Guido Riedemann 🇩🇪           Tunes: Madame Gayre of Gayre and Nigg, Sound of Sleat      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set and fairly well blown, though there are a few small surges in pressure here and there. Very good patience on the big notes, and you're getting the right separation of beats required for strathspey playing. Slow but steady. Technique quite good in a tricky tune. In the third part you're a bit short on the fourth beat of bars one and two - jumping into the next bar a bit early. Well played. Good break to reel. Putting the birls a bit ahead of the beat. Also starting bar 2 of part two ahead of the beat (hold the last high A a bit more in bar one). Part three fairly well controlled. A comment on style . . . You're playing part one with no dots or cuts — then in part two you add some cuts in bar two — and then fully dot/cut (or cut/dot) in part three to the end . . . I would suggest pointing the first two parts just as you do in the later parts to keep the same reel style all the way through. Well done — tough tunes!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Htut Myat Min 🇸🇬           Tunes: Captain Colin Campbell, The Blackberry Bush      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set, drones steady. Solid technique to start. Be careful not to increase pressure for high A. Good strathspey feel. Runs a bit tight, perhaps? Just a bit . . . A few minor technical misses but overall good. Strong taorluaths. Very quick reel relative to the strathspey. Could loosen this up a bit, not cutting the short notes quite so much. Well played, but sounded hurried. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Laura Stott 🇨🇦           Tunes: Catlodge and Lexy McCaskill      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe a bit unbalanced with the top hand sharp — I'd suggest a wrap of hemp so the reed sits a bit higher in the reed seat and will balance top and bottom hands better. Drones not quite together. Good strathspey feel with lots of control on the big notes, and no hints of round playing. Technique fairly clear with a few G gracenotes a bit big making some doublings a bit fluffy sounding, and don't press into your birls so they don't stick. Good break into reel. Flowing along well here. Some big gracenotes here too taking away a bit of the clarity of technique, especially on E doublings. Overall a well thought out set and well presented. Just a few ideas for improvement! I think you'll find a big improvement in doublings if you make sure your G grace note isn't too big.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Michael O. Brandt 🇺🇸           Tunes: Ewe with the Crooked Horn, Kalabakan      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Careful tempo but getting the right feel across, with well thought out phrasing. Should be an E grace note after cut D throws. A few little crossing noises to sort out. Technique fairly clear all through. A few tiny chokes. Part four rounding out a little bit. Good break to reel. Reel flow well established in part one, but speeding through the top hand work in part two. Pausing a bit on cut notes before tachums in part three. Good recovery in part four. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Tim Riddle 🇺🇸           Tunes: Caledonian Canal & Lexy Maskill      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent sound quality. Well blown. Good strathspey feel to start. Good job holding the start of each bar — could do a bit more with some of the third beats. A bit inconsistent with the BCD run. Minor issue part four but held on. Well played. Good break to reel. Careful and controlled. A couple of minor crossing noises and bit of a choke, but a well played reel. Well done.
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Vickie Gray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Caledonian Canal, Sound of Sleat      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set — tenors not quite locked but very close. Slow and careful, but still getting the proper strathspey across, showing lots of patience on the big notes. Good consistency on runs. Clear and open double C work in part two. Phrasing well thought out and presented. You've got enough control in this tune that I think you're ready to give it an increase in tempo. A few little errors but nothing major. Good break into reel, and a good understanding of the reel "feel." LIttle issue near the start but recovered quickly. Loads of control in part three — very well played. Overall your approach and delivery is very strong, just needs a bit more time to get rid of those little errors!
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Event 12. Grade 4 Piping – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts OR a two parted tune played twice)
Competitor: Yong Chang 🇸🇬           Tunes: Molly Connell & The Ale is Dear      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe set fairly well, but C is quite flat and drones seem to be moving. Perhaps too open? Good lively tempo. Could use a bit more thought in phrasing, especially stretching beats one and three of each bar. A few technical misses but overall quite good. Good break to the reel. Good flow to the reel, but some fluctuations in tempo, especially hurrying through GDEs. Well done.
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rylan Cliff 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Dornoch Highland Gathering      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ryan, thanks for the video! Pipes: Very well tuned and controlled at the start. E and F sharp at the start, though not by much. As you went along your chanter and drones separated some, with the chanter ending sharper than the drones, I suspect due to some overblowing. A minor thing, but a stable instrument will become more and more important as you progress through the grades. Well chosen tempo and strong illustration of the 6/8 idiom, here! Overall you are playing this tune very, very well, Ryan. Just a few things to highlight: you have the occasional "light" grace note, such as the one at the end of the repeat of Part 1 (Low G). A few crossing noises between C and E in the pickups to the second and fourth parts. Third part was expertly controlled, well done. You ended the tune with a little less confidence and control than you started it with, just some near-uncertainty in the last line. An enjoyable performance, Ryan! The notes above are getting into the finer details, and will help you as you go through the grades in solo piping. Keep at it, I look forward to hearing you again!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Leaving Port Askaig      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Cameron, thanks for entering! Pipes: Locked in. Great job! F is almost sharp. Grip B to C in Part 1 not quite showing 2 even low Gs. Tempo is good and strong understanding of 6/8. Early teachum part 3—- wait for the G grace note! Putting the D grace noted LA on the beat instead. Just like B to C, the HA to HA grip a bit crushed. Open up to make this more musical and get more out of the technique. Loads of potential and look forward to hearing more. Just a few things to work on to help this tune succeed at all levels of solo competition.
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Callum Ross 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 3      Tunes: Braemar Gathering      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Callum, thanks for entering! Pipes: a bit of a lower pitch, but with good projection and volume. Drones aren't quite locked in with each other and are close to Low A. Good effort! Chanter is also close, with E and F a bit on the low side. Working on blowing through every High A with the same pressure, sometimes it was in tune, but others it was flat. This is a hard skill to master, but you can do it! You have strong hands! Very well articulated embellishments throughout, with a few spots of crushed doublings. It can be challenging to have consistent technique when you have strong fingers, so work on achieving a little more finesse in your movements. Good understanding of the 6/8 idiom overall. Be careful to not rush beats that are 16th, Dotted 8th, 8th — you tend to play the 16th note just slightly ahead of the beat. One stumble in Part 3 the second time, and a small crossing issue Part 4, second time Bar 4 (E to C had a little passing D in it.) Lots and lots of potential, Callum! You're clearly well taught and working hard. Just a few points above to help this tune get to the next level. Keep it up!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sean Stewart 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: 0-60 in 21,900 days      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Sean, thanks for playing! Pipes: Bright sound and well tuned overall. Some instances of overblowing top hand notes (High A in particular) but a very nice sound.There was the occasional chirp on G grace noted Cs — perhaps there is too much tape on the High G causing this to happen. Flattening your pitch just a hair can help with this. Your tempo is a bit fast for the solos and sounds a bit more band-like. I think slowing down would help the phrasing of the tune shine, but only 5 or so bpm. Lots of clean technique and good articulation throughout the performances, with just Bar 8 giving some trouble. Work on keeping the "6/8 Swing" In the final bar of each part, with a clean Taorluath followed by the Birl. Birls seem to be giving you a little more trouble than the rest of the embellishments, so work on ensuring that G grace note (in a G grace noted Birl) is directly on the second beat of that bar. Quick tempo for solos, but lots of clean technique. Overall an enjoyable tune, Sean! Just a few pointers to help this tune stay consistent throughout. Keep at it!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tim Riddle 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Jean Mauchline      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Tim, thanks for the video! Pipes: Well tuned with strong presence. Good job! Good establishment of the idiom right from the start. Some crushed technique and rushy playing around B Taorluaths. Don't be afraid to hold out the High A quarter notes in the second part, losing some swing there. Better job with the idiom in Part 3 with good technique. A little rushed into Part 4 and a slip in Bar 8 the first time through. Somewhat rushed to the last line — work on extending your quarter notes to their fullest extent to avoid any "phrase jumping" kind of feelings. I'd work on getting the Rodin in the last line faster to keep the compound time feeling alive through the end of the tune. Overall a strong performance, Tim!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Monty Messenger 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: PM Sam Scott      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Monty, thanks for the video! Pipes: good presence. Drones are fairly close to each other, but not locked to Low A. Chanter well set up, F almost flat but a nice sound overallt. Good start. Some rounding in Bar 4 Beat 2 — be sure to play that the same way every time, even when the dotted 8th is a C. Strong control of that rhythm elsewhere throughout the tune. Some rounding Part 3 — keep the "6/8 Swing" throughout. Part 4 had more of that "swing," so aim to get that in each bar/part. Grips are well played. Light Low G in the final D throw. A very nice performance, Monty! Just a few pieces of rhythmic consistency to work on to get this tune even better. You've clearly got a strong understanding of 6/8, and I'm looking forward to hearing you again!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brad Wilson 🇺🇸           Tunes: All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Brad, thanks for playing! Pipes: Drones not quite in tune with each other are generally sharp to the chanter. Bass drone was a bit sharper than the tenors. Chanter has a nice tone, though the top hand was fairly sharp on F and High A. Adding some tape to the top hand notes will help control this, and keep working with your instructor on getting the drones and chanter to be locked in tune. Good tempo selection for this idiom and a good idea of the compound time "swing" that we look for in 6/8's. I think you could spend more time on technical aspects of your playing like the doublings and other embellishments. You tend to rush into doublings and jump between phrases, so working with a metronome both on the tune and on technical exercises will help get you clicked into a strong marching beat. You have a lot of potential, so keep up the good work and just spend some more time on the technical side - it has been said that "technique is the key that opens the door to musicality," — the more clearly your notes come out, the easier it is to add the "light and shade" of musicality. Keep it up!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carol Peabody 🇨🇦           Tunes: Angus MacKinnon      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Carol, thanks for playing! Pipes: Drones well tuned to each other and to Low A. Chanter also well set, though overblown at the start. Blowing settled down after the first line. As you went along there were some instances of overblowing as well, usually on High A, so watch out for any "spikes" in pitch of your tones. Overall some very nice technical playing, especially your B Taorluaths. It's clear you're working very hard there! Musically I think you could rethink your treatment of the compound time rhythms. You're tending to rush off of the final 1/3rd of the beat, usually an 8th note in this tune. When you have the dotted 8th, 16th, 8th rhythm you're showing a strong control of the first two notes, but playing the final note too short. The overall effect of shortening this note is that you're rushing into some doublings, beats and phrases. Some work on relaxing that final 1/3rd of the beat will really help you highlight your strong technique and well-tuned instrument! Just a little work on the compound-time rhythms and I think this tune will shine!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carolyn MacLeod 🇨🇦           Tunes: Fairview Cottage      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Carolyn, thanks for entering! Pipes: drones close and chanter are well set up and fairly close to in tune. I'd recommend taking some more time with the pipes up before you start the tune to let both the instrument and yourself get settled for a comfortable performance. These small details help polish your performance. A few instances of overblowing on top hand notes, particularly High A. Blowing tone is a challenging skill, but keep the pressure you're blowing in mind as you are practicing and you'll see improvements there. Good job establishing the "6/8 swing" showing effective pulsing and idiomatic understanding. You had a few C-E crossing noises throughout the tune, so work on eliminating those. Technique is strong overall, grips are very nice. As you went along the tune you started to overpoint the tune some, slowing down and losing the swing of the 6/8, this started in Part 3 and continued into Part 4, so spending some time with the metronome will help, and I think you'll see a more "flow-y" performance if you let the Dotted 8th notes in Part 3 move along just a tad faster. Overall a nice performance, Carolyn! Just a few points as noted to help this tune improve. Keep it up!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Gabriel Holbrook 🇺🇸           Tunes: Farewell to the Creeks      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Gabriel, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones and chanter are well tuned. The chanter reed seems like it may be too easy for you as you're overblowing some top hand notes from time to time. Good tempo choice for this tune. Work on maintaining the "6/8 Swing" throughout this tune, as you're tending to rush off of quarter notes and into the back third of the beats. Working with a metronome will help you get the flow of this idiom down consistently, and will help this tune shine. A bit of slowing in the third part which will also be helped by some practice with a metronome. Technically you've got some strong hands, although your Low G strikes at the end of each part were sometimes missed or had an extra sound — be sure your fingers are being put down right on the holes, as a near miss can create some of these extra noises. You're playing the first phrase of the fourth part with exactly the right quarter/eighth balance, so just match the rest of the tune to that style and you'll have this tune very clean in no time! Overall just a few pieces of rhythmic consistency to work on to help this tune along. Thanks for playing!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: James Gendron 🇨🇦           Tunes: Farewell to the creeks      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi James, I like the outfit! Pipes: Chanter sharper than drones. Drones not in. Good musical playing here. The setting you're playing is a bit bare in terms of technique. Be sure to check with your PM or instructor to get all of the necessary embellishments in there. Wrong note (E for F) second time part 3. Very good swing. When you do play embellishments they are correct, so just take the time to get all of them in there.
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura Stott 🇨🇦           Tunes: Farewell to the Creeks      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Laura, thanks for playing! Pipes: Drones flat to chanter. Top hard sharp. Good control of 6/8 rhythm. Grace notes are tending to be a bit large, obfuscating the beat and hurting articulations. Getting all the technique in there, which is good! Nice job keeping the tune moving along in the 3rd part — hard to do when there are 2 dotted quarter notes in a row! Slowing some in the 4th part — fatigue? Some light D throws — be sure to get that low G at the start nice and solid. A well put-together tune, Laura! Just some technical things that will help your musical understanding of the tune come through in a more articulate way. Getting those grace note sizes down will help showcase your musical playing!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Matthew Owen-Hunt 🇨🇦           Tunes: Dovecote Park      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Matthew, thanks for entering. Pipes: Drones not quite in tune. The chanter sounds like it might be just a little bit too stiff for you at times with some inconsistent blowing. This seems like a new tune for you, which is great! You've got all of the pieces in order to get this really polished, though it is still in that process. It's clear that you're working hard on your technique and playing, with many of your doublings occurring right on the beat as they should be. However, some note mistakes and hesitations are getting in the way of the "6/8 swing" that we look for in the solos. Keep working with your instructor to move this tune along for a more polished performance next time. Looking forward to hearing you again!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Maureen Moore 🇺🇸           Tunes: PM Donald MacLean of Lewis      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Maureen, thanks for the video! Pipes: drones are well set up and close to each other though not locked in. It sounds like the chanter reed might be a bit too hard? Top hand intonation is suspect. Work on getting the first beat of this tune to have the "6/8 Swing" that underlies all of our compound time marches (Quarter note followed by eighth note). You're tending to rush off of Dotted 8th Notes throughout the tune, particularly when they are Low A, B, and Low G in one beat, like the first beat of Part 1. This theme repeats throughout the tune and getting that more solid will help the tune shine. You've got strong hands and your technique keeps improving which is great, just work on this one rhythm and you'll have this tune great in no time. Keep it up!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael O. Brandt 🇺🇸           Tunes: Angus MacKinnon      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Michael, thanks for the video! Pipes: A bit of a gradual start to the pipes — work on getting the drones to start all at the same time like a lightswitch. This doesn't impact results, but helps show your control of the instrument right from the start. Drones are not quite in tune, but are fairly close. Chanter is well set, good job. Good establishment of the 6/8 swing from the outset. The tune overall was well played, though you are rushing at the end of each part off of the final B in Bar 8. Work on extending the final note of each part to its fullest extent to help both phrase the tune more clearly and to avoid jumping into either a repeat or next part too early. In Part 3 you had some crushed technique and rounded-out playing. Try to keep the idiomatic swing through this part. Better control of the music in Part 4, but started to lose some team in the last line. Overall a good performance, Michael. I think getting the final bar in line with the rest of this tune will really help out with the results. Keep it up!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott McKinley 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bruce MaClean of Tiverton      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Scott, thanks for your video! Pipes: Drones very well tuned with each other and to Low A. Bottom hand of the chanter is well set, but F and High A are somewhat sharp. I think this performance was fairly rushed, though it's clear that you're working hard on your playing! The tempo you chose from the start felt more like a band tempo rather than a solo 6/8 March, and led to some inconsistent rhythms and technique. I think pulling the pace back on this tune will help you more clearly articulate things like the challenging dot/cut/eighth sections in Bars 7 and 8 of each part, which tended to be a bit rounder than we'd hear in the solos. You've got lots of potential and a strong idea of the 6/8 "swing," so keep it up, just with a bit more control and this tune will be even better.
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vickie Gray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Tug Argan Gap      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Vickie, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones set flat to chanter, but the chanter is a bit sharp overall. Relatively well balanced, though I'd recommend bringing the pitch down some to get a broader chanter sound. Be sure to control when your pipes and chanter come in. I wouldn't do a "pipe band style attack," but some poise here can help illustrate your handle on the pipes. Tempo somewhat slow for this idiom, but a good control of 6/8 pulsing in the first part. As you went along you tended to lose some flow, particularly on the dotted quarter notes in Part 2 and at the ends of lines in Parts 3 & 4.You also have some crossing noises from bottom hand to top hand occasionally. I am sure you're keeping the tempo lower in the interest of good technique, which is absolutely the right choice, though keep up the good work to help move this tune along in the future. All in all a nicely played 6/8, Vickie! A few things as noted, but a strong handle on compound time marches. Keep at it!
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Event 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Yong Chang 🇸🇬           Tunes: John D. Brugess      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Yong, thanks for playing! Pipes: drones are very close but not quite locked in. D is sharp and C flat — some tape will help. As you got towards the end of the tune you were overpowering the reed some and started to have a sharper top hand and flatter C, so work on keeping the pressure consistent throughout your performance. Good job establishing the "6/8 Swing" right from the start. In Part 2 you're rounding out the quarter note/eighth note relationship in Bars 1 and 5 — keep the compound time feeling consistent throughout. Part 3 Bar 3 D gracenote to C is a bit too big and overtakes the 16th note. Part 4 felt more compound time. Overall a nice performance, Yong! A few notes above to help you clean up some technical and tonal aspects of your playing to polish this tune up for other competitions. Keep at it!
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Macintosh's Banner      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Nice sounding bagpipe and well tuned, some excellent resonance of the lower and middle range notes. High A seems a bit thin for my taste though. Ground: Some excellent phrasing in the ground and it was phrased consistently. I would consider making the short B prior to the grip a wee bit more nippy than you are playing it. Good grip and the speed will come with time. Right now you are articulating this nicely. Note — one missed grace note at end of ground. Var1: Nice flow Line 1- the odd E grace note is bigger than the E grace note In line 2 some G grace notes sound a bit chirpy Line 3- careful coming down from HA Overall an excellent performance and demonstrated much potential, Keep it up! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Michael O. Brandt 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Cabar Feidh Gu Brath      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones quite close, chanter a bit thin and came up in pitch compared to the drones, but set well, and blown quite well Ground - good tempo Line 1 - I would suggest hold the LA a bit longer, grips untidy at times, cadences inconsistent Line 2 - nice edres! Better phrasing than line 1 Line 3 - careful to not overblow the HA, bar 2 a bit awkward Var. 1 - good upbeat tempo, taoruaths a bit untidy and square at times, drones drifting Keep up the good work — loved hearing such a melodic tune and you were not afraid to keep it moving — good stuff! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Lisa Martin 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Sir James MacDonald of the Isles Lament      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones not quite locked, chanter seems to be set nicely and blown quite well - recording is a bit wonky at times Ground - good tempo, nice D throws, sounds like some catching from C to LA, be consistent with your cadences Line 1 - nicely phrased, B prior to grip could be a bit tighter, edre could be cleaner Line 2 - good Var. 1 - a bit slow, but nicely played Overall you had some good phrasing — a well suited tune for this level and your pipes were quite well set. Good stuff, Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Scott Phillips 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart's Lament #1      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - big drone sound, not quite locked, drones drifting in ground, HA quite flat Ground - a bit slow, some nice phrasing Line 1 - a bit more on the LG of the double echo on B, nice pause at end of line Line 2 - some untidiness at beginning, Line 3 - good Var. 1 - better tempo Line 1 - careful on the double echoes, a couple small catches Line 2 & 3- some unsteadiness on the HG Overall you had some good phrasing — a well suited tune for this level. Keep it up, Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Bill Stuart 🇦🇺      Place: 5      Tunes: Glengarry's Lament      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones not locked, chanter quite nice, small choke in ground, but otherwise you blew your pipes well and the drones did not drift. Ground - nice tempo I would suggest pausing at the end of each phrase and at the end of each line — nice grips and execution overall! Var. 1 - overall a bit too square, the connecting notes should be cut more, and dotted notes held longer, quite clean fingering here, try to make the E grace notes a bit tighter Good tune for this grade, Your playing had excellent flow — Keep it up! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Ishan Prasad 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Struan Robertson's Salute      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones not quite together, chanter a bit thin, but like the pitch, HG quite shrill Ground - good tempo, hiharin needs some work, D throws not consistent Line 1 - good, pause at the end of the line for phrasing Line 2 - some untidiness on top hand playing Var. 1 - nice flow, don’t jump off the taorluaths (happens the odd time), keep working on these for consistency. Doubling - good tempo change! Lots of drive. Keep up the good work. A very entertaining performance. Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Ivan Agarkov 🇧🇾           Tunes: Queen Elizabeth II's Salute      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones quite close, thin chanter sound, some underblowing Ground - good tempo! You would benefit from some more pauses between phrases, sometimes fanning on first part of double echo notes Line 1 - nice full LG on some taps, pause at end of line, rushing into phrases Line 2 - pause at end of line Line 3 - ditto Var. 1 - keep working on the D taorluath for consistency, a bit square on the taorluath (the following LAs should be quite short), this was quite evident in the last two bars of this variation. Keep up the good work — not a tune heard often, thank you for your rendition of this. Regards, Colin Loved the backdrop!
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Laura Stott 🇨🇦           Tunes: Lament for Mary McLeod      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - E and F are sharp, easing off on the LA quite frequently, drones set quite nicely to the chanter at start, drones flat to drones by the end. Ground- good tempo Line 1- continue to work on articulating the hiharin, the d in your cadences should be tighter - the third beat/pulse in each bar should be emphasized more Line 2 & 3 the C prior to the LG grac enote is a bit too big — be nippier Var 1 - holding the 3rd beat nicely here for the most part, Line 2 - I would cut the short Es even more prior to the F Thank you, I enjoyed your tune — a beautiful tune and I could feel the music throughout. Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Matthew Owen-Hunt 🇨🇦           Tunes: Cabar Feidh Gu Brath      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - a big drone sound and quite out at the beginning, HA quite flat, some overblowing on top hand Ground - good tempo, too square overall Line 1 - hold the LAs more and then cut the following B to the grip, Line 2 - hold the Fs at the beginning of each bar more and make the connecting notes shorter, small choke Line 3 - pause at the end of the ground Var. 1 - you are playing an extra G grace note from the LA to the E quite often. Wait at the end of lines prior to starting the next one. Keep working on the taorluaths — good flow in this variation, though a bit too square at times. Lots of potential here, looks like you have been well taught. Keep up the good work — loved hearing such a melodic tune. Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Maureen Moore 🇺🇸           Tunes: Glengarry's Lament      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - Drones quite close (flat to chanter), chanter a bit thin and at times overblown Ground - take your time starting, some rushing at the beginning, but you settled in as the tune progressed. Untidy grips and some rushing throughout. Var. 1 - I like the tempo! Untidy fingering at beginning of this variation and square playing - the connecting notes should be cut more, and dotted notes held longer, try to make the E and G grace notes a bit tighter here - some shrill gracenotes in this variation Keep up the good work — enjoyed the performance! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: McLin Choate III 🇺🇸           Tunes: Glengarry's Lament      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - Full sounding pipes, drones not locked, but quite close to chanter, some unsteady blowing, looks like you are “surging” with your arm at times rather than keeping a constant and steady pressure on the bag. Ground - a bit slow for my taste, the odd catching noise here and there (C to E), - you are often playing a F gracenote on your cadences rather than a HG grace note, - good grips to B Var. 1 - good job with cutting the connecting notes here Doubling - good tempo change Keep up the work — Enjoyed the tune Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Monty Messenger 🇺🇸           Tunes: Lament for Mary MacLeod      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - full sounding chanter, F is quite flat, drones not locked and moving towards the end, quite well blown — one small choke Ground: Line 1- nice hiharin, some small crossing noises coming through Line 2- it should be a low G grace note from the C to LA throughout, chedres lack clarity, Sometimes the D prior to the hiharin is too big, untidy grip Var. 1- nice tempo Line 1- small crossing sounds Line 2/3- careful with grace noting, small note mistake Thank you, I liked the pace the tune was at — and what a great tune with lots of melody and feeling in it. Keep it up! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Peter Allen 🇹🇭           Tunes: Lament for the Children      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - HA a bit scratchy, drones not in from start and moving throughout (the audio recording made some odd reverberations) Ground - good tempo, I would try to emphasize the 1st beat of each phrase more (you do sometimes; e.g., bars 3 and 5) Line 1 - careful with your double echoes (you are getting an extra G grace note heading to the first D) Line 2 - last two bars of this lost some of the phrasing Line 3 - hold first E of bar 5 more at the expense of the following B, pause at the end of the ground more Var. 1 Line 1 - some untidy fingering here and phrasing not as evident Line 2 - better phrasing, make sure your double echoes are consistent Line 3 - small choke Thank you- an enjoyable tune- I felt that you really went for it- great to hear! Colin
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Ray Morrison 🇺🇸           Tunes: Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones not quite locked, e sharp and LA flat, over blowing on E Ground - good tempo Line 1 - a bit too square Line 2 - better phrased here Line 3 - a bit too square again, keep working on the chedres, last bar a bit untidy Var. 1 - coming off the HAs to quickly, a bit too nippy on the E of the cadence at time at the end of lines, line 3 quite square Keep up the good work — a well suited tune for this level, and your pipes were quite well set. Regards, Colin P.S. great sporran!
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Event 14. Grade 4 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
Competitor: Timothy Ray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Lament for the Old Sword      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - nicely set drones, LA, D, and B a bit sharp, some surging on blowing Ground - good tempo Line 1 - b and c prior to grips a bit too big, edre-untidy, hold e of hiharin longer, pause at end of the line for more phrasing Line 2 and 3 - make sure you get the LG in your D throw, don’t rush of the HG Var 1 - small choke, good temp Line 1 - a bit too square, small slip into next line and then sped up Line 2 & 3- when you picked up the tempo you played more square Thanks — great to hear this tune, excellent drones! Colin
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Anthony Song 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Archie Beag      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Anthony! Thank you for competing today! Pipes are sounding great, very resonant and clear, and the tuning is spot on. 1 - Great 2 - Missed a b doubling in the ending phrase 1st time through, better on repeat 3 - Slight rushing of dotted quarter notes 4 - Strong finish, though a clean cut off would be the sprinkles on the cake 😉 Overall: Very good performance here, Anthony. There's a lot of maturity to your playing, and you've got great hands and a good sound to go with them. My primary suggestion is to be mindful not to move off of dotted 1/4 notes too early. Dotted 1/4 notes are the entire beat in jig time, which seems like forever, but that extra little bit of patience goes a long way in keeping the swing really locked into a steady beat. Very well played, and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rylan Cliff 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Archie Beag      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ryan! Thank you for competing in this contest! You're looking sharp, and pipes are sounding good and clear. 1 - Good, a few of the C strikes weren't as weighty as the others (consistency) 2 - Good 3 - Birls not always 100%, be careful that your ring finger isn't wandering while you play your birls 4 - Similar thing here with the birls. Overall: Well played jig on a good pipe. Some issues with the birls were the main things to come through on the critique side of things. The important points I want to mention are keeping the ring finger steady while you play birls, and you want to keep the low A that precedes top hand birls consistent. Sometimes, that low A was nice and short, so the 1/4 note E 1/8th note LA rhythm was clear. Other times, the preceding low A grew a little bit, so the rhythm became more along the lines of three sequential 1/8th notes. Minor things, but consistency will be key in bringing this tune up just that extra little notch. Well played, and very enjoyable! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Corkhill      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hello Cameron! Thank you for entering the contest! Corkhill is a great tune, deceptively difficult, and you're making a good go of it here. Pipes sound good, and technique is going well too. 1 - good 2 - Hesitating to move off of the C doublings at times, leading to some intermittent dragging 3 - 1/4 note overholding from above more prevalent here 4 - Confident and clear way to finish the tune. Well played Overall: Very well-played tune, Cameron. Corkhill is a deceptively-difficult tune because of the myriad opportunities for crossing noises and technical issues. You navigated these very well, and the tune came off well as a result. Be mindful not to over-hold 1/4 notes, because that will disrupt the flow of the tune at large. You're right to hold them some, especially when they come at the end of a phrase or a line, but at times it was a little overdone and interrupted the flow of the beat. Thank you for an enjoyable tune! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Charlie Gregg 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Archie beag      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Charlie! Thank you for competing! Pipes sounding very nice, with a very appreciated sense of clarity of tone. 1 - Good, some C strikes lacking a mit of weight and oomph in comparison to others 2 - Slight rushing off of low A at end of part, better on repeat 3 - Slight rushing of repeat 4 - Regained steadiness, missed a g gracenote line 2 measure 1 beat 1 second time through, but recovered and finished strong Overall: Good performance here, Charlie, and one I enjoyed listening to. You picked a good tempo, and you maintained it reasonably well throughout (there were some occasional fluctuations). Be careful to not rush off of one part into another or into a repeat. The low As at the end of each part are dotted 1/4 notes, which seem like forever, but there's no way to get around holding them for the full length of the beat. Musically, this was a very strong performance, and aside from the occasional missed gracenote, there's not much to critique from a technical standpoint. Well played, and thanks again! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott McKinley 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: The Lark in the Morning      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Scott! Thank you for entering this contest! Pipes sounding really nice here. Great bass presence and clarity, which can be tough to achieve over microphones. You might want to beef up your chanter sound a little, but that may be the microphone settings,too 1 - Good 2 - Good 3 - Some inconsistencies with the weight of your strikes, I'm a big fan of big strikes while others prefer lighter-weight ones, but the key is consistency 4 - Some slight untidiness in the high G doubling of the ending phrases at times Overall: Very good performance here, Scott. You had a bright, confident tempo, without giving the impression of any loss of control. Good tune, good bagpipe, and good technique. The way to take this tune up just that extra little notch is going to be looking at the consistency and deliberate-ness of the dotting and cutting. At times, some of the dot cuts were heavier than others, which isn't intrinsically an issue, but it's worth being deliberate about it. I'm a sucker for a jig with some swing in it, and I think you're doing a lot of good stuff here. Well done! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Callum Ross 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 6      Tunes: Paddy's Leather Breeches      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Callum! Thank you for competing today! Pipes sounding good, though the tenors are overshadowing the bass a bit (might be the recording equipment more than the drones themselves). 1 - Nice dot and cut shading to the tune, though I think the tempo may be a bit fast 2 - Missed GDE first time through, fixed in repeat 3 - GDEs bordering on too-tight 4 - Strong finish, though you did have a near-miss with a half-doubling on F in the first time through the part Overall: I think all of the above issues come down to a tempo issue. The pipes are good, the hands are good, and the musical ideas are good, but the tempo is pushing you a bit rather than helping you. At times, you were around 130 bpm, which is faster than even most of the upper grade players. Slowing this down 5 beats per minute would help. There were a few GDEs that were very tight, and a couple where a gracenote didn't make it out of the chanter. These are all one-off things that come from consistency, but for me, the major concern is the tempo. This was both enjoyable and a very good jig. Well-played, and I hope to see more in the future! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Amanda Brennan 🇮🇪           Tunes: Paddy Leather Breaches      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Amanda! Thank you for entering this contest! Pipes overall good, drones excellent, but chanter is slightly sharp in comparison to drone pitch 1 - Good 2 - Good, though most settings I've seen include some doublings throughout. I'd be careful to mention where you got the setting in the future 3 - In the series of GDEs, you have a tendency to rush 4 - Rushing out of beat 1 to get onto the long F. Strong finish, though a clean cutoff would be just that little extra last flourish Overall: Pipes and hands are good. This setting was not unpleasant by any stretch, but it is different from any I've seen or heard before. If and when you compete with it in the future, I would suggest you mention your source for this setting. Be mindful not to rush through GDEs, especially GDEs in sequence with one another. We tend to practice GDEs as a singular body/movement, but they still need to fit into the three 1/8th notes rhythmically that they take up in the tune. You tended to make up that space elsewhere, so it wasn't rhythmically detrimental, but it is something to watch for. You finished strong here, and you've got a good sense of technique and music. Once you do some slight refinements, you'll be good as gold! Thank you for competing! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ishan Prasad 🇺🇸           Tunes: Paddy's Leather Breeches      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ishan! Thank you for entering this contest, and I enjoyed your performance! Pipes sounding good, with plenty of sparkling harmonics to enjoy. 1 - At times, you're tending to over-hold 1/4 notes and are breaking up the rhythm of the tune a little bit. Very minor 2 - Good 3 - Crossing noise first time in bar 6, better on repeat 4 - This setting differs quite notably from any that I'm used to, which isn't a problem at all. You handled it consistently Overall: Good performance on a good bagpipe. That's a little bit of a funky setting when it comes to the 4th part, which is fine, but it's important that your confidence in your playing sells it to the audience. In bar 3, specifically, you need to move through the measure fluently. Otherwise, this is a great tune that will serve you well. Thank you for entering this performance, because I enjoyed getting to hear it! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura Stott 🇨🇦           Tunes: Troy's Wedding      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hello Laura! Thank you for competing in this contest! Pipes sounding pretty good, chanter well in tune (top hand is a little sharp overall). I also think the bass may be just on the sharp side of in tune, though that may be the recording. 1 - D throws could use a little more definition of the low G, at times they are coming across a little too lightly 2 - Similarly, E strikes could use just a tiny bit more weight 3 - Good, with very good patience waiting to go into the 4th part 4 - Throws better here, and the tune ending strong Overall, this was a strong performance. There were a few instances where your technique was a little too light (mentioned above), and you lost some of the percussive impact of things like strikes and throws as a result. Small things, and easily fixed, but they will have a dramatic impact on the jig feel of this tune. The other thing to mention is be careful not to go into a new part or a repeat of a part too early. You almost want to be on the back end of the beat in these contexts, because it's the closest we can get to a breath mark (like you'd see in choral or non-legato instrumental music). It adds a sense of maturity and closure to parts that is very appealing. Well played, and very enjoyable. Thank you! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lisa Martin 🇳🇿           Tunes: Paddy’s Leather Breeches      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Lisa! Thank you for entering this contest! Pipes sounding really good, with a lovely tone coming off of the bass. Very harmonically supportive. 1 - Good clear start to the tune. F doublings, at times, maybe too spaced out, leading to almost two 1/8th notes rather than one 1/4 note rhythmically 2 - Good patience with the long notes! Occasional crossing noise when moving from B to F 3 - Great GDEs, and excellent rhythmic control here 4 - Some light B strikes coming through, could maybe use some more oomph and consistency Overall: Good performance in this contest, Lisa! Pipes sounding good, and your musical sense of control really made this performance stand out. I think you definitely have a good-enough handle on this tune to maybe raise the tempo up slightly, but be careful not to sacrifice control and clarity in the process. A very small number of technical movements came across as a little too light, but they were in the minority. Be sure to practice F doublings and B to F transitions to really polish those up, and you'll be in a very good place with this tune. Thank you very much; I enjoyed listening to it! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Matthew Owen-Hunt 🇨🇦           Tunes: Cork Hill      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Matthew! Hope you are well, and thank you for entering this contest! Pipes are sounding good, but the drones are tuned to a pitch that's flatter than the chanter's Low A. Also High A is a little flat for my taste, but that is personal preference to an extent. 1 - Tempo and start good. Could maybe hold the 1/4 note Cs at the end of lines a tiny bit more 2 - Good, some crossing noises popping up in the repeat 3 - Some rushing, but it settled back after the first line 4 - Good finish, though I would suggest playing the last measure as written, but cutting off on a held Low A, rather than a B. Nothing wrong with the way you did it, at all, but a low A is more customary. Overall: Good, spritely jig performance here, Matthew! I enjoyed listening to it a great deal. Corkhill is a deceptively difficult tune because there are just so many places where crossing noises can pop up. As you continue to refine this tune, be mindful for those places. Low A to C, C to E, and E to High A are the top 3 crossing noise offenders for most people (now in looking at this tune, you can probably see why I say it's actually surprisingly tough). You did a good job of it here, and navigated the vast majority of it without any crossing noises. It's just something worth awareness and vigilance. Otherwise, GDEs (aside from one or two) were tremendously consistent, and this tune showed them off well. Well played, and an enjoyable tune for me! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Maureen Moore 🇺🇸           Tunes: Donald MacLennan's Tuning Phrase      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Maureen! Thank you for entering, and for playing this tune. It's one of my favorites, and I love getting to hear it. Pipes sounding good, drones and chanter both. The High A might be a little flat for my taste, but otherwise the chanter is spot on. 1 - Good, deliberate, and well navigated (especially considering some of the funky grace noting in the tune). A few crossing noises from Low A to C showing through, but minor. 2 - Good, and very fluent presentation of this part. 3 - Be mindful not to rush the group of three rhythms of the GDE. If anything, you want to err on putting the weight on the downbeat note, rather than the third note 4 - Good, and great finish to a good performance Overall: Great tune, good performance, and a good sounding set of pipes. This is a tune that technically demands control, but also it wants to fly at a fast tempo, and you navigated that challenge well. You might look at bumping the tempo up slightly, but that's just a suggestion. The main thing to work on is keeping GDEs weighted on the downbeats. You can achieve this in one of two ways — true round playing or slightly front-loading the weight of the rhythm. Otherwise, you had very clean technique that was very enjoyable to listen to. You also have a good and clear idea of what this tune is meant to sound like, which came through in your playing. Well presented and well played. Thank you for an enjoyable performance! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael O. Brandt 🇺🇸           Tunes: Troys Wedding      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Michael! Glad to see you entered the contest, and I enjoyed your performance! Pipes sounding well, and your drones are very well tuned. Good job there! 1 - Good, some E strikes lighter than others (try to aim for consistency) 2 - Bar 3, most settings I've seen show ECA for beat 1 (not EDA). Not unpleasant, but I'd be careful to mention where you got your setting in the future 3 - Good control here tempo-wise 4 - Some GDEs coming through as GDGs instead. Good control in the 2nd ending, which can be tricky Overall: Enjoyed this tune Michael, and it's easy to see how such a recent composition became an instant classic. Be mindful that your GDEs remain gdEs and that you don't replace the E with a G gracenote. Strike weights are a difficult thing to master, but a worthwhile pursuit, and this tune is a great opportunity to show off that mastery. A good, confident tempo that was upheld well throughout. Pipes sounded good, and musically fulfilling for the audience. Thanks for competing, and I look forward to hearing more from you in the future! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Monty Messenger 🇺🇸           Tunes: Paddy's Leather Breeches      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Monty! Thank you for competing! 1 - Some untidiness in bar 4 second time through 2 - Good 3 - Missed an e gracenote, 2nd line second time through, and there was a brief recovery 4 - Good strong finish Overall: A good musical package, and an enjoyable listen for me. There were some technique issues (noted above), but the confident tempo and strong musical ideas made for a good tune. At times, since you're already on the more dot cut end of the spectrum, I think you have a little room to add half a hair of weight to the downbeats on beats where you have strikes. As an example, part 1 measure 2 beat 1, pull that F out a tiny bit (without dragging the beat out of place). It will add another level of refinement to the tune, and that will take an already enjoyable tune to the next stage! Well played! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vickie Gray 🇨🇦           Tunes: The Curlew      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Vickie! Thank you for competing in the contest! Pipes sounding good, well-balanced and in tune. High G might be a bit sharp, but not much to pick at. 1st part - good presentation, confident tempo, good music 2nd part - 2nd time through, you went up to the high A in bar 3 early, but you recovered well and stayed the course 3rd part - some creative grace noting here in the first time through. Aside from the slip, this part went well, so as much as you can, try not to let things rattle you while you're playing. It's a learned and honed skill, in other words it goes against our nature, but it's one worth developing 4th part - losing some of the nice low G presence in your throws, better the 2nd through Overall: enjoyable performance of a great tune. You play this tune well, and I think (other than the slip in part 3) there's nothing to be concerned with. A few crossing noises came up in part 4, and you were remixing some gracenote orders, so you will want to revisit the sheet music to correct those. I do think it may be time for a new/slightly stiffer reed. All that said, this is a performance you should be proud of and one I enjoyed getting to watch. Well-done! Jack
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Event 15. Grade 4 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Yong Chang 🇸🇬           Tunes: Donald McKillop      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Yong! Thank you for entering this contest! Pipes sounding good and full. The chanter is flat in pitch compared to the drones, but only a little bit. 1 - Good. Confident tempo 2 - Some crossing noises from E to High As, better on repeat 3 - Rushing in last measure into the repeat 4 - Rushing through this part, mainly by shortening the downbeat notes. Overall: Good performance with good fundamentals. Some rhythmic issues pulled this tune out of sync with itself. In the third part, you rushed through the GDE movement at the end of the first time through the part, and that started a trend of accelerating that continued throughout the tune. If you can find a way to hold that back a little bit, and to hold the 4th part back, you'll have an excellent jig ready to play at any time! Thank you for competing, and thank you for an enjoyable performance! Jack
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Southall, Monymusk, Malcolm Johnston      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - Nice drones, and for the most part pipes blown very well, chanter set well too! March - good tempo 1) Hold LA prior to taorluath, good execution 2) Careful for rushing birl at end of part (throughout) 3) Hold at the beginning of the phrase, rounding off here 4) Rushing into birl, one missed grip Strathspey - good composure 1) Nice execution 2) Ditto, and tidy runs 3) Birls could be more consistent, small choke 4) Rushing a hair in some phrases here Reel- good tempo, nice fingering! Terrific! Really enjoyed this. Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ian MacPhail 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Donald Maclean's Farewell To Oban, Captain Collin Campbell, The Sound Of Sleat      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - nice full pipe, some surging/overblowing or over squeezing at times (notable on HA), drones not locked and flat to chanter March - suitable tempo for this grade, nice strong fingering on bottom hand, E doubling needing some work 1st - overcutting at times 2nd - a bit of rushing, particularly for the end phrase 3rd rushing birl, hold the first beat of the 1st phrase of each line more 4th untidiness last line Strathspey - a bit too slow and round (particularly in the 3rd part) - untidy at end of tune Reel - break needs work - pick up tempo slightly - tempo was consistent though Enjoyed the tunes, some excellent playing here, Keep it up! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martin Johnson 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Rothie Murchus, Monymusk and Lexy McAskill      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - nicely set drones (a bit flat to chanter) and nice pitch, top hand thin, steady blowing March - nice tempo, excellent D throws, at times you could phrase more by holding the 1st beat of the phrases (e.g., third part) - E and C doublings crushed at times, don’t rush to C doubling at the end of the parts - Some awkwardness in timing in the fourth part and a bit too round at times Strathspey - nice flow, some rushing throughout (notably off some of the 1st beats of a phrase) which lead to losing the SWMW, for example the first HA in the 2nd part and the the birl in the 3rd part - tachums needs work - over blowing the top hand in the last part Reel - good break into, good tempo and uplifting tune Some untidy fingering and fanning on strikes here and there Overall, I enjoyed the performance. Excellent drones — keep it up! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Amanda Brennan 🇮🇪      Place: 4      Tunes: Donald Mac Clean Farewell to Oban, Captain Colin Campbell, Captain Lochlain McPheil of Tiree      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes set quite well, drones not locked, but close to chanter, some underblowing particularly evident on HAs when it became scratchy March - good tempo, there’s a tendency to round things off too much, and I would hold the C at the end of each part more prior to the birl 1) rushing into B grip 2) rushing ending phrases as well here 3) a bit too round overall, Hold HA prior to grip 4) more phrasing evident here though last line is untidy Strathspey - more SWMW need, first part hold the S Bs longer, runs are often crushed - 3rd part felt like it was SSSS rather than SWMW Reel - nice tempo, slowed down in third part, tachums untidy at times, crushing some of the GDEs Overall, some excellent music coming through. Good stuff! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 5      Tunes: Miss Elspeth Campbell, Peter Hunt, Alan Minty      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - chanter a bit flat, but well balanced, drones not locked March - good tempo, overall some rushing into ending phrases, and some unclarity on bottom hand work 1) Good 2) Watch for rushing in bar 4 (in tune) 3) Hold LA after birl longer, some rushing into next phrases 4) Nice phrasing on the top hand, Strathspey - too slow, and losing idiom at times caused by rushing (wait) — this happens throughout Reel - hard for me to find the beat here, practice with a metronome to help with making this more metric Thanks, I particularly liked the March and the top hand of your chanter. Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ken Maclean 🇦🇺      Place: 6      Tunes: Donald Maclean's Farewell to Oban, Highland Harry & Colonel McLeod      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones quite well set, HG very flat March - nice tempo 1) Clear execution, hold the 1st beat at the beginning of the phrase more 2) Some rushing 3) Good for not slowing down here, 4) Rushing into d throw at times, last line too round Strathspey - good tempo, losing control near the end of the 2nd part, tune good do with more SWMW Reel - good tempo to start, but overall too round and rushing evident, taking off in the last part (hold the Es at the beginning of the phrases), hold and wait for the GDEs at the end of the lines. Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carsten Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Iron Division, The Lad That Wears the Plaid, The Blackberry Bush.      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - Drones quite out from the start, HG thin March - I would suggest pulling the tempo back and put in more phrasing, at times you are too round, hold the first note of each phrase and wait to get to the next phrase 1) Rushing birl at the end of part(s) 2) Nice d throw, 3) Nice swing, small slip at end of part 4) Some rushing evident, hold HA and then the F Strathspey - runs are crushed, especially going down - Tune would benefit from more SWMW - Small squeal in third part Reel- good tempo - Tachums are overcut - Catching from B to E - Again nice D throws - Some rushing at end of phrases Good tune selection and loved the backdrop! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guy Droz 🇨🇭           Tunes: The Highland Wedding, Susan MacLeod, Gina MacLeod      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones not in, top hand thin, small chokes in strath and reel March - a wee too slow, and tempo not always steady - A bit too round overall - Nice d throws, small slip second part, - ending phrase lacks clarity - Continue to work on birls - Slip in last part, - B taorluaths needs some work Strathspey - slow overall - Tachums lack clarity - Birls need work Reel - good tempo, some untidy bottom hand work Thanks, keep up the work. Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Hart Greenwood 🇺🇸           Tunes: 93rd Sutherland Highlander's Farewell to Edinburgh, Jennifer Finlayson, Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones well tuned and nice to chanter, B and F flat March - nice tempo 1) overcutting at times and some untidy fingering 2) big choke 3) crushing executions, choke 4) squeal, hold the first beat of each phrase more Strathspey - good break More SWMW would benefit the tune, good tempo, untidy bottom hand execution Reel - again nice tempo, 3rd part lacks consistency, keep working on those birls Overall it was an uplifting performance and the drones were well set. Too bad about the chokes. Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Kael Haysom 🇦🇺           Tunes: Helen Black of Inveran, Dorrotor Bridge, Major David Manson      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones sound quit steady, despite the wind, Nice backdrop! top hand thin, and overblowing at times March - uplifting tempo, rushing into birl at end of parts and often crushing or missing the C doubling prior to the birl 1) Hold the beginning of the phrase more 2) Same as above, extra strike 3) Ok 4) Careful about rushing into the strikes here and at times crushing these Strathspey - good tempo, nice D throws, and quite nicely phrased - Small catches in 2nd part - At times B doublings missed and/or unclear Reel - again uplifting tempo! - Don’t rush the GDEs, especially at the end of the lines - Some untidy tachums Uplifting selection, Good stuff! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lillian Prince 🇺🇸           Tunes: Miss Elspeth Campbell, Dorrator Bridge, John MacInnes      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes set quite well, some under blowing which contributed to the chokes March - nice tempo 1) some small catches, careful of rushing the ending phrases 2) a bit too round 3) again too round, hold the 1st beat of the phrase more 4) some untidy top hand execution, mistake at end of line which seems to have thrown you off Strathspey 1) some execution issues 2) nice SWMW 3) tachums a bit unclear, again nice SWMW 4) ditto, mistake at end Reel - good tempo, some rushing on GDEs and the odd catching sounds (in particular the last part) Keep up the work, Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Richard Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: King George V’s Army, The Lad That Wears the Plaid, Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree.      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones fairly close, but drifting later on, thin top hand, careful for overblowing on the top hand March - good tempo 1) Rounding off on some phrases and slowing down 2) Some untidy fingering 3) Slowing down here 4) At times untidy fingering Strathspey - good tempo, at times too round, wait for the taorluath, don’t crush the runs going down Reel - nice break, but some issues getting going - Slowing down in the 2nd part - Inconsistent treatment of the gdes in third part, - Issues on the top hand fingering in last part. Thanks, keep up the work! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Steve Coontz 🇺🇸           Tunes: The 8th Argylls, Clachnaharry, Scotsville      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones set quite nicely as was the chanter, pipes blown fairly well March- nice tempo and flow 1) a bit round and could do with more phrasing 2) rushing the birls at times, and some small catches 3) similar issues 4) some rushing in the 1st line of this part Strathspey - good break - this tune could do with more SWMW, hold longer prior to grips and taoruaths, - in third part slowed down and then regained tempo - tachums need work Reel - good tempo, a bit too round overall and rushing, - in third part hold first note of the GDEs more Nice lift and flow to your tunes and well blown pipes! Colin
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Event 16. Grade 3 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Duke of Roxeburghe's Farewell to The Blackmount Forest, Lady Loudon, Bessie McIntyre      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Pipes - drones set quite nicely to chanter, some underblowing evident, scratchy HA March - great to hear this tune, good tempo to start 1) Hold LG at beginning of phrases more 2) Rushing into taoruaths, crushing c-doubling 3) A bit too round here and rushing 4) Small catches between C and E, wee choke Strathspey - good tempo, could do with more SWMW - Hold HAs at beginning of phrases in 2nd part more and LAs in 3rd part more - Top hand and bottom hand runs should be consistent (at times you are crushing the top hand ones and too open on the bottom hand ones) Reel - nice grips, but don’t rush into these - Nice phrasing in the fourth part Thanks for an enjoyable and musical performance! Colin
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Dornoch Highland Gathering      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Lovely drone sound here with a lovely balanced chanter. Drones starting to drift halfway through. Great embedded technique, lovely swing and good musicality.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 2      Tunes: Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Nice drone sound here, bass is a little flat. Decent tempo here, a little on the safe side. Lovely embedded technique here. For me some of the dotted quavers could do with a little more weight to bring out the full expression. There is a little bit of rushing in the 3rd part, try to keep the piece nice and steady. On the whole, great playing, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ian MacPhail 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: The High Island      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones good but drifting halfway through, nicely balanced chanter. Good tempo and nice swing, a few catches here and there between bottom and top hand. Don't get caught up on expression too much, sometimes it's slightly overdone. On the whole lovely 6/8 playing well done — much potential.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Farewell to the Creeks      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Lovely drone sound here with a lovely balanced chanter. Drones starting to drift halfway through. Decent technique here, good swing and musical. The playing here is a little on the safe side for my liking similarly the tune slowed down towards the end. Great 6/8 understanding — well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martin Johnson 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Mrs. Lily Christie      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, nicely balanced chanter. Good tempo and nice swing, a few catches here and there between bottom and top hand. Some dotted quavers are well held but others are a little under expressed. On the whole, lovely 6/8 playing — well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Kael Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 6      Tunes: Pipe Major Sam Scott      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: The drones here could be closer to low A. Chanter balanced nicely Nice bright tempo here, well done. There could be a little more expression, try to hold the dotted quavers a little longer. Decent technique although there were a number of catches in the first half. Good performance, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guy Droz 🇨🇭           Tunes: The Cock o' the North      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, the chanter could be little better balanced. This piece has a good tempo, nice and bright. I feel you could express this tune a little more, try and hold the dotted quavers a little longer. Similarly the technique could be slightly more embedded in the melody, this leading to some inaccuracies. You have a decent grasp of 6/8 playing though, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Hart Greenwood 🇺🇸           Tunes: PM Donald Maclean of Lewis      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones good but drifting halfway through, chanter could be a little more refined. Good tempo and nice swing, a few catches here and there between bottom and top hand. Try to embed the ornaments into the melody a little more. This was done very well in the 3rd part. On the whole, you have the grasp of 6/8 marches, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lillian Prince 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bonawe Highlanders      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones could be slightly closer to the low A, chanter could be a little more refined. Tempo could be a little brighter but this piece has a nice swing, a few catches here and there between bottom and top hand. Try to embed the ornaments into the melody a little more. On the whole you have the grasp of 6/8 marches, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Richard Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Dovecote Park.      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones could be slightly closer to the low A. This piece has a good tempo. I feel you could express this tune a little more, try and hold the dotted quavers a little longer. Similarly the technique could be slightly more embedded in the melody. You have a decent grasp of 6/8 playing though, well done.
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Event 17. Grade 3 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Steve Coontz 🇺🇸           Tunes: Invergordon      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones could be slightly closer to the low A, chanter could be a little more refined. Tempo could be a little brighter but this piece has a nice swing, a few catches here and there between bottom and top hand. Try to embed the ornaments into the melody a little more. Try to hold dotted quavers a little more. On the whole you have the grasp of 6/8 marches, well done. (The wind in the video is disturbing the music a little).
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: James MacLellan's Favourite      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and nice instrument - Drones on with Low A but not quite locked together. 1st: Good - Did not hear the G grace note first C doubling but better on repeat. 2nd: Good - LIght GDE on B to finish part first time through 3rd: Good 4th: Good Overall an excellent performance played with confidence, precision and poise! Ensure your hands are loose to allow them to move about the chanter as free as they can which will also provide a little more articulation in your grace notes which at times come out a little light as commented on above. This does not mean you need to lift your fingers up higher to play grace notes (they MUST be SMALL) it will just allow them to move easier and more accurately just by relaxing a bit more. You show Excellent Promise! Well done!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ken Maclean 🇦🇺      Place: 2      Tunes: PM Jimmy McGregor      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: NIce tempo and nice instrument 1st: good. 2nd: missed E strike first time through — a little pushed could be the reason 3rd: good - make sure you put the last G grace note right on the beat to the D that ends the part as you came in a slight bit early here. 4th: slight bobble in the repeat of the part. Overall a solid performance played with confidence and consistency from start to finish. Shame about the slight bobble in 4th part but overall you have a nice feel for the music and playing accurately. Any little misses that creep into your performance can be attributed to either being a little ahead of the beat (caused by loss of control or tension in your hands) or pipe being a tad hard (tension which can translate to your hands) so be mindful of this when competing. Well done!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Kevin Hughes 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: The Hammer on the Anvil      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Aggressive tempo on a decent pipe with drones not quite locked together. 1st: Nice drive here — a slight crossing noise coming from top to bottom hand (Bar 3 into Bar 4 - E to D). 2nd: A little laboured here at the start getting to the E doubling where I felt you over hold the initial High G instead of ensuring you get to the High A following right on the beat and continue on ensuring you get to the next beat (F) right in time as well to keep everything consistent and easy - maybe lifting fingers too high or being a little tense with hands in this area as well? 3rd: Excellent! 4th: a light Back grace note up to HIgh G first time through but got better as you went; Again a little off with timing slightly here as well causing the short F before the High G doubling to become too short which again is caused by timing and lifting your fingers a little too high away from the chanter (this act alone can create tension in your hands and cause some slightly little crossing noises here and there as well). Overall a nice performance on a decent pipe that could be a little more refined by putting drones together. You have excellent hands and just need to relax them a bit to allow them to move freely which will take care of being late to beats and the slight crossing noises. Good stuff!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martin Johnson 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: The Rakes of Kildare      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe sounds resonant and tuned pretty well. Nice consistent jig rhythm established with consistently played GDE's to really ensure a consistent rhythm from start to finish. 2nd part setting okay but I have heard better settings of this part for a little more musicality (however this is just a comment here and did not detract from your performance as I have heard your setting as well). Overall a nice performance played on a nice instrument. Well done!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lillian Prince 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Frittie Boatman      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo to start and Pipes not quite in tune detracting from overall sound quality. 1st: Pretty good but slightly early to the E doubling following the F, E, E in bar 2 and again same to the C doubling which at times creates a slight crossing noise here. You have the time so use it all. 3rd: A little loss of timing first time through the part but much better on the repeat. 4th: Pretty good here and again just a little early to the C doubling at the line end causing a slight crossing noise as mentioned above. Overall a very nice performance played with confidence. You are now ready to relax your hands more in order to provide you the freedom to wait longer on notes and eliminate the slight crossing noises articulating at times (ie. C doubling Part 2 and 4 Bar 4). This will be much easier on your hands and will smooth out the rhythm more to ensure perfect timing throughout the entire performance. Well done!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Steve Coontz 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: The Golden Jubilee of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo to start and pipe is okay but drones not locked on to Low A detracting from the overall sound quality. 1st: Good - a little rushed to the D throw at the part end (ensure you complete the D, F, E combination and then start the Low G for your D throw right on the final beat - I feel you jumped early to the D throw here). 2nd: Okay but slight loss of tempo in middle bars 3rd: Good 4th: Good but again slightly pushed in the last two bars to end. Overall, a good performance and an appropriate tempo selected which was pretty consistent from start to finish. Taking a look at the ending phrase will improve your performance as it sounded slightly pushed each time going to the D throw and I would suggest just going back through each beat from bar 7 to the end of bar 8 as an exercise (because it occurs so often in the tune) but it will demonstrate the way I would go about teaching rhythms and being accurate with embellishments. Start by using a metronome at desired tempo and play bar 7 over and over until mastered ensuring your hands are relaxed and notes even such as the High G, F, E following the C, E, Strike to E and repeat over and over again trying to relax your hands as much as you can to allow them to move freely and accurately. Then wait and start the next bar and ensure the same thing D, F, SMALL G grace note to E, WAIT and start the Low G of the D throw on the next beat and repeat over and over again until mastered and hands are relaxed. Tension can cause pushed playing and being early can lead to inaccurate technique. Both of these coupled with BIG (too far off the chanter) grace notes create less precise rhythms. You have a good sense of the music and timing and I feel you can bring your performance up to another level with the comments above. Good job!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guy Droz 🇨🇭           Tunes: The Banjo Breakdown      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: NIce tempo and pipe okay but drones not quite on with Low A and together detracting from overall sound quality. 1st: G grace note on C doubling not articulating clearly - last ending pushed and inaccurate 2nd: okay 3rd: in accurate going to D throw and too long a pause going into the 4th part 4th: Okay but not sure if correct grace notes are being used here as I believe you are playing G grace notes instead of strikes on E from High A? Well done! You have a good idea of what you need to do here and your chosen tempo should allow you to do this. You need to be a little more accurate in each part to improve the performance and the comments above will identify some areas to look at (i.e., 3rd part not going directly to the Low G to start the D throw from B [you are putting a Low A in there as well]). Use the metronome at your desired tempo and just go through the tune beat by beat with nice relaxed hands to master the technique and stay in rhythm (timing) throughout to be more consistent.
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿           Tunes: I laid a Herring in Salt      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and nice pipe! 1st; rushed the ending — you have more time here to put all that is required in just by staying in time. 2nd: D grip to Low A is pushed throughout the tune (and of course is played frequently). 3rd: Lost the timing here because the D grip to Low happened more often in this part. 4th: Pushed. Overall a nice presentation! You will improve this performance greatly just by staying in time with the D, Grip to Low A and Birl combination that occurs frequently throughout the tune as commented on above. Keeping this in mind you will also see what happens whenever you are experiencing a challenge (i.e., a piece of technique such as D grip to Low A and birl OR pipe being a bit too hard) this can cause you to come away from the beat and lose control. In this case, work on putting the G grace note to the D on the beat and play the grip down to the Low A and get back up to the G grace note on D to repeat often — takes care of the D and the grip portion as right now you are way too early off the D going down to the Low A with the grip MORE D required - once mastered you can now just wait on the Low and play the Birl on the next beat — You are early to this as well and reason I recommend you separate the two to work out the mechanics - ALL OF THESE should be done with nice, relaxed hands which will allow your fingers to move when you want them too and fight to get them released off the chanter. You can do this!!!!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael McNeil 🇨🇦           Tunes: Troy's Wedding      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: NIce tempo and nice resonant instrument — drones could be a little closer to Low A and together. 1st: A little pushed into the D throw at part ending (relax and finish playing the C and don't start the Low G of the D throw until the beat arrives — use exercise Low A, B, C, Low G X2 and then repeat using D throw in place of Low G) you have the time. 2nd: A little crossing noise going up from the C to the High A in the part ending. 3rd: A little loss of timing here both times through the syncopated part (use metronome and ensure the B is on the beat and then make your way up and ensure the F is on the beat each time as the notes in between are the syncopated ones. This will keep you a little more consistent here. 4th: Good - part ending. Overall, a solid performance played on a decent instrument. Just need to relax your hands a bit more and allow them to move more freely. The part ending was a problem throughout the tune and just rushing off the C early to the D throw and it appears that you just don't like playing a closed C here (closing it may be exactly what keeps you from being early to the D throw - you have lots of time but either way MASTER this by going over this bar several times and ensure your hands are relaxed which will prevent the need to get off notes early and put everything right in time. You have the hands!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Richard Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Corkhill.      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: nice tempo and pipe okay but drones not quite locked together and on with Low A detracting from overall sound quality. 1st: Grace notes too big and not always accurate. 2nd: G grace note to Low A late. 3rd: ending phrase rushed first time through. 4th: wrong notes first time through and missed notes 2nd time through right at the end. Overall a good performance here. I think you just need to relax your hands more and work on making your grace notes smaller as right now they are coming across as being on top of each other especially in your GDEs (frequent throughout the tune). Tension can also cause inaccurate grace notes as was the case in the 2nd part where your G grace note came after you went to the Low A. Try using a metronome here to really work on relaxing and playing accurately here by going through each part bar by bar as you have a great feel for the music itself and these are technical things I have commented on which once corrected, will allow you to relax and be more accurate. Well done!
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Event 18. Grade 3 Piping - Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸           Tunes: Paddy's Leather Breeches      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice tempo and pipe good! 1st: Good a little pushed to ending phrase. 2nd: C, Low A, Low A (GDE) 3rd: A little pushed in the ending phrase 4th: Slight Crossing noises here and a little pushed with the ending phrase again. Overall, well done! Pipe okay but drones not quite locked in with Low A. You have a nice sense of the music throughout the tune and I think you’re relaxing your hands a bit more will provide you a little more accuracy both in terms of technique and playing on the beat. I commented on the GDE (G grace note to c; D grace note to low a; E grace note to low a) which is played throughout the part ending and line ending in each part I believe = VERY OFTEN. You’re relaxing your hands and ensuring that the start of the beat is on the G grace note to the C and then playing the D and E grace notes on Low A evenly THEN waiting on the Low A until the next beat (F or E). Use a metronome just to give you the consistent tempo and then put everything in place while trying to relax your hands as much as you can and you WILL see how much time you actually do have to put everything in accurately. You just need to relax a bitas you have the hands and musicality!
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Kevin Hughes 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Raigmore      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Killer birls! Relaxed and controlled tempo. Watch out not to reduce pressure on high A. Steady tempo maintained well all through. Clear fingering. This was extremely well played, and I'd have to say above the grade three standard of expectations! Sorry I don't have more criticism . . . Maybe increase tempo a bit since you're handling it so well??
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Tam Bain's Lum      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent pipe and very well blown/squeezed. Thoughtful and well controlled presentation. Very swingy! Technique very clear. I'm impressed with your shake movements. Only the most minor of slight lack of clarity in a couple of isolated passages. You've got so much control here, I'd say you're ready to increase tempo a bit and have some fun! Well done.
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ken Maclean 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: Lucy Cassidy      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set, F and high G a bit flat. Good swing to start, and relaxed and controlled. Clear fingering. Excellent birls, especially from C. Slight tempo drop starting part three. Good recovery in part 4. This was very well played and fun to listen to!
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martin Johnson 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Atholl Highlanders Hornpipe Version      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start, though drones a bit flat to the chanter. E pretty sharp. Good relaxed flow. A few crossing noises here and there, but fairly clear fingering for the most part. Be careful not to increase pressure on high A. Chanter rose in pitch through the tune. Steady tempo maintained well throughout. Fun setting of AH!!
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 5      Tunes: Rathven Market      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Increased tempo through part one. Take care not to jump toward technique like the darodo. Technique is quite clear, and would be clearer still if you held back on some of the big notes. Bar two — F D D C B — you're rushing off the dotted F and D. Same in the third and fourth bars — perhaps pushing toward strikes? I'd hold the E and D downbeats more. I think a metronome will help with this — you've got the hands, but you need to know where to hold them back!
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carolyn MacLeod 🇨🇦      Place: 6      Tunes: Burning Down the Mountain      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Chanter well set — tenors good but bass pretty sharp. Lively tempo. In a few isolated spots you're pushing ahead just a tiny bit, but controlled well for the most part. Birls a little inconsistent. Micro choke in part three. Minor control issues in part 4 but never led to anything major. The places to watch tempo surges would be coming down from High A through F to E, or going up from low A through B to C. Well done.
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Carsten Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Sandy’s New Chanter      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Fairly well set pipe. High A quite flat. Relaxed and steady tempo. Watch out for crossing noises going to top hand, and also D to low A. Nice birls! Good recovery in part three. Watch out for changes in bag pressure when you go to top hand — or to bottom hand. Embellishments are good — definitely attend to those crossing moises by focusing on what finger you need to lift in order to eliminate the catch (i.e., you're lifting that finger a bit late). If it's to low A from D, don't let your pinkie drag. If it's up to E, it is your ring finger, and if it is high A, it is your thumb. It can help to simplify by focusing on the one digit that has to be lifted in time.
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Richard Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Sandy’s New Chanter.      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Drones not quite in with chanter at the start — my suspicion is that you tuned them well at a slightly reduced pressure, but increased pressure as soon as you started the tune. Steady tempo, but some isolated incidents of pushing forward. A few crossing noises to attend to — in your case I suspect it is squeezing too hard. A few errors/near-errors, but you recovered well. Main thing — stay relaxed and loose — tension hinders dexterity, and can make bag pressure harder to keep even.
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Steve Coontz 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Scottish Tavern, San Francisco      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set for the most part, though your low A is bit sharp. Be careful not to get a surge in pressure on high As. Good relaxed tempo, maintained well for the most part. Little issue in part two but didn't lead to anything major. Technique fairly good, but most of your G grace notes are a bit big, creating a bit of fluffiness. You'll have crisper technique with a slightly tighter G grace note. Catchy tune — great choice.
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Event 19. Grade 3 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸           Tunes: Crossing the Minch      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start. Bit scratchy on high G and high A. Good flow. Watch out for crossing noises going from high G to B. You may want to try to stop your hand from going so far off the chanter on high G, giving you more control of when it comes back down precisely. Great birls. Very bouncy presentation — I really like that. I know there are some passages you'll be unhappy with in this rendition, but apart from the obvious little fumbles, this was high quality, and shows what you're capable of. Well done.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Michael McNeil 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Lament for Donald of Laggan      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Michael, thanks for the entry. Pipe nice not 100% locked in. Ground - Hiharin movement a little big on the D grace note. good music and 2 bar phrasing, clean hands. (wee doubling line 3?) T S - good execution and expression mostly TD - good transition and tempo lift CS - slightly round interpretation for me, rushing D crunluath line 2 CD - steady, again good tempo lift, again too round for me, would like to hear a touch more on those theme notes Good complete tune - a good listen thanks.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: The Battle of Waternish      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Abby thanks for entering this online event , sweet pipe. Ground great Dithis S - good nice phrasing Dithis D - couple of grace note misses Var 2 - S and D - good TS - hands getting a wee bit tight now, a few T misses TD - good again the odd miss, including D taorluath CS -ok, some misses, the T and C movements off low G are more open than the others CD - losing composure now (its a long tune. . .) CAM - wee squeal hands tight. PIpe held well, big tune for this grade, first half impressive, lost composure as you tired in T and C variations. But more miles on the clock will sort that out, some minor observations as above, complete tune, keep up the good work!
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Ian MacPhail 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Too Long In This Condition      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ian, thanks for entering the Grade 3 piob. Drones pretty close, bass not locked, slightly flat F. Ground - off to a good start, well expressed. You are moving your left arm when playing truths which is causing a change in your sound, worth correcting I think. otherwise good urlar. GD - nice tempo lift. fingers pretty clean - occasional tight Taurluath. Var 1 - slightly bookish interpretation, could swell before cadences for better effect. Var 1D - a little square for me, would be nice to hear a bit more accentuation of 2 bar phrase. CS - again some softening into cadences would enhance this variation. CD - ok , slightly rushing line 3. Overall a complete tune , mostly good technique — a few musical points to ponder as above. Well done.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: Sir James MacDonald of the Isles' Lament      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Laura, thanks for entering. Nice pipes, not quite in tune (bass?) Ground - phrasing ok, tight hands at times, technique not always clean. Nice float in the cadences. Var 1 - good transition - slightly round here, a bit deliberate with the linking notes? T - wee bit snatchy with the T movement, and the movement itself not consistent. (missed D) C - good music here, again the movement is a little tight. Good effort, a complete tune, thanks.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Tim Riddle 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Lament for Mary MacLeod      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Tim, thanks for submitting this classic tune. PIpes - drones pretty good. Ground - first hiharin missed. Good phrasing line 1. again with a sticky hiharin. Ground quite nice. Var 1 - good Var 1 D - slightly simplistic musical interpretation, nice piob hi G TS - nice TD - good tempo lift, fingering not always clear here (timing of G gracenote), drones drifting now CS - open technique, tiny error line 1, error line 3 CD - ok again timing of G grace note not always accurate onto theme notes, error line 3 Overall a very pleasant tune, just marred by a few technical blemishes and errors, thanks again.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Martin Johnson 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: The Desperate Battle      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Martin, thanks for entering the piob contest online. Pipe is pleasant, pretty well tuned. Ground - clean fingering. Musically a little straight through for me, a little more space would enhance this. Var 1 - ok Var 2 - wee crosses line 3 Var 2 D clumsy transition - ok Var 3 - more crossing noises now Vr 3 D - good, would benefit from more 2 bar phrasing T - taorluath movement a bit light and inconsistent at times TAM - not always cleanly fingered C - ok CAM - a little hesitant with the CAM movement, losing a little composure A good effort here, big tune for the grade. Pipe held well, I feel you could get a touch more out of this musically using tempo changes, 2 bar phrasing and effective transitions. Thanks for the listen. A few technical issues work on too.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Chris Tabram 🇦🇺           Tunes: Field of Gold      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Chris thanks for entering this online event. PIpes - not in tune from outset. Ground - musically not always consistent - sometimes snatching at the line endings and low before edre. Var 1 - would prefer to hear more on theme notes and more phrasing here. T - GDE mostly coming across well. C - you're playing a full crunluath off E in last bar of each line instead of the fosgailte movement that’s written. Good effort, thanks for the listen.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Ray Morrison 🇺🇸           Tunes: Duncan MacRae of Kintail's Lament      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Ray, thanks for the entry. Pipe close but not 100%. Ground - could probably squeeze a bit more music out of this melodic urlar. Technique ok Var 1 - as above. Var 2 - ok Pretty good pies, and technique, not always accurate with the phrasing to my ear, which led to occasional loss of flow . Thanks for the listen.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Richard Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Field of Gold.      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Richard, thanks for taking the time to enter,Drones not in tune from outset and quite unsteady. Ground - some surging in the ground, playing and blowing. error line 3 Var 1 - choke into this variation, quite a round interpretation, would like to hear some more phrasing here. The odd crossing noise distracts, wee error line 3 T - GDE not always consistent which affects the flow of this variation. tiny errors/chokes throughout. C - technically more demanding which has stopped the musical flow now, and affected your blowing Good attempt - once you master some of the technical aspects you'll be able to relax and blow more steadily, and allow the music to flow — keep at it! Thanks for the listen.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Steve Coontz 🇺🇸           Tunes: Lament for the Rowan Tree      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Steve. Thanks for taking the time to enter this online event. A Donald Macleod piob, great. PIpes are ok, drones pretty close. Ground - careful not to snatch at those E cadences and semiquavers, gives a somewhat jerky interpretation. Var 1 - some crossing noises evident, nice transition to doubling Var 1D - wee change of mind 2nd line otherwise nice T - technique distracts here - must aim for consistency with the T movement itself C - as above The layout of the tune is ok — however the second half of the tune marred by technical inaccuracies - piobaireachd is a demanding task master, so many things to get right, keep at it!
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Vickie Gray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Lament For The Old Sword      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI VIcki, thanks for the entry. Pipe pretty well tuned, not 100%. Chanter slightly dull to my ear. Ground - clean (open) technique, nice music, possibly a tad slow. Good 2 bar phrasing evident. Wee error line 2. Nice piob high G. Var 1 - pretty good, wee chirps from top hand distract. Slightly square interpretation. Wee error line 2. Var 1 Doubling - errors distract, slightly clumsy transition from S to D. tempo lift could be enhanced here. starting to lose flow with the errors now. T - taorluath movement nice and open but not always consistent (wee catch at times). Got better through line 1. Wee change of mind at times. C - a technically challenging variation — not 100% with the C movement, just work on that consistency. Overall a solid effort, 2 main things — errors were present in most variations which distracted, the other issue to address is the shape of the whole tune — it was a bit one paced (all variations of similar tempo) but I'm sure this will improve as your confidence grows, well done.
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Event 20. Grade 3 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸           Tunes: Sir James MacDonald of the Isles Lament      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Vince, thanks for entering this online event. Nice pipes from outset. Ground good, slightly abrupt on some E cadences. F a little keen. Var 1 - good pull a little more out of those theme notes to great a more melodic interpretation.Some inconsistent blowing here. wee crossing noises at times. T - taorluath movement itself not clean (redundant low A) C- some rushing here and loss of composure with choke. Again snatching at times, wee errors. Good effort - first half of tune pretty solid, lost composure in C variation especially, which was a distraction. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 1      Tunes: John MacDonald’s Welcome to South Uist, The Piper’s Bonnet, The Sound of Sleat      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set though the F is a tad sharp. March - Great march playing here with some lovely musical expression, feel free to nudge the tempo up a tad. Try to push out the C at the end of each part for maximum expression. Great musical phrasing here at times. Watch that there aren't any catches from low A - C - E in the middle of the parts. A little bit of rushing in the 3rd part. SP - Good transition here, watch for consistency in the E doublings. 2nd and 3rd parts could be a little more expressed. Great technical delivery of the 4th part. 1 or 2 wee misses here and there though. Reel - Decent transition. Greta musical playing, slightly round towards the end. This was a most enjoyable performance, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Allan Dodd's Farewell to Scotland, Lady Loudon, Kildonan      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Great sounding drones, very nice indeed, High G a tad sharp. March - great tempo here, lovely and bright with good flow. For me, there could be a little more expression in this tune, particularly on the first beat of the bar. Starting to speed up in part 3. A few catches but otherwise technically great. SP - Great tempo and lift, on the verge of being too clipped at times. 4th part could be expressed as well as the other parts. Reel - A tad on the fast side which inhibits the musical expression. Technically great. There is much potential here, very enjoyable, well done!
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Bonnie Ann, The Shepherd's Crook, The Sheepwife      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones at the start, nice bright chanter, drones starting to drift in the March. March - Great musicality, technique and expression. It could be a little less safe overall. A few wee misses here and there as well. SP - Good music here and at a good tempo. Try to hold the first beat of each bar a little longer. A wee choke. Reel - great musicality here although a tad safe. Excellent technique at times with a few wee misses. There is a lot of potential here, keep up the good work.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Phil Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: The Highland Wedding, Struan Robertson, Alick C. MacGregor      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set, nice bright chanter sound though the F is a little sharp. March - Good tempo here with some excellent technique. There is a tad bit of rushing off the off-beat in the 2nd part. Generally there could have been a little more expression here, try to point the first beat of the bar. A few misses here and there and a technical blip on the note B in part 5 and 6. Strathspey - Good transition, lovely playing here with good expression, technique and tempo. Reel - Transition could be smoother and the musicality could have more expression, it feels a tad under-expressed. You don't have to do a pipe band stop in a solo contest. A very enjoyable MSR, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graham Brown 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 5      Tunes: Craig-n-Darroch, Maggie Cameron, A.C. MacGregor      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Lovely drone sound though set a little sharp. E and F a little flat. March - Great technique on the top hand, a few tight moments on the bottom hand. The D grace note to the short B up to the C is disrupting the flow a little. Generally very musical but on the safe side. A wee x-noise in the 4th part. SP - great transition and lift to the tune, very enjoyable. A few tight tachums but still well expressed. Reel - Musical but a little safe for me. A wee choke towards the end. This was a very enjoyable MSR, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 6      Tunes: The Glengarry Gathering, Highland Harry, Over the Isles to America      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones are fairly well set, F is flat and high G is sharp. March - Good tempo and well-expressed for the most part. Fairly clean technique which is good. The 3rd part has some uneven phrasing, there are times where it feels over expressed, keep it flowing. You tend to rush to the 'Off-Beat' a little early, practice double tapping the march here to gain maximum swing. SP - Very enjoyable, great tempo. Sometimes the 1st beat of the bar is held very nicely, other times it is underhelp, particularly in bar 3 of each part. A crossing noise was evident. Reel - slightly safe tempo here. First part is lacking flow and musicality. The rest of the tune was lovely and flowing nicely with nice music. On a general note, watch your short Cs with D gracenotes going up the chanter, it sounds like you're just playing a D and not a C. All in all a solid MSR.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Anthony Kelly 🇮🇪           Tunes: 71 Highlanders Highland Harry Drumlittie      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Lovely drone sound and well set to chanter though low A seems a little flat. March - lovely technical playing here with good expression and swing though the tempo is quite a bit down, try to brighten this up. This will enhance your technique and musicality that you already have. SP - Again, great technique here but it is a tad safe which is inhibiting the musical flow. The expression is on point at times. Reel - Much better musicality here, lovely flow and expression backed by good technique. Try to keep the 3rd part under control, it's a little clipped. An enjoyable MSR, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Calum Maclean 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Taking of Beamount Hamel, Maggie Cameron , Rejected suitor      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Very nice drone sound here, lovely bright chanter too. March - Well phrased with some excellent technique coming through. F to E doublings are a little square, try to keep the short notes short. Well expressed though this could be greater executed, try to hold the first note a little longer. A tad bit of rushing in the 4th part. SP - Good tempo here but a little square, try to keep the short notes short and hold the first beat of the bar. Reel - Transition could be better. This tune could be a lot more musical, it's quite square and a little slow. Try to up the tempo here and give it a little more dot at the cut, it seems fairly square. Excellent technical ability here with a great pipe, a few bits and pieces of musicality to work on and this will be a fantastic MSR. Try to introduce yourself and your tune before you play as well.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Emery 🇺🇸           Tunes: Willie Grey's Farewell, Lady MacKenzie of Gairloch, The Grey Bob      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Nice pipe sound, drones set a little flat, high G a little sharp. March - lovely musical playing at times, losing expression towards the end though, a few tight movements and tachums here and there. Try and lift the G finger a little higher to achieve maximum clarity. Try to ease into the tune a little more at the start. SP - A little round in places but otherwise good expression and tempo. A few missed C doublings, could be more clinical. Reel - Good entry but rushing to the off-beat early, try practicing this with double taps. This will enhance your accuracy. A few crossing noises evident as well. An enjoyable MSR, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Gregory Joseph 🇨🇦           Tunes: The Knightswood Ceilidh, Bob of Fettercairn, Willie Murray's Reel      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, top hand is a tad flat. March - good tempo here, slightly on the square side, try and keep the short notes consistently short. Pause and a choke in 2nd part. Technically sound. SP - Good tempo and times very musical. There is a lack of flow in the 1st and 3rd part. Wrong note in pt 3. Reel - Good at times with good music. A few hesitations at times as well as the odd choke here or there. There is much potential here, keep up the good work.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ken Maclean 🇦🇺           Tunes: Donald Maclean's Farewell to Oban, Highland Harry & Colonel McLeod      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good pipes at the start, drones flat by the end. Lovely bright chanter here though F is flat and Low G is sharp. March - Nice uptake to the march, great technique and decent musicality. An incorrect phrase in the second part. Good expression. SP - Good transition, very nicely played at times but a little on the square side. A few inaccuracies in the 4th part. Reel - try and make the transition a little smoother and keep the musical expression alight. A little square in the 4th part. On a general note your technique is absolutely fantastic! If you can match the musicality to your technique you'll have a winning MSR.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael McNeil 🇨🇦           Tunes: Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban, The Caledonian Society of London, Kalabakan      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Decent instrument here, drones wavering slightly. Nice bright chanter sound. March - good musical flow here, a few bottom hand crossing noises evident. Good tempo and expression. SP - a little on the slow side, losing musicality and lift. A few misses here and there also. Reel - much better musicality here, D throw at the start is a little obvious, Double check the music for the correct notes in parts 2 and 4. An enjoyable performance, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Paul Mackay 🇺🇸           Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, Dornie Ferry, The Blackberry Bush      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Pipe is a little on the flat side but still nice and bright. Nice full chanter sound. Drones set a little sharp. March - well played with some lovely musicality. The technique here could be slightly better, I'm hearing a few crossing noises and tight doublings as well as a few crushed tachums. Try to open these out to gain more clarity. Try not to slow down the last 2-bar-phrase of each part, it's well-expressed but the tempo is dipping. SP - Again, musically played but a number of tight doublings apparent. Tempo could be slightly brighter as well, but still fairly musical. Reel - Musically played but on the safe side for me, feel free to bring the tempo right up. There is a lot of potential here, keep up the good work!
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Raúl Peinado Fuentes 🇪🇸           Tunes: THE ISLE OF BARRA MARCH, THE CALEDONIAN CANAL, LEXY MACASKILL      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set at the start but drifted. Nicely balanced chanter. March - Nice bright tempo with some lovely musical phrasing at times. Towards the end there could have been a little more expression at times. The short Fs need a little more breathing space, try to control the two short Fs in a row. A few crossing noises here and there as well. Sp - Smooth transition, good tempo but rushing in parts, try to stick to the beat and not rush to the next beat. Try to lift the G grace note finger higher to achieve maximum technical clarity. Reel - good transition, a little on the fast side though. This fast tempo leads to lack of expression and technical inaccuracy. 4th part a tad round. On a general note, try to embed the technique a little more, it's a little open and disrupts the melodic flow. There is a lot of Potential here Raul, keep up the good work.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ronan Terry 🇨🇦           Tunes: Kantara to el arish, Maggie Cameron, The blackberry bush      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Nice bright chanter, drones could be closer to low A. F sharp. March - Try to ease into the tune a little better. Lovely musical swing and phrasing, a couple of missed doublings particularly on E otherwise some lovely clean technique. Try to hold the C more in bar 8 of each part for optimum expression. SP - Again, try to ease into the tune. Lovely tempo here, good lift. Try to hold the first beat of each bar a little more. Reel - Good transition, tempo a little on the safe side but has some good technique coming through. All in all, a solid MSR, well done.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rupert Nielsen 🇳🇿           Tunes: Pipe Major John Stewart, John Roy Stewart, The Cockerell in the Creel      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, set well but a little flat. Nice chanter March - Good expression at times but try to bring more out of the tune. A little bit of rushing here and there at times as well as a few catches from bottom hand to top hand. Well played. SP - First D was inaudible, try and make it more open. Try to hold the first note in each bar as well to add to musicality. Try and open out the doublings and tachums just a little more as well. Reel - Good, well played and phrased but slightly erratic at times. Much potential here, keep up the good work.
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Event 21. Grade 2 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿           Tunes: The Clan MacColl, Monymusk, Major Manson      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Lovely drone sound here, nice bright chanter though the D was sharp. March - Good tempo here though I felt there could have been more expression, particularly on the first beat of the bar. Try to mark the 2 bar phrases as well. A few moments of rushing to the off beats as well. A wee slip in the March? Technically sound with the odd catch here or there. SP - Great transition here, perhaps a little more emphasis required on the first beat of the bar. Reel - Transition could be better. Musical playing here however there was a disruption of flow in the 2nd part. All in all this MSR shows a lot of promise. Keep up the good work.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Alex Macdonald, The Judge's Dilemma      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe. Excellent control to start. Lively and bouncy. First jig extremely well played. Carrying well into second jig too. Very consistent. Not always spot on in bar 8 of second jig, but most of the time it is just right. Very well played.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 2      Tunes: Donald MacLennan’s Tuning Phrase, The Judge’s Dilemma      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe. Reserved tempo, but rolling along well. Very clear fingering. Lots of control shown here. One gracenote dropped in part three of tune 2, but technically very good. Extremely well played.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Alan MacPherson of Mosspark, St Ninians Parish Centre Ceilidh      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe. Lively tempo with lots of control. GDEs in part three hinting at speeding up ever so slightly. Apart from a few small things your fingering is very clear and clean. St Ninian's rolling along very well. Good birl work — just a couple of sticky ones. A very well played set.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Emery 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: The Snuff Wife, The Mull of kintyre      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Lively tempo, well controlled. Effective pulsing. Fingering clean with just the odd slightly unclear note to note transition. E strikes in Mull a bit light — I find these easier if my pinkie is really relaxed! Well played.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Phil Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 5      Tunes: The Northern Train, The Coldar Sniob and the Dubh Rahm      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Reserved tempo but still rolling along nicely. Be careful not to get to the cut notes a little early at times — and maybe soften the cuts a bit? Fingering quite clean, just the odd little thing (little crossing noise from F to B for example). Very well played.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 6      Tunes: The Old Hag at the Kiln and Dancing on Frost      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set and blown. Lively tempo, well controlled. Some slightly light E strikes part 4 of Old Hag. Minor timing issue part two of Dancing. Overall very well played.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Anthony Kelly 🇮🇪           Tunes: Caber feidh , Kenny Gilles of Portnalong Skye      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe. Well controlled start. Bar 8 you're hesitating before the birl, affecting the flow a bit. Similar things in part three — keep your hand very relaxed for the birls. Good consistency of the triplet work. Tempo holding well, but in part two of Kenny there are a couple of little tempo fluctuations. Very well played — outstanding instrument — main thing is those hesitations.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Calum Maclean 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Cork Hill ,Glasgow City police pipers      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start. Be careful not to hold the quarter notes too long — then you have to cut the eighth note following a bit, which disrupts the triplet flow a little. Lots of control, and good jug playing through the triplets. Tempo crept up incrementally through the set. Good technique. Well done.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Raúl Peinado Fuentes 🇪🇸           Tunes: Alex MacDonald, The Judge's Dilemma      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start, but High A a little bit sharp. Lively tempo. A bit inconsistent in places with your triplets — sometimes open, sometimes quite pointed. Much more consistent in the second. Birls a bit sticky at times and a bit early. Little crossing noise part 4 from low G to E. Well done.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rupert Nielsen 🇳🇿           Tunes: Kenny Gilles of Portnalog, The Jig Runrig      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Fairly good pipe — F just a bit sharp. Make sure to wait for the birl in bar 8. Lively tempo. Pushing forward a little in part 3 first time through, but settled well in the repeat. A few little misses but good clarity of technique. D sharp. Excellent flow in Runrig. Well done.
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Event 22. Grade 2 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿           Tunes: Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Donald Maclennan's Tuning Phrase      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent pipe to start. Very strong jig playing — subtle pulsing and good control. A couple of minor catches but good technique. Good recovery in part 4. Second jig very strong. Little choke near the end . . . Well done.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 1      Tunes: Rab’s Wedding      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Lovely swing and rhythm. Tempo nice, but no slower. A well set out tune on a good bagpipe. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Anthony Kelly 🇮🇪      Place: 2      Tunes: Mick Mahoneys Welcome.      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: A very nicely set up pipe, well tuned. Good start to your tune. Nice swing and rhythm. Every so often just falling off the tempo you set. Few laboured notes. Not sure about the HG grace note on the birl last bar. Feels a little crushed. Otherwise a very nice performance. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Pipe Major Frank Mackinnon      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Excellent start, good tempo. Little untidy D to F second phrase. Third part just rushing first phrase both times, almost tripping up on the music. Otherwise a very good tune on a lovely pipe. Well done.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Rab's Wedding      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Good positive start, nice tempo with good swing. Bagpipe well tuned. Wee catch C to E first part. Few E strikes not quite landing and the odd D thrown note quite executed. Slight rounding in second phrase of third part both times. Everything else is well expressed. A really nice tune, thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 5      Tunes: Mrs Judy Stenhouse      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Nice positive tempo, good swing. A hint of rushing in places, particularly the D strikes ends of each part – ahead of the beat. Technically the – E doublings a little tight throughout. Some D throws deficient on the LG grace note of the embellishment. Bagpipe well-tuned. A nice tune, well done. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Phil Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 6      Tunes: Meleana's Wedding      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Nice confident tempo. Lovely 6/8 swing & rhythm. Beautiful crack off the chanter, Drones not quite 100% locked in. Impressive finger work in the 4th part. One observation: try to keep the instrument still while marching just to avoid the drone waves you create with too much movement. An enjoyable tune, thanks Phil
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Emery 🇺🇸           Tunes: The MacNeils of Ugadale      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Lovely tempo, nice positive approach. Good swing and expression. Top hand embellishments very tight. E doubling in particular. Slowing down in 3rd part. Last part not sure about all the HA doublings? Good bagpipe and a pretty good tune overall Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Iain Mackay 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bruce Gandy's Farewell to the Iron Horse      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Nice bright tempo. Little bit of intonation poking out (LG and C flat also HG and HA sharp) Bottom hand execution a little muddy end of 2nd phrase both times – think you're missing the D grace note from LA to C. The C note sounds false, may need to check finger positioning. Little untidy in second part – catches and untidy birl. Note error in last line.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Paul Mackay 🇺🇸           Tunes: PM Donald MacLean of Lewis      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Lovely swing to the tune, good tempo, and rhythm. E doubs tight. Third part a little thick on all the down beats. Perhaps just give the front of the phrase some weight to allow it to flow through more. Very last birl a bit rushed. Bagpipe close, not 100%. Chanter sounds a bit inefficient. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Raúl Peinado Fuentes 🇪🇸           Tunes: DOMINIC MACGOWAN      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes pretty well tuned. Some intonation sticking out – sharp D and E. Tempo is good. Good swing. Some bottom hand execution a little muffled. Slowing down in 3rd part. Tidy enough tune, Feel you could be a little more precise in places. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ronan Terry 🇨🇦           Tunes: Miss Ishabel T MacDonald      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes close but not 100% locked in. Movement in drones. Intonation on F (sharp), HG under in 4th. Lovely swing to the tune. F doubs a bit tight. Awesome birl. At very end, saggy finish! Keep the tone up. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 23. Grade 2 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rupert Nielsen 🇳🇿           Tunes: The Heights of Casino      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bold start, tempo right up there. Some minor rushing in places. F and B doublings quite tight. Feel you could get a little more swing and control if you dropped it back a few bpm. Just lacking a little polish, all a little ‘pipe bandy.’ Bagpipe bright, well tuned.
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Ina MacKenzie      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi MacKenzie, this was a really impressive performance! Very composed and controlled playing with a good amount of swing! Grade 1 level! Execution was almost flawless. I really like the way you expressed this tune. Nothing better than a really swingin’ hornpipe. If I had to find one fault, at times I felt you could give the strong pulses a bit more time. For example, the high As before the grips. Excellent bagpipe. Drones locked in and a bright and balanced chanter. Overall, this was an exceptional grade 2 performance. Well done!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Marco's Strike Up      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Seumas, very fine playing! Excellent technique overall. Some minor missed execution; birl in 3rd part, dare in 4th part, and slight crossing noise in 4th. Great control of phrasing, relaxed with no rushing. Really good bagpipe sound. Well balanced, resonant chanter. Drones locked in from start to finish. A very musical and enjoyable performance!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Gordon MacRae's Favourite      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Megan, Really good playing! Execution was excellent. Really good clarity and crispness with embellishments. Great control of tempo and phrasing. You have nice control of your dot/cut phrasing giving your tune a really nice swing. Bagpipe sound could be better. Some “chirpiness” on bottom hand notes. High A a bit too scratchy. Drones not quite locked in. Playing-wise, this was a first class performance. Just need to sort out the sound issues. Great job!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 4      Tunes: Crossing the Minch      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Marc, well done! Very good control and swing to your hornpipe. Execution was generally good. B shakes a bit crushed. Try to emphasize the B before the shake movement a bit more. Diving into the birls at times, especially in 4th part. Emphasize the note before the birl just a bit more. Both of these issues impacted your timing in places since it can give a rushed feel to some phrases. Good tempo; steady throughout. Really nicely tuned bagpipe. Drones locked in, and a well set chanter. Overall, a very strong performance!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Rupert Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 5      Tunes: Jimmy Blue      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Rupert, Nicely played tune! Your execution is strong with clean and crisp technique. A few birls not coming out cleanly, Very aggressive tempo, with some rushing in spots. Good control of the rounded phrasing, but jumping into some phrases a bit early at times. Chanter set quite high, but well balanced other than a sharp low G. Drones solid and steady throughout. A strong performance. Well done!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Phil Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 6      Tunes: Duncan Johnstone      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Phil, very nicely played hornpipe! You’ve got good snap to your fingering technique. A few bits of missed execution here and there; especially the B and E strikes. Nicely controlled tempo other than some moments of rushed phrasing (e.g. GDEs). Well tuned bagpipe. Drones solid throughout. Bright, well balanced chanter. Very good performance overall!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Emery 🇺🇸           Tunes: Jack Adrift      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Daniel, very nice playing! Strong fingering, but a bit too tight with some movements. At times, grace notes are not being placed directly on the note. Nice, lively tempo, but your phrasing is a bit overcut producing a somewhat stilted timing. Try softening some of the cut notes to produce a better flow to the tune. Really good bagpipe! Very well tuned with well balanced, bright chanter and well-tuned drones. Overall, really nice tune; just a bit more subtlety needed with the phrasing.
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺           Tunes: Jack Aloft      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Graham, Nice job! Execution is quite good overall. Watch that you’re getting a good low G sound at the start of your D throws. Also, the D strikes at end of parts feels early to me. Nice, lively tempo. You did a nice with the round phrasing, although I think this tune might be better suited to a dot/cut approach. Personal preference I suppose. Good bagpipe sound. Nice projection and pitch from chanter and well balanced. Solid drone sound. Overall, very enjoyable performance!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Gregory Joseph 🇨🇦           Tunes: The Henningham Reunion      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Gregory, thanks for submitting your tune! Some lively playing, but I’d encourage you to slow things down. This would allow you to clean up your execution. At the speed you’re playing, much of your execution is not coming out clearly or is just crushed. For example; most B shakes were not clean and/or crushed. Slowing down would fix most of this. Few chokes later in tune. Good drones, but chanter was not balanced and a bit dull sounding. Some good stuff, but could be much better with a bit less tempo and a better balanced chanter. Keep working!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Iain Mackay 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bruce Gandy’s dusty chanter      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Iain, nice job with a challenging tune! Really good snap to your fingering technique. Some execution is not clean. Some missed embellishments at times. Try opening up your technique a bit to increase consistency. Good tempo control with a nice, “swingy” approach. Pipes out of tune from start which distracted from your performance. Drones out of tune to each other and to chanter. Overall, some good playing, but really affected by a poorly tuned instrument. Keep working!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Nicholas Mathis 🇺🇸           Tunes: PM George Allan      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Nicholas, Nicely played tune! You’ve got really strong hands. Execution is very good. Tempo fairly well controlled. Some rushing in 4th part. Timing a bit erratic. Being a bit too aggressive with some of the cut notes, especially in 3rd and 4th parts. Try to open up and stay relaxed through those sections. Drones well set and steady. Chanter a bit thin and “chirpy.” Pretty good playing overall. Just try to smooth out the timing in the last two parts and sort out the chanter. Well done!
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Raúl Peinado Fuentes 🇪🇸           Tunes: THE TRAIN JOURNEY NORTH      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Raul, very lively tune! You’ve got good snap to your fingering technique, but it’s not always clean. Try opening up some of the movements a bit more until you can develop better consistency. Good tempo, but a bit erratic at times. Get the metronome out and work on keeping the tempo steady. Timing is also a bit erratic. At times, you seem to be playing dot/cut and at others round. Very nice bagpipe sound. Well balanced chanter and drones well tuned. Overall, some good stuff. Just a bit more polish with the execution and timing needed.
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Event 24. Grade 2 Piping - Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ronan Terry 🇨🇦           Tunes: Sandy's New Chanter      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ronan, Nice job! Overall execution is quite good with good snap to your fingers. A few missed taps. Watch the false fingering on B in 2nd bar of last part. Tempo a bit cautious, but steady throughout tune. A bit more time on the B’s before the taps would better fit the rounded approach to your timing. Pipes were steady, but not dialed in. Chanter not balanced (sharp F, flat high G). Drones out of tune throughout. Unfortunately, this detracted from some really good playing.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Lament for Donald of Laggan      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Megan, thanks for your video! PIpes: Drones are well tuned with a full sound. Chanter is pleasing, though F and High A are somewhat unstable. Ground: Well presented. The last bar of Line 2 was not as confident as the rest. Work on getting the same mood through the whole ground, but very well done. Taor S: Good pace. A few rushed taorluath movements throughout. Keep the brakes on here and stretch out each themal note. You are tending to rush off of D's, E's and F's before taorluaths just a shade too quickly. Taor D: Effective change of speed and phrasing. Some tight movements as above. Focus on keeping the movements open and getting the increase in speed from themal notes rather than embellishments. Crun S: Good slowing down. As in the Taor, rushing off of Ds, Es and Fs before crunluaths. Keep these nice and long to stay consistent. Pipes holding well. Crun D: Effective change of pace. Good balance on themal and connector notes. Very well played. A very strong tune, Megan! Quite a polished performance. A few things to work on above as noted, but a very enjoyable entry. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 2      Tunes: Glengarry’s Lament      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Marc, thanks for the video. Pipes: Drones very well tuned at the start. Chanter well set. Ground: Great choice of pace with a musical presentation. Be aware of some slight inconsistencies with C to E 8th notes. Sometimes you are more aggressive with the "cut" between the two, but only slightly. Var I: Strong understanding of the ditihis rhythm. Effective phrasing and well played. Doubling: Effective change of pace. Pipes holding very well. One light grace notes in Line 2 and another in Line 3, keep the hands loose to make these come through Taor S: Good entry and well played. Doubling: Some minor inconsistent treatment of themal notes. Be sure that the C's are all the same length through this variation. A small quick grace note at the end. Crun S: Drones not as locked in as earlier, but still well in tune. Chanter holding strong. Well played and phrased. Doubling: Another effective change of pace with solid technique and phrasing. Not too fast, but still moving along well. A very mature performance, Marc. Some small points of inconsistency as noted above to help this tune get to the next level. Well done.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Anthony Kelly 🇮🇪      Place: 3      Tunes: The Massacre of Glencoe (A Mach)      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Antony, thanks for playing! Pipes: Well tuned and bold pipe at the start. Chanter well tuned, though C is a hair sharp Ground: A solid start. Hiharin movements are a tad open, but not a big distraction. Good movement in the second line. Hiharin missed in Line 3. Otherwise very well presented. Thumb: MIssed E gracenote and missed hiharin in Line 1. I think this could come up a touch in pace, though not much. Some inconsistent blowing on High A in the first line, but sorted out in Lines 2 and 3 with a lovely sound. Taor S: Clear and consistent movements throughout. The pace is again a tad slow for my taste. Doubling: Good change of pace here. Your Low A after taorluaths is somewhat long compared to the themal notes. I would cut these down let the variation move a bit faster with more balance. Effective phrasing in this variation. Crun S: Pipes are holding well. A few tight movements, particularly on the edre part. Work to get your E and F gracenotes to be just as open as your D. Doubling: Tending to sit long on the connecting E's after these movements when they come from bottom hand notes. As above some E and F grace note tightness in the movements. Well phrased. A Mach: Could use a slight increase in pace. Similar to the normal crunluath, your E and F gracenotes are somewhat crushed. Work on getting these consistent. Overall a very well played tune, Antony. Pipes are well set and blown with a lot of good music. A few technical things to work on in the later variations, but a very nice tune.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Rupert Nielsen 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Black Donalds March      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Rupert, thanks for your videos! Pipes: A bright pitch. Drones and chanter well tuned. Ground: Bold pace at the start, but not too fast. Some Fs are sharper than others, so be mindful of overblowing. Effective phrasing at line ends. Thumb: Effective change of pace with well blown High As. Clear phrasing through this variation. As above, some instances of overblowing. Var II: Good start, though be careful to not speed up as you approach line ends when you have multiple High A doublings in a row. Keep the brakes on to give yourself space to increase speed as the tune progresses. Doubling: Well phrased throughout with an effective "slowing down" at the end. Well played. Lemluath S: Grips are fairly tight for a lemluath variation. Try to open these up to show the listener more of the grip's rhythm. Some speeding up in Line 3, as above, keep the brakes on here. Doubling: As above, grips are fairly tight. Top hand on the chanter is starting to get sharper (E, F and HIgh A) Taor S: Well played technique, though I wouldn't play them any more tight. Better handling of Line 3 in this variation. Doubling: Somewhat too fast and clippy here. Try to relax and let the themal notes "rise" to show tension building during the phrases to be released at the end. Crun S: Technique is crushed — as above opening the crunluath will help solidify the phrasing and musicality of this tune. Doubling & A Mach: Tight crunluaths and a machs are taking away from the musicality here. Open up the technique to allow for more life in these later variations. Overall a very strong start for this tune, Rupert! You are clearly well taught and working hard. I would focus on opening up your later variation technique to pull the most music out of this great, bold tune.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 5      Tunes: The Men Went to Drink      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Graham, thanks for playing! Pipes: drones well tuned at the start. Chanter also well tuned, although F was flat and got a shade lower as you went along. Ground: Good pace at the start. F a shade flat. D throw sometimes lacking a full "C." Var I - Pace change was not very noticable. I think you could let this variation move along just a little bit faster. Var II - Well phrased. Pipes are holding well. Some of your short connector notes are more clipped than others. Work to get these consistent throughout. Well played overall. Doubling - Good change of pace. Taor S - Taorluath movements are quite tight for a piobaireachd. They are well executed, but could be more open. Some slowing down in the second and third lines. Doubling - As in Singling, movements are fairly tight. Good tempo and phrasing overall. Ending of this was somewhat abrupt, would have preferred a gradual decrease in speed in the third line. Flat F is starting to creep in more, but pipes holding well. Crunlath S - Similar to the Taor S, tight movements are distracting from the flow of the music. Doubling - Well chosen pace for an exciting finish. As above, some tight technique. A great tune overall, Graham! I enjoyed listening to a tune that we don't get to hear enough .Just a few things to work on as noted above, most important being the tightness on the Taorluath and Crunluath movements. These movements shouldn't be very large, but don't hesitate to let them open up more to get a full rhythmic effect from the embellishments. All things considered a lovely performance!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 6      Tunes: Hector MacLean's Warning      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Mackenzie, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones well tuned. Low G somewhat flat for my taste. Chanter sharpened through the performance and was somewhat higher than the drones at the end. Ground: Aggressive start, but appropriate for this tune. I wouldn't go any faster, though. I think you could show the phrase and line ends more effectively by holding out the last note in each phrase/line longer. Dithis: Strong hands. As above, some clearer phrasing would help pull the music out of this tune more. I also think this is a tad fast, not leaving much room for increasing speed later on. Doubling: Here I think you're not showing as much of a tempo increase as we usually hear. Slowing down the singling will give you the space necessary to bring this up. Otherwise well played. Taor S: Taorluaths are well played but could be more open to get more out of the embellishment musically. Doubling: Pace here is fairly aggressive. This is an aggressive tune, but like the dithis you aren't leaving yourself room for the crunluath to be faster. Crun S: Technique here is also quite fast. Opening up the movement will help you phrase the tune more effectively. Doubling: B starting to go slightly flat. As above, technique is quite tight and clipped. Try opening these up to let the music flow more. An aggressive play on a bold tune, Mackenzie. You are clearly well taught and working hard, so just try to let the music flow more in this tune. I would recommend slowing things down a touch throughout the tune. That, combined with opening up your technique in the later variations some will help make the most of the tune. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Andrew Edwards 🇳🇿           Tunes: The Battle of Sheriffmuir      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Andrew, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones seem well tuned though the recording. F sharp at the start. Ground: Good start to a bold tune. F is somewhat distracting (Sharp). Good technique on the dare and edre movements. Well presented. Thumb: HIgh A somewhat shirll and sharp. Good change of pace and progression from the Ground. Some inconsistencies on the size/rhythm of the High A Doubling, with some being more open than others. I would recommend keeping the faster Var 2: A "near miss" in line one. Line 2 was played just a hair faster than Line 1. Clear phrasing, nice job. Doubling: Good change of pace, good job showing the ends of lines. F still quite sharp. Var 3: A tad fast here. I think you could package the individual phrases more clearly in your presentation, similar to what you did in Line 3. Tripling: Well executed and phrased. Taor S: You're playing a cadence in the first phrase that isn't in either the Piobaireachd Society or Kilberry. Well phrased second line. The final cadence to B was somewhat overdrawn compared to other cadential E's Taor D: Good line ends, though I think you could show your midline phrase ends more. Otherwise well played. Crun S: Crunluath movement accurately played, though somewhat crushed. In the first line you played almost the same cadence that you did in the TS, though missing a G grace note. I think you could slow this variation down some to make the entrance to cadences less jarring. Crun D: Like the Taor Doubling, effective phrasing at the ends of lines but could use more in midline phrases. Still somewhat fast with a sharp F. A Mach: Rushing off of the E after a mach movements and somewhat fast. I think slowing the melody and the embellishments will help this variation improve. Overall a nice tune, Andrew. I would work on getting your F more in tune with the rest of the chanter and making some small pace and tempo adjustments in later variations — particularly the Taorluath, Crunluath and A-Mach movements. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Calum Maclean 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Corrienessan's Salute      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Calum, thanks for entering! Pipes: Hard to tell on this recording, but the drones seem set flatter than the chanter. F is set sharp, though not egregiously. Ground: Good pace to start. Rodin is quite open. Work on getting the B grace note to be faster. As you went along you slowed down in Line 2. Could use more finesse and poise in the final phrase. Var I: Effective change of pace. You are somewhat inconsistent with the length of short (16th notes in Kilberry) connector notes. Try to keep each of these consistent from phrase to phrase. Doubling: Very nice and clear increase in speed. However, could use more phrasing throughout. Show where phrases and lines end to help the listener grab on to the structure of the tune. Some speeding up in this variation as you went along Taor S: An aggressive pace for a singling. Taorluath movements are quite tight and could open up to get the most out of them. Chanter sharpening some. Work on getting each of your taorluath movements to have clear and clean gracenotes at the same rhythm every time, regardless of which note iti is coming from. Doubling: As above, some tight technique. The F is starting to come up with the chanter and is sharper to the drones than at the start. Better consistent rhythm here. Crun S: Crunluath movement is played pretty open compared to the taorluath movements. I think you would be best served by meeting in the middle; opening up the taorluath and closing down the crunluath. Doubling: Not much of a pace change here. Working on the crunluath movement will give you more space to show a change in tempo. Overall a good tune, Calum. A few pieces of bottom hand technique to work on (rodin, taorluath, crunluath) as noted above to help you get the most out of this great tune. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Craig McKenzie 🇦🇺           Tunes: The Lament for Captain MacDougall      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Craig, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones not set right on with the chanter but well tuned with one another. High A is somewhat sharp/thin and F is a shade flat. Ground: A strong entry, though Line 2 slowed in comparison to Line 1. Hiharins at the end of Lines 2 and 3 were open - try to keep the D gracenote and birl more "flowy." Var I: Good change of pace and effective phrasing. F is more distracting here. Lifting some tape would help the music shine through. Otherwise well played. Doubling: Clear increase in tempo, well done. Very good phrasing at line ends, though could use more in midline phrases. Chanter intonation in the last phrase was a bit jarring — flat F and sharp High A were less stable. Taor S: Could use more of a gradual entry to this singling by slowing down at the end of VI Doubling. Well played embellishments. Low A and Drones clashing more as you go long. Doubling: Good pace increase. Chanter intonation issues are detracting from the music as above, but the tune is well played. A few tight taorluaths in Lines 2 and 3. Crun S: Effective pace change. It feels somewhat rushed into the "singling sections" — a bit more time would help this feel more "solid." Doubling: Another well made pace change. Nice phrasing and playing with some unclear crunluath movements. Overall a well played tune, Craig. Chanter intonation issues detracted from your polished musical performance, so spend some more time getting the intervals locked in on the chanter for future events and I think you'll do quite well. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Daniel Emery 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Marquis of Argyll's Salute      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Dan, thanks for entering. Pipes: Drones well tuned with Low A. F somewhat sharp. Ground: A fairly aggressive tempo for this ground. Good, clear hands. Low G's in B Double Echo (Line 2 end) somewhat short/clippy. As you went along you seemed to slow down a hair, settling into a more comfortable speed. A well presented ground overall. Var I: Felt rushed into this from the ground. Try to take more time at the end of the ground before jumping into the next variation. Similarly, it felt a bit rushed from Line 1 into Line 2 of this variation. A missed G gracenote to E in Line 3. This was played more cut than we typically do here, but was done so consistently. Doubling: As above, you are playing this more dot/cut than is typically heard. I would try smoothing this out more in the breabach rhythm. Taor S: Movements are quite tight and pace is somewhat fast. I would slow this down some and open up the technique to get the most out of the embellishments. Good treatment of Line 4. Doubling: Similar to the Var I Doubling it feels rushed off of the themal notes. I would extend these more to make them the focus of each note grouping. Crun S: Like the Taorluaths, Crunluath movements are quite tight. This opens the door for inconsistency. B double echoes in Line 2 could use more D grace note. The cadence in Line 4 was rushed. Doubling: Movements again are quite tight with some being crushed. Sometimes you are playing an E gracenote to begin your note groups rather than a G grace note — be sure to check that you're getting all the right gracenotes in there! A nice tune overall, Dan. Just a few comments to help this tune flow a bit more and get more music out of the later variations. Although a salute tune, I think the tune could come down in pace in general.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Graham Brown 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Lament for Donald of Laggan      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Graham, thanks for your video. Pipes: Drones well tuned at the start, although flat to Low A. Chanter has a pleasing sound, a few notes out (F flat, E Sharp) Ground: Well presented. Dare movement at the end of Line 1 not quite accurate. Be sure to start the movement with a plan F. Taor S: Effective change of pace. Although well played, I think you could get a bit more out of the "singling sections" to show the phrase ends and to build musical tension. Sharp E is somewhat distracting from the musicality of the tune. Doubling: Good change of pace. Try to solidify your first Low A in this variation before playing the movement. Could use more clear "phrasing" of line and phase ends throughout. Crun S: Another effective change of pace. As in the Taor S, I think you could pull out the long notes in the "singling sections." Chanter is rising in pitch, but drones holding well. Some inconsistent treatment of phrase ends. One missed movement in LIne 3. Doubling: NIce change of tempo. Some technical misses in this variation. Would also like some more clarity on the phrase ends, as in the Taor D. Overall an enjoyable tune, Graham! A few notes as above to help the phrasing come through to the listener more clearly.
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Gregory Joseph 🇨🇦           Tunes: The MacGregor's Salute      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Gregory, thanks for playing! Pipes: Drones not perfectly locked in, but not far out. Chanter has some interval issues, D E and F are sharp to Low A. Ground: Well present. D, E, and F sharpness are somewhat distracting, but tune is well played. Thumb I: High G is slightly sharp but not too much. Playing an extra G grace note before embari movements. Thumb II: Good change of pace here. Could use more clear line ends throughout, but effective increase in tempo. One choke in Line 3. Thumb III: You are playing this from the book but there are errors in the Piobaireachd Society collection where some bars have notes in reverse order. Try to match these with the rest of the variations. Dithis: Well played Doubling: Somewhat round. Try to keep the themal notes long and the connectors short throughout. Taor: Slightly fast for my taste. I would personally want this a hair slower than the Dithis Doubling to allow space to speed up as a get towards the end of the tune. Good balance of themal/connector notes. Slip in line 3. A Mach: Some erratic timing here. Take more time before starting your a-mach movement. You're tending to rush into them. Crun: Good technique. Choke in Line 2 and some small hesitations. A Mach: As in the Taorluath A Mach, you're rushing into the A Mach notes/movements from time to time, particularly on D. Take more time before starting these to give a more consistent performance. A good start to this tune, Gregory! Some points of technical consistency to work on. I'd also double check with your instructor on the notes in the Thumb III variation. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Phil Nielsen 🇳🇿           Tunes: Catherine's Lament      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Phil, thanks for playing. Pipes: Drones well tuned at the start. Low G and F flat compared to Low A. Ground: Well presented. Some rushing in the last measure of Line 1. Take more time between the two hiharins. Edre in Line 2 not as clear as other technique. You are seeming to get an extra sound when making a D gracenote from Low G to Low A. Otherwise well played. Var I: Good choice of tempo here. Well played. Doubling: F is more in tune here. Effective increase in pace. Could use a little more phrasing at the end of this variation. Taor S: The Low A in your "singling sections" has some slight inconsistent treatment. Work to get each of these the same length each time. Some tight technque, but otherwise well played. Doubling: Be careful to not crush the technqiue in your doublings. You should aim to keep your taorluath movement the same rhythm throughout both singling and doubling, getting the tempo increase from themal notes. As in Var I Doubling, could use more phrasing at the end. Rushing off of the Low A's at the end of each movement somewhat as well. Crun S: Some tight technique and inconsistent treatment of the Low A's similar to the Taor S. Doubling: As above, rushing through the technique in general. Work on not over-clipping the E's after crunluaths similar to the Low A's after taorluaths. A Mach: A Mach movements are crushed overall. Work to hear two distinct halves of this movement. A great start to this tune, Phil! Work on opening up the technique in the second half of the tune to really help the music shine. Keep it up!
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Event 25. Grade 2 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿           Tunes: Lament for Donald of Laggan      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Seamus, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones well tuned, but D and F set sharp. Ground: A somewhat bold performance, but not too aggressive. Well played dare movement. Somewhat rushed from line to line here. Take more time to show the ending of each line. Otherwise well played. Taor S: Well played, but as above could use more time at the end of line. The "singling sections'' are somewhat rushed — try to extend these notes out longer to create some musical tension, particularly in the middle of the second line. Doubling: Good pace and consistency. As you went along your technique became tighter, ultimately leading to a couple of minor misses in line 2. Crun S: An extra gracenote at the beginning of this variation. As in the Taor S, I think you could get more out of the "singling sections'' to show poise and control of this variation. Drones and chanter starting to separate more here Doubling: Good change of pace. As above, could use more time at the end of each phrase and line to show the listener the structure of the tune. A well played tune, Seamus. You're working hard on your music and have a lot of positive aspects about this performance. I would work on keeping the brakes on in this tune more and opening up some technique in the later variations to show more control throughout the tune. Keep it up!
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Connor Eckert 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: John MacDonald Of Glencoe, Susan McLeod, Sandy Cameron      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Fabulous pipe. Good flow — maybe slightly overcut on some cuts that land on beats/off-beats, but only slightly. Well phrased, and flowing well. Strong technique (some fluffy D doublings). Tachums a little tight in part 4. Strong break to strathspey. Superb flow and phrasing. Minor miss part 4. Quick reel but in control. Again, some cuts a bit aggressive. A very strong MSR. Well done.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sass Bergen 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Kantara to El Arish, Susan MacLeod, Alick C. MacGregor      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent pipe, set very well. Bouncy march to start with good and thoughtful phrasing. Clear and open technique. A couple of light D doublings . . . Watch blowing/squeezing on high G — minor fluctuations. Excellent march. Great transition to strathspey. Superb phrasing here too. Lively and well in control. Chanter a bit higher than drones by the end of the strath. Well played. Great flow to the reel. Also well phrased. A very good set!!
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tristan Mitchell 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: Donald Maclellan of Rothesay, Maggie Cameron, Drumlithie      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Very good quality of sound — F set sharp to start. Good flow, lots of patience and strong phrasing from the start. Clear technique. At times a bit overcut when you get F-E-F high A passages. Keep the middle cut notes relaxed. Very good march. Good break to strathspey. D sharp. Good understanding of strah playing and well phrased. A bit reserved — I think you could increase tempo a smidge. Great break into the reel. Excellent flow here. The reel was fabulous — a highlight. Pipe held well.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Richard Payn 🇿🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: The 91st's at Modder River, Cabar Feidh, Willie Murray's Reel      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Good flow. A bit early on the taorluath in bar 8. Good phrasing. A bit hurried into bars 3 and 5 in part three — pushing through the pickup notes. Overall a good march, though not always fully locked into a steady beat. Watch that final bar in each part though. Good flow to the strathspey. Slowed a bit going into part two. Strong technique. Well played strath. Good into the reel. Bit of a sticky B strike then settled. Rolling along very well in part three. Very strong reel. Well done.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 5      Tunes: Bonnie Ann, The Shepherd's Crook, The Sheepwife      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. A fairly conservative tempo, but flowing well. I think the end of phrases in this march are very important in part one — when you get an 8th note followed by a tachum, be very sure that the tachum is not starting ahead of the off beat — really stretch the 8th note before. Much more consistent phrase definition as the tune went on, and the tempo picked up just a wee bit, flowing even better than the start. Good clarity to technique. Great break to strathspey. Strong phrasing here. Little choke . . . Lively tempo with lots of control. Clear bottom hand fingering. High A getting quite scratchy. Consistent approach to the reel, but maybe think about softening the cuts that land on beats/off-beats? Very steady. Drones not perfect, but very close. Minor miss near the end. Well played.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Eddie Boland 🇮🇪      Place: 6      Tunes: The Braes of Castle Grant, Captain Colin Campbell, Major Manson.      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Excellent pipe. High A a bit scratchy but not distracting to me. Good flow and well phrased. A little early to beat two in the seventh bar — cut C just ahead of the beat. This improved as the tune progressed. Bar 8 a little hurried too sometimes. Technique quite good, but taorluaths could be opened up a lttle so you can hear the taorluath triplet rhythm. Lively strathspey, but a bit underphrased for my taste. Cut F beat two of part two a bit early - phrasing would take care of that! Pipe holding well. Tough break technically to reel! Relaxed flow, going well. Much better phrasing here - effective third part. Lots of control. Rell was a highlight for me. Well played.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Canaan Strobel 🇺🇸           Tunes: Hugh Kennedy, Maggie Cameron, Bessie MacIntyre      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start, but high G a bit sharp. F a bit unstable. Excellent clarity to fingering. Good flow and strong phrasing. Final birls sometimes a bit early. Strong start to the strathspey. Good phrasing in part one, but less evident in parts two and three. Good break to reel. When you have a quarter note followed by a cut, be sure not to jump into the cut early. Speeding up a bit in the last part. Overall very well played - not always right on the beat, likely caused by overthinking either phrasing or technique — be sure to lock right in to an unshakable beat.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Conway Buckle 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿           Tunes: Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch, Lt-Col. D.J.S Murray      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Good sound quality to your instrument — just overloading the microphone . . . I'm not sure the drones are quite locked, but that could be distortion from the mic. Good flow. Clear technique. Well phrased march. Low A higher than drones by the end of the march. Good start to strath. D sharp. Take care not to overblow the high G. Lively and danceable. Maybe wait a bit longer before the birl in part three. Excellent runs in part 4. Reel started well. Watch out for overcutting on cuts that land on a beat or off-beat, or two cuts in a row. Bit of a crossing noise in the last line. Chanter rose in pitch throughout the set. Well played.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Friedrich Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, Lady MacKenzie of Gairloch, Willie Cummings’ Rant.      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe not quite settled down to start . . . Drones not fully locked, and flat to your chanter. Watch for fluctuations in bag pressure. Lively tempo with good phrasing. Technique a bit tight at times. Take care not to overcut if you have a cut on a beat or an offbeat. Final birls a bit early. Good break to strathspey. Good phrasing here. Some hole coverage issues by part three. Squeezing too hard perhaps? Runs could open up a bit in part four. Really quick in the reel! Hold back! You'll get more technique in, and more music out of it. Well done — just watch your speed!
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jürgen Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Hugh Kennedy, Susan MacLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran.      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set, but flat to chanter. Watch out for fluctuations in bag pressure. A bit pushed — make the most of the big notes, and take care to define your phrases, which will help keep the tempo in control. A bit slower would enable you to get in more of the technique too. Little issue at the start of the strathspey. Settled down by part two — flowing much better here. Great birls. Watch out for false fingering in the ending phrase. Very quick in the reel . . . Slow down here too and you'll get more musicality out and not miss so much technique. Well done — but slow down!
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martha Hall 🇺🇸           Tunes: Pipe Major John Stewart, Dornie Ferry, MacKay from Skye      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe fairly well set to start, but F a little sharp. Thoughtful march playing, with strong phrasing. Technically quite good, with just a few slightly cloudy passages. Phrasing not quite as well defined in part three, with the first bar a bit round. Well played. Strathspey started well. By part two your beat is a little inconsistent — maybe overthinking phrasing? Much better in part three and four. Drones moving a bit. Some minor fluctuations in bag pressure — nothing major. D sharp. Reel rolling along well. The reel was a highlight for me — well played!
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mic Trenor 🇺🇸           Tunes: Knightswood Ceilidh, MacBeth’s Strathspey & The Grey Bob      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set to start. Lively tempo with lots of control — just a bit pushed off the B starting bar 8. Well thought out phrasing at the start. A bit inconsistent on the length of the high A starting the ending phrase — you've got lots of time on it. Clear technique apart from a couple of slightly cloudy passages (nothing big). Good break to strathspey. Watch out for minor fluctuations in bag pressure. Well phrased. Keep the runs in the final end phrase a bit more open. Well played. Good break to reel. High G pretty flat now. Good flow. Try not to press into your birls to avoid sticking. Well done.
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Event 26. Grade 1 Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ryan Morrison 🇺🇸           Tunes: Leaving Glenurquhart, Lady Louden, The Smith of Chilliechassie      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Pipe well set, though F sharp to start. Good flow and effective phrasing from the outset. Lively tempo, flowing well, except be careful not to overcut if there's a cut on a beat or offbeat, or two cuts in a row. Just loosen those up a bit. Your tachums will be more consistent then as well. Watch out for overblowing/squeezing on high A and high G in the strathspey. Slightly underphrased to start but settled in well quickly. Clear technique. Well played. Reel seems a bit pushed, mostly due to lack of space when you get the low A low A low A low G beats — wait in between, before the second cut low A to keep the tune under control. Otherwise, well played. Good set.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tristan Mitchell 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: The Curlew, Skye Rovers      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice full sounding pipe. Drones steady throughout. A musical performance that had a good balance of excitement, smoothness and control from start to finish. Some minor rushing/push-and-pull the first time through the 3rd part of The Curlew, but settled back down on the repeat. Lots of poise in Michael McDonald. Interesting choice not to syncopate the Fs and high Gs in the fourth part, but it was well played and a fresh take on this tune. Very enjoyable, Tristan. Well done!
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Connor Eckert 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Brennan's Broken Chanter, Patrick's Revelations      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Rich-sounding bagpipe, with plenty of bass presence. Drones very close but not quite locked in at the start. Nice, relaxed start to Brennan's Broken Chanter. Pushing a bit harder (i.e., slight rushing) in 3rd. Be careful not to hit the birls early at the end of each part. Smooth, poised playing in both tunes overall. Clean playing, apart from some very slight blips in the 2nd part of Patrick's Revelations. A pretty polished performance, Connor. You could perhaps afford to nudge the tempo up just a touch to generate a bit more excitement, but your playing is impressively smooth and controlled. Well done.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Conway Buckle 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 3      Tunes: Ross Cowans 40th & Michael MacDonalds Jig      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: The recording was a little distorted, unfortunately, but it sounded like you had a pretty good pipe. F a little on the sharp side and D was very sharp. Drones perhaps a bit flat to low A. Nice drive to first tune. Slight hesitancy at times in 3rd part. Several crossing noises in 3rd and 4th parts. Good transition to Michael McDonald's and good, controlled playing here. Nice playing, Conway. Exciting but quite well controlled overall. Just work on ironing out those crossing noises.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sass Bergen 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Donella Beaton, Topper      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice pipe! Drones and chanter well set. Low A just a touch sharp — overblown at the very end of the performance. Good, well maintained tempo. Good control of GDEs, but tending to start doublings a touch early in Donella resulting in some rushing into the B phrases and the ending phrases. Playing birls nicely on the beat for the most part at the end of each part, but occasionally hitting them early. Slight loss of momentum in first part of Topper. (Very cool tune, by the way.) Again, some push and pull, this time caused by early E doublings in bar 8. Tricky third part was well handled. Very nice playing, with evidence of lots of attention to detail. Well done.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Eddie Boland 🇮🇪      Place: 5      Tunes: Barbara's jig, Michael McDonalds jig      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Bright sounding pipe. Drones well set and steady. Chanter well tuned but D a bit flat. Very crowy high A that was quite distracting. Your pipe sounded so good otherwise — blow through that high A, Eddie! Nice, lively tempo. Barbara's Jig was well controlled for the most part, but you tended to rush onto D throws and off C-B-LA beats. Slight tumble at the very end. Strong start to Michael McDonald. Third part a little less controlled than the first two. Overall, an exciting and musical presentation of these two tunes.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mic Trenor 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Judges Dilemma, Pipers Bonnet      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice sounding pipe. Drones not quite locked at the start. They settled in as you got further into the performance. Quite an aggressive start, and playing the birls quite far ahead of the beat at part endings in the Judge's Dilemma. GDEs well articulated. Some small bottom hand catches in 2nd and 3rd parts, and the odd crossing noise as well in 3rd and 4th part. Sounding a bit more relaxed and smoother in Piper's Bonnet. Nice birls in the 3rd part. Slight rushing in 3rd and a wee stumble/loss of composure in 4th. An exciting play, Mic! I would maybe just relax the hands a bit to try and get a bit smoother (and cleaner) in the first tune in particular.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brennan Foley 🇺🇸           Tunes: Morning Blossom and the Pipers Bonnet      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice tone. Drones note quite locked at the start. A good job of a very tricky-sounding tune. Unfortunately, there were a few wee crossing noises and misses in the 3rd part of Morning Blossom. Piper's Bonnet started well, but got a bit bumpy in the 2nd part (some slight rushing, then a hesitation . . .) Some ad-libbing going on in the 4th part of Piper's Bonnet which actually worked quite well (whether it was intentional or not!). I enjoyed your playing, Brennan. You've got good strong hands and lots of music in you. Just work on your control a bit more so you can showcase your playing better.
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Event 27. Grade 1 Piping - Jigs (two jigs each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jürgen Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Corkhill, The Curlew.      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Pipe out of tune from the start. Drones flat to chanter, high A very flat and low A sharp. Exciting tempo with lots of drive. A little rushed feeling throughout, especially at the end of each part of Corkhill — wait for those C doublings! Several chokes and a couple fairly major stumbles. Losing control and accelerating throughout The Curlew. You have lots of potential, Jurgen, but in this performance you let these jigs run away from you. I would dial back the tempo and work hard on control, trying to achieve a good separation between each group of 1/8 notes so you can keep the tempo steady and avoid rushing.
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Connor Eckert 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Dr. Ross's 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Very nice pipes - HA a hair flat Very nice, excellent tempo and good 6/8 idiom 2nd part I would hold the HA prior to the grip longer Very clear execution! Excellent tune! Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mic Trenor 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Nice drones Solid, and good foundation to chanter, bottom hand is flat Good tempo, a bit round at times, nice fingering, rushing into E doublings at times, great birls! Very good tune, Thank you. Colin P.S. Interesting backdrop!
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sass Bergen 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Miss Isabel T. MacDonald      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Well-balanced chanter (really like the top hand), drones together, but not always with the LA and E Tune - good tempo and lift, nice and clear execution, make sure you hold the dotted eighth notes long enough (you are sometimes making them too short, which distracts from the 6/8 idiom, examples below) You are often rushing into the C doublings In third part, hold the LA at the beginning of the phrases more. Fourth part, similarly hold the HA prior as you are losing the 6/8 idiom, by not doing this. Overall, excellent performance. Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Martha Hall 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Frank Thompson      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: HA is a bit buzzy/scratchy, F is a bit sharp, but nice pitch and good drones Good tempo, nice fingering throughout - make sure you hold the dotted eighth notes long enough (you are sometimes making them too short, which distracts from the 6/8 idiom - see below example), as well you are sometimes rounding off these note groupings of three - Some rushing in part 2 - Example F E E (hold F longer) Great to hear this tune — enjoyed this very much! Thanks, Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brennan Foley 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Cameron MacFadyen      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Nice drones and set well to chanter, scratchy HA, LG flat An upbeat tempo, E doublings could be articulated better, and D throws are not precise or consistent At times you are rounding out the 3 note groupings which detracts from the 6/8 idiom 2nd part - missed strike 3rd part - some rushing evident (1st time thru, 2nd line) Overall, a very enjoyable performance! Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Iain Jansen 🇦🇺      Place: 6      Tunes: Dr Ross’s 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Nice drones, scratchy HA, flattish HG, LA not quite with drones Good tempo Make sure you hold the dotted eighth notes long enough (you are sometimes making them too short, which distracts from the 6/8 idiom 1st part - c to e a bit untidy 3rd part - make sure you are emphasizing the note prior to the taorluaths 4th part - same thing here I enjoyed your performance, keep it up! Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Canaan Strobel 🇺🇸           Tunes: Bengullion      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Drones with chanter, top hand a bit thin sounding, LG flat Good tempo. 1st part - missed strike, untidy on this note grouping- B LA LG (hold B longer) 2nd - overcutting on B to LA 3rd - ditto, near end of line one of part 4th - Nice D throws Overall, well played — HG was too thin and distracting at times Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Friedrich Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: Dr. Ross’ 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering.      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Drones not quite with the chanter (chanter is sharper), pipes blown fairly well Nice strong fingering, some catching from C to E Nice grips in 2nd part, but hold the HA a bit longer before it Taorluaths could be articulated better in 3rd part In 4th part, hold the note prior this the taorluath more Overall a good tune - Keep it up! Colin
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Event 28. Grade 1 Piping - 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jürgen Christiansen 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Trees of North Uist.      Judge: Colin McWilliams     
Judge's Comments: Full drone sound, but not quite with chanter, LG out of tune considerably Good tempo, Make sure you hold the dotted eighth notes long enough (you are sometimes making them too short, which distracts from the 6/8 idiom) 3rd part squeals on LG The LG made was quite distracting, but o/w I enjoyed the performance. Nice Pipe Organ!
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Connor Eckert 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Aberdeen Romeo, College of Piping at Summerside P.E.I      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice controlled tempo and vibrant instrument with lots of ring 🙂 HP 1: 1. Nice and lovely control yet driving through 2. Nice 3. Nice 4. A little pushed off the syncopated High G first time through HP 2: 1. micro chirp on repeat on Low A birl otherwise good 2. Good 3. Lovely syncopated timing here . . . right "in the pocket" 4. Good Overall great playing on a very nice instrument full of quality. Thought the syncopation was perfect in College of Piping and just slight pushed a couple of times in Aberdeen Romeo however did not really detract from presentation! Well done!
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sass Bergen 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Angus John's Fancy, The Train Journey North      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice controlled tempo and vibrant instrument HP 1: 1. Good-lovely birls. Watch the short F before the E doubling at the end of bar 4 is not ghosted and ensure your G grace note to start the E doubling is not too big. 2. Good 3. Good 4. Good HP 2: 1. Nice control 2. Good 3. Good 4. Good watch you keep the tempo here as there was a slight drop at times first time through. Overall, two very well played hornpipes on a nice, vibrant instrument that was well tuned and maintained throughout the performance. I like the control you have demonstrated and there were a couple of times where I thought maybe a tad too controlled but being consistent and accurate was more enjoyable than slightly pushed and on fire for a competition entry. Well done Sass!
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brennan Foley 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Chasing Banx and Stumbling Through the Gray Area      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice aggressive tempo and vibrant instrument — try to ensure you blow through the reed a little more to make that High A wrong (be on top of the crow a little more). HP 1: 1. Good 2. Good 3. Good 4. Good HP 2: 1. Good 2. E strike missed 3. Good 4. MIssed GDE on B Overall, a really enjoyable set of Hornpipes played with drive and confidence. Would like to see you just sit everything back a tad just to ensure you have all the time you need to be accurate as there were times where you pushed a bit and of course it is here where things get missed or not clear. The GDE's in the final tune create a really nice rhythm and if one of those grace notes is missed it detracts from this rhythm. Being right in time here and relaxing will ensure success from start to finish. Still really enjoyed the tunes and the pipe where as mentioned I think you can get more quality from just leaning a bit more on the reed (either via blowing or making it a little easier).
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tristan Mitchell 🇦🇺      Place: 4      Tunes: Dora Watt, PM George Allan      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice controlled tempo and vibrant instrument that was a shade sharp on D and bright top hand. HP 1: 1. Good 2. Good 3. Slight micro chirp going to Low A 4. Good and syncopation not quite flowing here in terms of feel and more measured. HP 2: 1. Good 2. Good 3. Good 4. Good Overall very well done here. Nice control throughout and I thought the 4th part of Dora Watt was not quite delivered the way I know this to be and came across measured instead of being free utilizing the syncopation to its fullest. You have great control and pipe was steady from start to finish and really just at the beginning I found it a bit high (blowing?) which may contribute to the micro chirps as commented on in the 3rd part with the G grace notes to Low A. Well done!
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Mic Trenor 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Barry Ewan, Hiccup      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Nice controlled tempo and vibrant instrument HP 1: 1. wrong note (D instead of E?) 2. missed grace note at end of 2nd time through part on final D 3. Good - Pele's (shakes) are coming across a little tight 4. Good HP 2: 1. Good - again the short notes are creating a tight sounding delivery 2. Good 3. Good 4. Good Overall well done and your tempos were aggressive but consistent throughout. As commented on above, maybe just a tad tight with the hands which contributes to the short notes articulating a little too tight and Pele's (shakes) in Barry Ewen a little pushed and tight as well. Just relaxing your hands will put you more in time and allow the short notes to come through with more clarity. Well done!
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Event 29. Grade 1 Piping - Hornpipes (two hornpipes each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jürgen Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: The Man from Skye, Ceilidh Lines.      Judge: Ian K. MacDonald     
Judge's Comments: Aggressive tempo and instrument okay but drones not locked together nor on with Low A detracting from the overall sound quality. HP 1: 1. slight pushed and missing B doublings 2. good slight choke on repeat 3. pushed in bar 3 and some wrong notes 4. slight choke on first time through HP 2: 1. Increase in tempo and missing some technique as pushed overall here a bit. 2. slight choke 3. not clean on entry to 3rd 4. slight choke Overall good job! I felt that maybe the pipe was letting you down a bit today which can really interfere with your entire performance from pushing the beat and missing technique. You have excellent hands and I think ensuring your pipe is not too hard and in tune will greatly fix most of the comments mentioned above and bring your performance up to a much higher level.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Kervadec 🇫🇷      Place: 1      Tunes: The Earl of Seaforth's Salute      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Francois, thanks for the entry. Sweet pipe and lovely high G. Ground - good Var 1 - good Var 2 - looking for a wee lift in tempo here TS - good TD - again a more obvious tempo change required CS - great , nice technique CD - note error last line otherwise great variation A mature and composed performance throughout, great pipe and technique, musically ok — suggest some more attention to the pacing of the variations to take it to the next level, tiny note error last line. . .
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Stephen Ross 🇦🇺      Place: 2      Tunes: The Glen is Mine      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Stephen, thanks for the online entry. Pipes nice at outset. Low A slightly dull? G - quite a brisk start to the tune, well phrased. CLean hands. Var 1 - good Var 2 - good Var 3 - good First half of tune a bit one paced, needs to build in tempo across the 4 grounds. . . LS - ok LD - ok wee miss TS - could soften transition more from LD, otherwise good TD - good CS - good, nice C technique here CD - good, slight tight movement at times CAM - great A non nonsense approach to the tune — confident and bold, could squeeze a little more music out in places, especially in the ground, bagpipe and technique very good. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Richard Payn 🇿🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: The Earl of Seaforth's Salute      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Richard, thanks for your entry. Pipes quite nice, high G bang on. Ground - musical accurate playing Var 1 - great Var 2 - good tempo lift but not always consistent with phrasing TS - watch D taorluath technique TD - good CS - very square interpretation of breabach — tempo very slow, incongruous with rest of tune. CD - and again A very good tune, pipes lovely, however the crunluath variations should be a flourish at the completion of a grand tune, just too careful for me. Otherwise well done!
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Canaan Strobel 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Desperate Battle of the Birds      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Canaan, nice tune, pipes pretty good although due to being outside and wind noise not always easy to hear the harmonics. A strong tune, I liked the ground, and progression through var 1 -3, good use of tempo changes throughout. Losing a little impact as the tune progressed, no real technical misses but work on T and C movements to make them more confident would be useful to give this tune a lift. TAM and CAM pretty good, wonder if you're slightly false fingering some of those CAM movements (can hear the sound change) Lots of potential Canaan, keep up the good work.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Ryan Morrison 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: MacLeod's Controversy      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Ryan thanks for your online entry. PIpes nice, D bright. (too bright?) Ground - good music and phrasing — sweet high G, hint of tightness re top hand technique. TS - wee pause on low A prior to cadence distracts. TD - tight technique now, would have like more lift in tempo here. CS - watch transition from TD, wee pause. . . again pause on E before cadence distracts. CD - would like a more obvious tempo lift to CD, C movement not always clean/consistent here. High A grace note miss on high G theme note. A good run at this pocket battleship — thanks for the listen, a few minor things for consideration as above.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Calum Maclean 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 6      Tunes: Corrienessan's Salute      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Calum, thanks for taking part in the online contest. Pipes nicely in at outset. Ground - quite musical — ever so slightly cautious with the occasional linking note. Var1 - nice VAR1D - good tempo lift and nice flow here TS - slightly stilted transition out of Var 1. Otherwise good TD - great CS - slightly laboured C movement CD - just losing musical flow here, again think its due to the slightly laboured crunluath movement Pipe went the distance , enjoyed this tune , thanks.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Eddie Boland 🇮🇪           Tunes: The Massacre of Glencoe      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Eddie, thanks for the entry. Pipes ok at start G - ok, wee bit snatchy after double echoes for me. variable blowing on high A (drones change) Doubling - nice shift in tempo, better flow here, blowing on high A still distracts. TS - could just stretch out those themenotes a little more in the singling, leaves you room to lift in the doubling TD - good , quite straight. CS - could peg tempo back a shade more here. C technique not always clean (pinky coming up before E grace note) CD - ok CAM - ok Overall tune laid out pretty well, a few observations above would help take it to the next level. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Mic Trenor 🇺🇸           Tunes: A Flame of Wrath for Patrick Caogach      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI MIc thanks for the entry. PIpes ok, drones not 100% at outset. Ground - bold start, certainly up tempo. Just a hint of rushing for me, line 3 not clean. Var 1 - rhythmical, would like to hear more 2 bar phrasing. Var 1 D - on the limit of tempo for me (and I like a bold tune) CS - your crunluath technique would be greatly aided by accentuating the low G at the start of the movement CD - straight through and uptempo. So a very wrathful Flame indeed, possibly just too quick to show some musical subtlety at times, pipe was close but not quite in from the start and I wondered if you could just have a look at the C movement, a more full movement would enhance your playing I believe. Thanks for the listen
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Event 30. Grade 1 Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Tristan Mitchell 🇦🇺           Tunes: Macleods Controversy      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Tristan thanks for entering the Spring online event. Nice pipes, low G a little dull? D bright.drones great Ground - Hiharin not clean. High G just a wee bit keen for me. OK ground, some slight inconsistencies in interpretation. TS - ok TD - ok CS - C movement not consistent, and not balanced. CD- as above. Front half of tune vey good, crunluath technique was a distraction in second half. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 31. Any Grade Piping - Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Competitor: Zygmunt (Zyggy) Gray 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: The Road to Passchendaele, Miss Ada Crawford, Lexy McAskill, The Flower of Scotland, Old Toasty, Staggering      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Zyggy, nice mix of tunes. Playing slightly ahead of the beat in ¾ march. Really good strathspey idiom. Good lift. Well played reel. Maybe a bit strong with the dot/cut approach. Really strong execution overall. Slight bobble in first part of jig. Excellent bagpipe! Some flatness on D. Careful to not drop off on your blowing on the long notes. Beautiful drone sound. Great chanter projection and tone. Overall, a very solid performance!
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Event 31. Any Grade Piping - Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 2      Tunes: Cabar Feidh, The Bugle Call, Wee Willie’s Jig, Susan’s Lullaby, and Kiss the Train Goodby      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Graham, some really entertaining tunes! Well played for the most part. Overall execution is good; although, most tunes are not overly technical. Make sure that you’re getting a solid low G sound at the start of your D throws and grips. Nice chanter sound, but low G and F quite flat. Drones well set and steady throughout performance. A very enjoyable performance.
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Event 31. Any Grade Piping - Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Competitor: Craig McKenzie 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: Theme for the Greenlands, Gardens of Skye, Flett from Flotta, She Moved Through the Fair, Jimmy Blue, Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban (reel)      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Craig, nice opening slow air! Some crushed doublings in 4/4s. Some subtle crossing noises during Jimmy Blue. Timing a bit erratic with some meandering between round and dot/cut. Birls in 4th part rough. Overall, good tempo control in all idioms. Pipes steady throughout. Drones not quite set to chanter. Chanter a bit dull sounding, but generally balanced. Some nicely played tunes. Well done!
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Event 31. Any Grade Piping - Medley (4-6 Minutes)
Competitor: Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: The Guild of the 'Nineteen' Lubricators, The Botanist, Abbotsford Jig, The King's Taxes, Jessie Pinner, Donald Ruadh, Old Wife of the Mill Dust      Judge: Keith Paton     
Judge's Comments: Hi Laura, a well put together mix of tunes! Some birl issues in opening HP. Lively jigs. Starting to rush in second part of 1st jig. 2nd jig a bit frantic. Execution suffering. Some overblowing on high G in King’s Taxes. Strathspeys rushed. Again, execution suffering. Reel very frantic. Overall, most tunes just played too fast making it difficult to execute properly. Pipes not quite set. Drones out and chanter not balanced. Some overblowing at times contributing to this. Some entertaining tunes, but a more relaxed approach would really improve the overall presentation.
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Event 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 12 years or younger
Competitor: Cameron Sharpe 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: John McColl's March to Kilbowie Cottage      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Cameron! Pipes sound very good, although I can tell you're under blowing the chanter to match it pitch-wise with the drones. You held it throughout, so it didn't impact the performance in the slightest, but it's worth being aware of. 1 - Very good first part. A slight tendency to finish the C doubling on the beat rather than starting it on the beat, but this is intermittent. 2 - Again, very good. Lots of life and space in the held notes, all while keeping the beat and tempo steady 3 - On the repeat, a little late to the beat 1 Low A from the pickups, but this is very minor 4 - I could maybe stand for a tiny more pulse on the bar 3 beat 1 E, but this was better on the repeat. Excellent treatment of the 2nd ending Overall: Cameron, this was an excellent 2/4 march. That's the only word I can use to describe it. There are very fine touches here and there that I mentioned above, but I find very little to critique. You played a difficult march, made it sound easy, and kept it musical and moving without losing control of it. Very well played! Jack
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Event 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 12 years or younger
Competitor: Anthony Song 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: John McColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Anthony! Glad to see you entered this event, and I enjoyed your playing! 1 - Good, bold tempo, without being overconfident. At times, I felt you were slowing down slightly in bars 3/4 and 7/8 2 - Good navigation of keeping the taorluath open without dragging the beat out of place. I would say you could hold the high A in bar 7 of the first time through a little more, but that's minor 3 - Bar 2, 4, and 6 high A needs a little more weight to match the level of swing you've achieved thus far through the tune. Otherwise, good 4 - Good fourth part, although it has a little less swing than parts 1 and 2. To match those parts, you'd need a little more pulse on the downbeat long E of bars 1/5 and 3. 2nd ending playing was great, too. Overall: Very good march playing, and there were just a few spots where the swing wasn't consistent with itself. That's a very nitpicky thing to point out, but from a technical and rhythmic standpoint, there's even less to point out. Very good march playing, and thank you for submitting it! Thanks for a good tune! Jack
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Event 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 12 years or younger
Competitor: William Nicholls 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Will! Glad to see you entered this contest, and glad to hear you playing so well for it! 1 - I think you could stand to pull out the first downbeat's Low A more (and its parallel spots (bar 5, etc)), but that's a very slight critique. Otherwise, good! 2 - V. Good 3 - Some slight dragging from holding D too long in bars 1 and 5, but minor. Ending phrase D throw in repeat lacked Low G, but that's a one-off 4 - Similar feedback on the grip here as the 2/4 event - try to let the grip rumble a little bit more with a rounder approach Overall: V. good presentation of this march and of the idiom itself. Lots of swing and phrasing going on here, and it was fun to listen to for sure. A few technical things going on (grips and the odd fuzzy gracenote/embellishment), but you've got a very good understanding of swing and attitude of a nice 2/4 march. Very well presented, and I enjoyed getting to hear you play! Jack
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Event 33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 12 years or younger
Competitor: Charlie Gregg 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: John mcColls march to kilbowie cottage      Judge: Jack Williamson     
Judge's Comments: Hi Charlie! I'm glad you entered this contest, and I enjoyed listening to you play for it! Pipes are going well at a lovely pitch! 1 - Good first part, with a very steady tempo and beat treatment 2 - Some slight unsteadiness on Es at times, very minor amount. Good 2nd ending here. 3 - Some slight rushing off of Low A in first phrase, but back on track for phrase 2. On repeat, bar 3 beat 2, rushed off of the cut E 4 - Part 4 started out a little square in comparison to the rest of the tune. A little more weight on the long Es of each left foot beat and you're golden with this part Overall: A very good performance here Charlie, and one you should be proud of. I enjoyed listening to it, and performances like these make me hopeful for the future of piping. There weren't any technical issues with this performance at all, and aside from a few here-and-there things, there weren't any musical or rhythmic issues either. The things I noted above are small and easily fixed. Pipes were great, music was very good, and your technique was very good too. I hope to hear more from you in the future, and thank you for a very enjoyable listen! Jack
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Zygmunt (Zyggy) Gray 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: Allan Dodd's Farewell to Scotland      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Zyggy, great tune choice. Lovely bagpipe, well tuned and well balanced !st - good lift expression and technique 2nd - good 3rd - nice 4th - great stuff Impressive tune Zyggy — lots of music with solid technique and a well presented instrument, well done.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Southall      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Abby, big tune choice! Lovely pipes, well tuned and balanced. 1st - good lift and 2/4 expression 2nd - good, early tacchum part ending 3rd - slightly rounding out of expression here 4th - nice A very good tune, some roundness of expression in 3rd part distracted, nice hands and nice pipe — well done.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Sam Purvis      Place: 3      Tunes: The Taking of Beaumont Hamel      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Sam, thanks for entry. Nice pipes from outset well tuned. 1 - pretty good, conservative tempo, clean hands (slightly sticky taorluath) good 2/4 lift, nice upbeat. 2 - good 3 - good 4 - good. Great stuff, enjoyed this, nice sound and music, occasional tight gracenote here and there but largely a clean tune. Tempo ever too slightly down but ok for this level.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Rylan Cliff 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: The Glenfinnan Highland Gathering      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Rylan, thanks for the online entry. Nice pipes from the start, well tuned and well balanced 1st - good hands here, occasional tacchum ahead of beat/upbeat 2nd - nice 3rd - crossing noises creeping in, watch the C to E movement 4th - nice low G in the grips A very enjoyable performance with a sweet bagpipe, pretty clean technique (other than 3rd part) and good dot cut/2 bar phrasing — well done. Slightly conservative tempo appropriate for this level.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Paul Mackay 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: Hi Paul thanks for your entry. A classic tune. Nice pipes, drones not quite 100% locked from the outset. 1st - good lift and expression, a few missed grace notes and the odd crossing distract 2nd - good 3rd - crossing noises at times 4th - error 2nd line first time through. Well done a very solid performance — lots of good music coming through, some minor finger blemishes to sort and of course there was the last part error (a common mistake with this tune). Loads of potential, keep up the good work!
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Kane Gordon 🇳🇿      Place: 6      Tunes: Siege of Delhi      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Kane, thanks for the entry. Pipes nicely tuned. 1st - pretty good music, occasionally rounding out the dot/cut and slight crossing noises. 2nd - C doublings not always accurate here 3rd - you're getting all the technique in but need to also find the music and expression — hold those notes before the grips and tuarluaths for better effect 4th - crossing noises more distracting, starting t o underblow ( scratchy high A) Overall a pretty good run — keep working on refining the technique and the blowing to lay a solid platform for the music.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Callum Ross 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Major David Manson at Clachantrushal      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: HI Callum, thanks for the online entry. PIpes not quite in tune from outset, C and F dull to my ear 1 - bright tempo, some technique not always clear (doublings), some round interpretation at times 2 - good 3 - good 4 - again a little round to my ear, would like to hear more dot cut, occasional missed tacchum. Well done loads of potential - at this stage could I suggest you bring the tempo back a notch and work on the fundamentals of 2/4 playing — dot cut (especially the upbeat) and 2 bar phrasing, to enhance this tune. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 13 to 14 years
Competitor: Craig Mitchell 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Mrs MacDonald of Dunach      Judge: Brendon Eade     
Judge's Comments: --
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Event 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Competitor: Connor Eckert 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Connor, thanks for the video! Pipes: Well set with great presence. Chanter and drones are well balanced. Good bright tempo. I wouldn't go any faster than this, but a confident start. Effective "left beat" playing. Some doublings are crushed (E doublings after short Fs) in Part 2. As you're going through to Part 3 the tune is getting a hair faster and more on the "front edge" of the beat. Try to relax here more to let the music of the third part flow. Part 4 was well played, but again was just a bit more aggressive than the first half of the tune. Overall I think you're playing very well, Connor. Just a few points to help this tune even out and "groove" a bit more consistently. Keep it up, and I look forward to hearing more from you!
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Event 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Bonnie Ann      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Megan, thanks for entering! Pipes: Bright pitch but well set. Drones aren't quite locked in, but are not far off at all. Good projection and tone. Good tempo choice and strong fingers, you're clearly well taught! Overall the tune was very well played. One thing that came across throughout was that your technique is very fast and is almost crushed. Try to open up your doublings, grips and birls some in the solos to help articulate the embellishments in a way that adds to the music. As you went along you started to lose some of your "left beat" pulsing, particularly in Parts 3 and 4. Try to stay consistent throughout, but I'm sure you'll be able to master that in no time. A few instances of early D doublings in the 4th part, but all in all a very strong performance! Thanks for playing, and keep at it! I look forward to hearing more of your playing .
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Event 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: The Clan MacColl      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Seamus, thanks for entering! Pipes: Drones are locked in very well with a great sound. Chanter is well set, though D is sharp for my taste. Good tempo, though I wouldn't go any faster than this. A strong start with good phrasing and technique through the first two parts. Birls in the ending phrase are just slightly ahead of the beat, just wait a second longer to make these lock right in with the rest of your playing. In Part 2, Line 2 you're rushing off of the HIgh A 8th Note, putting the E on the upbeat rather than the short High G — be sure to extend all of your 8th notes to their fullest extent to lock in to the rhythm of the tune. Very good treatment of the challenging technique in Part 3! As you got toward the end you started to rush from one phrase into the next. Focus on maintaining the same phrase treatment through the tune. Finally a bit of rushing in the last line here - keep your composure all the way to the end! A very enjoyable performance, Seamus. You're very well taught and I look forward to hearing you again!
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Event 35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 15 to 17 years
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: John Macdonald's Welcome to South Uist      Judge: Andrew Donlon     
Judge's Comments: Hi Mackenzie, thanks for playing! Pipes: Drones locked in very well. F and High A are sharp - a bit of tape will help with this. Tempo a bit fast for my taste in the solos, but very strong hands and effective phrasing. I would recommend bringing the pace of this back to no faster than 64 BPM just to let the musicality of the tune and your playing come through more. Hands are very clean minus a small crossing noise (D to F) in the third part and some crushed doublings. Bringing the tempo back on this will help get the doublings more clear as well. As you got into the third part you started to cut your 32nd notes more aggressively, and a few of them were almost too short to be heard. It's a good thing to point your tunes, but be careful to not go too far. A bit of rushing in the fourth part as well. Overall a strong performance, Mackenzie! You are clearly well taught and working hard, so with the notes above I think you'll have this tune in top shape in no time. Keep it up!
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Event 36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 18 to 20 years
Competitor: Marc Warnock      Place: 1      Tunes: The Conundrum      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Lovely, rich drone sound. Good job tuning them. Chanter is nice and bright, but just a bit peaky on high A. Nice, composed start to this tune. A well controlled but energetic tempo, very appropriate for this tune. Smooth, expressive playing. Just tending to roll off the ends of each two-bar phrase a bit early, which created a sense of rushing (especially onto the B doublings at the end of the 1st line of each part). Technique was clean and well articulated throughout. Very enjoyable! Well done.
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Event 36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 18 to 20 years
Competitor: Rian Warnock      Place: 2      Tunes: The Taking of Beaumont Hamel      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice sounding bagpipe. Chanter well set and drones well tuned if not quite locked. Some flat low As from underblowing, especially in the fourth part. Technique was well articulated overall. Bottom hand work losing some clarity by the end of the fourth part (fatigue?). Musically, this tune was played at a good steady tempo. It just lacked some expression and would be improved with more emphasis on the downbeat in general, to better convey the idiom and ground the melody. Also tending to rush onto the birls at part endings — make sure the first strike of your pinkie lands squarely on the downbeat. Good performance.
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Event 36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 18 to 20 years
Competitor: Friedrich Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: The Siege of Delhi.      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice, bright-sounding bagpipe. Low A quite sharp and F flat. Drones steady and tuned well together, but quite flat to chanter. Good drive, and tempo well sustained overall. Just lacking some expression in general. Try to put a little more weight on the downbeat to produce a better 2/4 march idiom. In particular, try to emphasize the notes before each grip and taorluath more to avoid things sounding too bouncy. Clearly articulated doublings. Some crossing noises (F-D-HA-D) and untidiness going from low A to C in last part. Good performance.
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Event 36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers age 18 to 20 years
Competitor: Kael Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 4      Tunes: Helen Black of Inveran      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Full sounding chanter. Drones note quite tuned to chanter and bottom two notes quite sharp. Good, brisk tempo. Playing with a nice amount of weight on the downbeat. Strong E doublings, but crushing some of your bottom hand doublings. Struggling to articulate birls (check thumb placement — if too high, that could be the problem). Also, watch for the odd bottom hand catch going from B to C with a doubling. Nice performance.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Tristan Mitchell 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: Donald Maclellan of Rothesay      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Make sure you adjust the video orientation before submitting. Lovely drones, nicely balanced chanter — F a tad sharp. Great tempo tempo backed with some crisp technique. Make sure you push out the high A in bar 7 of each part to the final 2-bar-phrase. A couple of wee catches in the 3rd part. On the whole a cracking performance with lots of musicality — well done.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Jürgen Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Miss Delicia Chisholm.      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drone are good at the start, the chanter could be a little better balanced: D is sharp, F flat and E sharp. This was played at a good tempo with some lovely swing. There are a few technical inaccuracies here and there e.g., catches and tight doublings. On the whole a lovely rendition, well done.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Graham Durant-Law 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: The Inverness Gathering      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set. High G a tad sharp. Well played March. good tempo. Don't get too caught up in expression, it feels a little overdone in places especially the first B last two-bar-phrase in each part. A few technical inaccuracies in the 4th part and a little bit of rushing in the last part. On the whole a solid performance, well done.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Gregory Joseph 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: David Ross of Rosehall      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, chanter could be better balanced. Great uptake to the march here, I feel you could get more expression here, try to point to the first beat of each bar especially on the left foot. A few catches here and there as well, a wee pause in last part as well and a note error. Technically sound. Lots of potential here, keep up the good work.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Carsten Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering.      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drone are good at the start, nicely balanced chanter, high A a smidge flat. Try to ease into the tune a little more at the start. This was played at a good tempo. There are a few technical inaccuracies here and there. I also feel you could express the music a little more, hold the first note of each bar. The final phrase, there is a short F which is nearly inaudible — make it bigger. On the whole a lovely rendition, well done.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Vincent Guinnane 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Drones could be a little more refined here. Decent tempo here, slightly on the safe side. Great musicality and expression here, well done. For me there are a few technical inaccuracies, mainly B and C doublings. Try to make the D grace note in here nice open. There are a few other wee ones here and there. On the whole though a good grasp of 2/4 march playing, well done.
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Event 37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March - for pipers 21 and older
Competitor: Guy Droz 🇨🇭           Tunes: The Highland Wedding      Judge: John Dew     
Judge's Comments: Good drones here, the chanter could be little better balanced: High A and F are sharp The tempo of this tune is good although it slowed down after each part. There are a few inaccuracies here and there also. I feel you may benefit from learning a slightly easier tune for now and coming back to this tune once you have a little more experience and confidence in your technique. Much potential though, keep up the good work.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ian K. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Major Manson’s Farewell to Clachantruschall; The Piper’s Bonnet; John Morrison of Assynt House      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice pipe. Chanter could be brighter, and was lacking some body on the top notes. Drones locked at start. Aggressive march tempo -- kind of nice to hear in an online contest. Nicely expressed, and played with finesse. Dramatic transition to Piper's Bonnet. Lovely playing in this tune. Great drive in reel and lots of subtle touches. A most enjoyable set, Ian. Well done.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: John Dew 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 2      Tunes: Rothiemurchus, The Shepherd's Crook, Anne Spalding      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Lovely sounding pipe, John. Full, resonant chanter with a sparkling high A. Drones full and rich, locked at the start. Nice, laid-back march. Plenty of space between phrases without sacrificing the flow. Ending phrases at times just a little less expressive than some of the preceding phrases — a very minor quibble but worth a listen to it yourself to see if you agree. Fluid technique, although D throws are perhaps a little heavy on the low G at the expense of the C grace note. Lots of poise transitioning to your strathspey. Expressive, relaxed sounding playing here. Tiny crossing noise at end of 2nd. Great, rhythmic bottom hand work in 3rd. Nice 4th. A couple very small chirps. Classy entry to reel. Great sense of drive here, but still nice and relaxed. Drones held nicely. A very nice set played with lots of music on a lovely pipe. Well done, John.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Dr Brendon Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Vice Admiral Sir Roderick MacDonald, Tulloch Castle, Kildonan      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Good pipe. Full, rich drones that were locked at the start. It's nice to hear some drive in a march in an online contest! Well expressed and phrased, played with poise. (I like the G.S. McLennan-esque heavy birls at the part endings!) Classy transition to the Tulloch Castle. Tempo perhaps just a shade cautious. Rolling off three-note runs a bit, landing on the following note slightly ahead of the beat. Pushing harder in the reel -- lots of excitement here, but still well controlled. A very nicely played set on a lovely bagpipe, Brendan. Well done.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: James MacHattie 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: David Ross, Delvinside, Miss Proud      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Beautiful pipe, James. Bold presentation of march. Lots of music and poise. Tiny C chirp in 2nd. Slight loss of momentum in 3rd. Classy transition to Delvinside. Expressive, well controlled playing. A couple imperfect birls. Aggressive reel, pushed hard, but I liked the effect for this tune. A couple tiny blemishes. Very nice, musical playing on a lovely pipe, James.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jack Williamson 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Allan Dodd's Farewell to Scotland, Atholl Cummers, Cockrel in the Creel      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Lovely pipe, Jack. An excellent march. Nice to hear a bit of drive in an online contest. Well controlled, expressive and nicely phrased. Bottom hand work very clear and fluid. Very tiny hand slip/chirp in last line. Musically played strathspey. Small C chirp and some slight rushing at the end of the 4th part. Reel started very confidently and then the missed high A strike seemed to rattle you a bit. Slight squawk on birl off high A. Really musical playing on a beautiful pipe, Jack. I really enjoyed this. A pity about the small blemishes.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Hogg 🇿🇦      Place: 6      Tunes: The Conundrum, Susan McLeod, The Smith of Chilliechassie      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Well-tuned bagpipe. Drones steady. Top notes of chanter a bit thin. A very nicely expressed march. Dripping with music. Tending to tumble into the B strikes at the end of line 1 just a shade early. Strong, clean technique. Good transition to strathspey. Well controlled and expressed, apart from a bit of push and pull in the 3rd part. Lots of drive in The Smith. A bit awkward around the birls in the 5th part. A very musical performance of all three tunes, Joshua. I really enjoyed your playing.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Aidan Bowen 🇨🇦           Tunes: Braes of Castle Grant, Islay Ball, Cockerel in the Creel      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: I have to say right off the bat that your recording rig is really good, Aidan. It's nice to be able to hear your pipe sounding pretty close to the way it would actually sound live. Drones quite steady but bass not quite locked. Chanter well tuned, but could be a little sweeter. A little on the thin side on the high A especially. Steady march playing, with strong technique. Could use a little more emphasis on the downbeat at times — e.g., the initial low A in the ending phrases. Overholding the final low A at the end of each part just slightly, but enough to interrupt the flow. Good strathspey tempo, but not really capturing the dance feel due to a lack contrast between S/M and W beats. Not quite articulating the darodo movements cleanly. Crossing noise in 4th. Good transition to reel. A little rushed feeling, not because it was fast, but I think because you needed to accent the downbeat more in order to anchor things down better. Off the tune for a bar -- good recovery! Last two bars rushed. Some solid playing here, Aidan. I enjoyed it. I wonder if your pipe could be made a little more efficient for solos? It would help you relax your hands and allow you to concentrate more on your expression.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Charles Morris 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Corriechoillie’s Blend, Bob of Fettercairn, The Grey Bob      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice, sweet bagpipe, Charlie. Drones not quite locked at the start, and low A a bit sharp. Expressive playing in march. Just overholding a bit at times, which is impeding the flow of the tune. Strong technique. Slick transition to strathspey. Expressive playing with good energy here. Nicely articulated bottom hand work; in last part especially. Good drive in reel. Slight rushing in ending phrases. Very nice playing, Charlie. Well done. Your bagpipe tone was beautiful, but you need to make sure those drones are totally locked before you start!
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Lidgren 🇨🇦           Tunes: Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society, Highland Harry, Lieutenant Colonel D. J. S. Murray      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice bagpipe, Dan. Well tuned. Drones full and rich. Chanter could be a bit sweeter and fuller on the top notes. March steady and well controlled, but just lacking a little drive and also under expressed at times (esp. the 4th part). Be careful not to start your D strikes ahead of the beat. Much more excitement in your strathspey. Quite expressive and musical here, but wait for those high A grips! (and the low A ones at the end of each part) Strong, clear technique. Good drive here, but not always accenting the downbeat consistently which resulted in a bit of a rocky feel. A solid performance on a good pipe with strong technique. I enjoyed it, Dan.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: David Stulpner 🇦🇺           Tunes: Inveran, Inveraray Castle, Bessie MacIntyre      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Well tuned, full-sounding bagpipe. Chanter could be a little sweeter. A slightly sedate march tempo. Expressive playing, but you sometimes seemed a little reluctant to cut the short notes, which resulted in some slightly stilted passages. Struggling to articulate birls at part endings. Well controlled strathspey, with lots of contrast shown between S/M and W beats. Expressive, but again just a touch on the slow side. Clipping Fs on the passages to the point that it's barely audible. Solid transition to reel. Steady playing here, with some nice expressive touches. A solid performance, David. I particularly enjoyed how expressive your playing is. I would focus on refining the pipe a little more and nudging up your tempi a bit in all three tunes.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Graeme Glass 🇳🇿           Tunes: Glenfinnan Highland Gathering, Catlodge, Thomson's Dirk      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice, harmonic sounding pipe. Chanter could be a little sweeter perhaps. D flat. Drones not quite locked from the start. A slightly cautious march, but well controlled. Well articulated bottom hand work. Lovely expression in the 3rd part. A bit careful sounding in 4th. (Perhaps trying just a little too hard to avoid crushing the C tachums?) Good energy in strathspey. Just lacking some contrast between strong/medium and weak beats at times. Reel sounded a little laboured, but tempo well maintained. A good performance, Graeme. Thank you!
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Julie Blue 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Inveran, Susan MacLeod & The Sheepwife      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Very nice sounding pipe, Julie. Rich, full chanter sound and drones were locked from the moment you struck up! Relaxed march tempo. Expressive playing in 1st part. A bit of push and pull onto the 2nd Fs in the 2nd part. Tending to rush onto taorloaths at end of 1st lines in each part. Strong, clean technique. A few technical misses starting Susan MacLeod, but a good transition musically. Expressive, well controlled playing. Could perhaps end each part a bit stronger by holding the low A before the final taorluath just a touch more. Good reel. Again, strong execution and good control of the music. A couple minor technical blemishes. Drones holding nicely. A really enjoyable performance, Julie. There is lots of quality in your playing. Well done!
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lachie Dick 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Major Manson at Clachantrushal, John Roy Stewart, The Grey Bob      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice, sweet-sounding pipe. Drones locked at the start. Good drive to march. Just a little out of balance on the low As on the off-beat in the 1st part (treating them a bit round). Expressive, swingy playing. Slowing down a bit in 2rd part. Slight loss of articulation in bottom hand work, first time through 3rd part; better on repeat. Rushing onto birls at ends of parts at times. Nice transition to strathspey. Very expressive here, but at times just overdoing it very slightly, resulting in a bit of hesitancy (e.g., final high Gs in each part). Nice, subtle tempo build at the start of your reel. Good pulse. A little rushed in ending phrase (onto Bs). Nice playing on a very good bagpipe, Lachie. I enjoyed this!
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott Armstrong 🇳🇿           Tunes: Mrs John MacColl. Tulloch Castle MacAlistair's Dirk      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice pipe. Chanter resonant and drones locked from the start. Nice, expressive playing in Mrs. John. Sometimes a touch deliberate in your treatment of the short notes (e.g., squaring off D-B combinations), which made the tune sound a bit awkward in spots. Good transition to Tulloch Castle. Small blip towards the end of the 1st part (sounded like a collapsing F in the middle of a high G doubling). Well controlled, expressive playing. Reel was steady, but sounded slightly laboured for the first part or so. A very enjoyable performance, Scott. Well done.
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Event 38. Open/Pro - Piping - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Stuart Robinson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: The Abercairney Highlanders, The Top of Craigvenow, Traditional Reel      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Pleasant sounding pipe. Chanter well tuned but lacking some body on the top hand. Drones solid at the start. Nice pace to Abercairney. Beginnings of lines were generally well expressed, but you could make a little more of the B phrases and ending phrases (e.g. holding the initial D a bit longer would help give it some more shape). There was also some inconsistency in your treatment of these phrases — at times you seemed to barrel through them (e.g. 3rd part), but at other times you were more expressive. Nice definition on the Cs in bar 8. Some slight untidiness in last line. Laid-back strathspey. Tempo a touch too cautious. Quite well controlled and expressive, but rushing to the hachums in the darodo-hachum-hachum-darodo passages — at times, quite dramatically. Not always quite landing the darodo movements. Slight catches from E to high A in 4th part. Solid transition to reel. Well controlled, but could perhaps use just a little more pulse/downbeat emphasis in general. A nicely played set on a good bagpipe, Stuart. I enjoyed it!
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ian K. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Beverly’s Choice and Alex MacDonald      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thank you for making the effort to play in this event Ian!! Glad you are still playing just now! On a personal note, I thought the recording itself and overall sound was better than other times I've heard you online and that makes for a much more enjoyable listen here for the viewer/listener. Two excellent tunes that I enjoyed from start to finish! I had a real hard time deciding if I was being biased, for playing my tune but in the end, it was easy because of two things. 1 - you actually play this a bit different, than i do, certainly more even or straight so to like it, said something to me. 2nd - it's always easy if you just take a minute after and think "who will i remember first tomorrow and easily be able to tell someone about it?" That seals the deal. The Jig was played very well and picking small things. I'd say that maybe, the first part was pushed at the start but you handled it fine and then it settled and was very good. Overall, good pipe, good hand control, great use of the doublings for rhythmic feel in the hornpipe which is exactly, why they were written that way, and controlling the musical flow, at what I believe are better (not so totally careful) tempos. Well Done! Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: James MacHattie 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Dunrovin Farm, The Gold Ring      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort here James and submitting a nicely played Hornpipe and Jig! Overall, a well set up pipe i thought as well, and a good difference I'd say recording in that room Hornpipe was played with a ton of drive and executed really well. Personal note, I’ve listened to this a couple of times now, and I think it is a really great setting of the Jig, and suits being in HP time nicely as if it was that way to start. I’m not sure if it's just hard for me or what, but would say I'm not totally sold on the syncopation of pt 2, seems like an added "trick" but again, I question my own ability to play it. If I just took a bit of time to learn it, then it may seem all natural. In the jig, again, really well done. My only thought was in pt 5, one of the triple D moves just seemed a bit unclear, and while it was nice and well controlled, I felt it ever so cautious in delivery, but I'm picking at pretty small bits here. Enjoyed this set! Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: John Dew 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 3      Tunes: Duncan Johnstone, Miss Ida McVarish of Morar      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Very nice set of tunes here John. I enjoyed the jig also. To pick out a few small things: I felt the hornpipe at times was a wee bit inconsistent in the delivery. I get that you are pointing a few bits which was fine, but it just seemed to lose its smoothness a couple of times. The jig itself is a nice tune for sure, I enjoyed it but again,for me, I felt you pushing the front end of the beat at times so it didn't have the continual flow right through. Pipes I believe sound nice but tough to really hear which is a shame as the recording seemed to be a bit over compressed so losing a wee bit of clarity and "niceness" in there. Thanks for playing, wouldn't mind a copy of jig. Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Dr Brendon Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Duncan Johnston , Judges Dilemma      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for putting in a nice set of tunes Brendan! Overall quality was enjoyable and pipes sounding quite nice as well. I must say also that it was really nice to see the back garden behind you instead of the usual plain wall or kitchen haha. Also, as I write this, I wonder "how" you did it as having so much light in behind can often be a hazard yet it was quite clear throughout the whole video. Good going hp for sure, nicely played although i did find the birls in pt 3 slightly suspect. For the jig, there was a good consistent feel to the overall presentation which I liked. i might comment that a few of the gracings , at times, felt slightly big compared with the other crisp work. Still, enjoyable to listen to. Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott Garden 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 5      Tunes: Dr MacInnes' Fancy, Angus Sutherland      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for putting in a nice set of tunes, Scott. Overall quality was enjoyable and pipes sounding quite nice as well. To pick at the small stuff, I found bar 4 of the hornpipe, while it was played round or even, it felt very forced compared to the rest of the tune. In the Jig, I did like the tempo, creating lots of drive. B strikes and D strikes played with good depth also. I did feel that it was perhaps nervously pushed a wee bit although my notes also say "Pt 3 very nice." Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jack Williamson 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Jack Adrift, I Laid a Herring in the Salt      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort here Jack and submitting a nicely played Hornpipe and Jig! Overall, a well set up pipe i thought as well, but I was not getting enough bass coming through which i think was probably there so just a note to watch for that. Hornpipe was played with a pretty controlled and relaxed feel in a nice "old style' way which I enjoyed. I will say though, that i really felt that you slowed just a bit in pt 4 and it lost a bit of the drive for me there. In the jig, one of the rodins early on was really pushed which I marked on my notes. there was some occasional pushing through of the rhythmic flow but overall, generally a good jig Thanks Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Aidan Bowen 🇨🇦           Tunes: Michael Grey, Donald MacLean      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: This was a good set of tunes overall, Aidan, and very worthy of consideration for a prize. Pipe set up was quite nice and recording came across well also. HP - Pt 3 had one bit unclear for me and there was a bit of slowing down slightly I felt in part two. A couple of suspect B tripling movements and a wee spot where it almost sounded like a near chirping coming off the gracing. A nice jig, slightly speeding up but again quite well played. Thanks very much, this was quite solid overall Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Charles Morris 🇺🇸           Tunes: Fiddlers Trip and Donella Beaton      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort here Charlie and performing a nice HP/Jig set! The hornpipe had a nice clear projection of the handwork which was evident. The tune itself is quite a a nice piece that I am unfamiliar with. What came across as noticeable, was that it was just too much dot/cut, giving it an overswing feel to the point of losing flow for me. In the jig, the "even" 3s were tending to go to the 3rd note where, if anything, the extra weight should be on the beat note and when you hit the 3rd part, it started to sound like individual beats, instead of phrases. it was not as harsh as it sounds reading but there is not a nice way to say "just a little out of that Jig-E-Dy feel that we all aim for. Thanks Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Lidgren 🇨🇦           Tunes: Pipe Major George Allan, The Bride’s Jig (Lord Dunmore)      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for submitting this nice HP and Jig performance, Dan. The overall standard was very high in this event but wanted to let you know i definitely considered your playing for a prize.. In the hornpipe I just felt you lacked some lite/shade in the playing where the beats and off beats all seemed to feel the same to me. In the jig, I felt you pushing a few beats at times, creating a slightly inconsistent sound and in pt 4, a wee miss of the F doubling and a slightly unsettled phrase took it a wee bit out of line. Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: David Stulpner 🇦🇺           Tunes: John MacKenzie's Fancy, The Curlew      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort to send in a quality recording of your Hornpipe and Jig for the event! First off , it was quite well recorded so it created a decent listen for the audience here (me). The hornpipe was basically correct, technically, but i found it to be very careful as you cruised through at about 75 bpm and for me, this did not give the tune enough drive. It also had a pure double time feel to it where the beats and off beats were basically the same. In the jig, I'm afraid it would be much the same comment. If you had played this in front of me at the house I would have told you that it sounds slightly band-like in its evenness. To me, this can work in a band because we have all sorts of players, harmony and percussion to create effect. But I'd say that you just need to "let it go" a wee bit and make the tune swing a little. You obviously have the hands to do that, so try to trust yourself and you'll be set!! Thank you, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Hogg 🇿🇦           Tunes: Colin McKay, The Original Stories      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort, Joshua, to send in a quality recording of your Hornpipe and JIg for the event! First off , it was quite well recorded so it created a decent listen for the audience, here which is me! In the hornpipe, some of the B strikes were not fully closed. I must admit that this was a very good competition. Also, my comments might read harsh but it's tough to say "just a little bit" in front of everything . I do feel that the Beat and off-beat in the hornpipe tended to be the same length which kept the tune from really bouncing along. I also would say you were slowing a wee bit in pt 4. Jig was generally quite well played but I also might remark that the last phrase of the part didn't seem to be as clear as it could be and this caused you to lose a bit of flow there a couple of times. Like I say, overall, this was a very good contest of 15 pretty darn good HP/Jigs that I really wish I could have listened to and judged live so thank you for this. Good job. Thanks Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Julie Blue 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Una MacIntyre & Alan MacPherson of Mosspark      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thank you for playing the tunes here Julie. For me, the HP came across as a very cautious approach at 78 bpm. Pt 3 was not 100% clear with occasional jumping onto the B strike movements. The jig, was generally okay but a few concerns would be the bottom hand not always crisp compared to the rest of it. Again, I felt this just needed a bit more lift to bring the tune along a wee bit. Thank you, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lachie Dick 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Raigmore, Ray Anderson      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: This was a good overall performance where i just had a few concerns in comparison with a few other performances. The hornpipe was slightly unclear in fingering for me at the start. some E strikes not in the rhythm of the tune as well seeming to be pushed at times Partly due to E strikes, I found the third pt was not in the same "groove" as rest of tune. Enjoyed hearing the jig, such a nice musical tune really. Again, and I"m really picking out minor stuff overall for everyone, I just felt that some of the work in the jig seemed rather "open" and lacked "crispness" in execution. Thanks, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Scott Armstrong 🇳🇿           Tunes: Tam Bain's Lum & Atholl Cummers      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: Thanks for making the effort to send in a quality recording of your Hornpipe and JIg for the event! First off, it was quite well recorded so it created a decent listen for the audience here (me). The hornpipe was basically correct, but some of the tripling movements were lacking at times. The rhythm seemed to settle in better in pt 2 and you began to move through quite well. However, in pt 4,Ii did make a note to say that I found that this was just not 100% tidy in the fingering, clarity area. In the jig, you were going along okay but in pt 5 and 6, I felt you started to get rather pushy, towards the 3rd note of the beats and this caused it to lose some of the drive in the pulsing. I will say though, that this was a really good contest of 15 very good HP/Jigs and my comments might read harsh, because of the fact that you can't always say "just a little bit " in front of each remark but this was good playing, just slightly unsettled in spots. Thank you, Bruce
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Event 39. Open/Pro - Piping - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Stuart Robinson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: Ina Mackenzie, Cutting Bracken      Judge: Bruce Gandy     
Judge's Comments: NIce set of tunes here Stuart, Thank you for making the effort here!! I found the sound to be slightly over compressed so while it didn't really hurt you in a scoring way, I don't feel I was able to hear the best of your instrument this time. The hornpipe and Jig overall were well presented as a whole. For me, the hand work was a bit open/careful to start and found the groove much more in pt 3. Pt 4 was not 100% clean. In the Jig, you kept it moving along but some of the E strikes just didn't come in quite clear enough. Thanks, Bruce
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: James MacHattie 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: MacNeill of Barra's March      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bagpipe excellent. Ground flowing nicely. Kept it moving. Var 1 & doubling well controlled. Var 2 S&D excellent. Great transition between S&D. Crunluath fosgailte well controlled and delivered. A top shelf performance on an epic bagpipe, well done James.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Ian K. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Beautiful tuned bagpipe, just a smidge peaky on D. Ground flowing very well. Couple Edrees in doubling a bit squashed. Nice interpretation of the Mac Donald’s Var here. Var 1 doubling nice, getting a touch pointed line 3. TS & TD good. CS & CD well played. CAM good control. A strong performance on a great bagpipe. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Dr Brendon Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: The Rout of the Lowland Captain      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes very well-tuned and held throughout the performance. Ground flowing beautifully. Edree line 3/bar 2 little squished. Var 1 excellent. Var 2 S & D ok. Nice swing in Taorluath, Good transition into doubling. Nice control of the Fosgailte. A very polished performance Brendon, Well done. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: John Dew 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: The Groat      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Impressive bagpipe, well-tuned, nicely balanced, very accurate, just a hint of a D poking out at times. Ground played well with plenty of feeling. Var 1. A touch snappy coming off the B semiquaver to the D throughout the Var. Perhaps could soften a shade as you approach this. Nice transition into doubling, very well played. Taorluath nicely played, just a touch heavy on 2nd & 3rd pulses, could flow through the phrase a little easier. Some of the notes following the cadence a bit elongated. Good doub. Nice control of the Crunluath Fosgailte S & D. Strong finish. Well controlled tune, thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Aidan Bowen 🇨🇦      Place: 5      Tunes: MacKay's Banner      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes well set. Ground played well. Some faint catches in Var 1. Nice transition into Var 1 Doub. Good timing into cadences. TD and TT well played. Good pulsing throughout Crunluath variations, Great CAM. A well-presented tune on a good pipe. Well done and thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Alastair Murray 🇺🇸      Place: 6      Tunes: Lord lovats lament kilberry setting      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: A lovely set out ground with plenty of emotion and grace. Doub of ground perhaps guilty of jumping off ends of phrases following the C grips. Var 1 could use a bit more on the F quaver as a ‘fat and’ note. Feel you are treating this very much as per the score. Likewise line two last phrase you can draw more music out of this. TS played ok, perhaps fractionally late off the back of the Taorluath movement on LA causing some slight laboured pulsing. Second note (‘and note’) of the ‘S’ couplet could be fatter. TD played well but could also get off the LA quicker. Some Crunluaths deficient on the LG of the movement (Difficult to hear the second LG gracenote sometimes). Feel you could also get off the E quicker after the movement to achieve more consistent pulsing. Overall a really solid tune on a fantastic bagpipe. Love the control. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Charles Morris 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Desperate Battle of the Birds      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bagpipe ok but not quite locked from beginning. Some intonation poking out on B & C (sharp) and HA (flat). Ground played nicely. Var 1 & Doub good. Var 2 & Doub good. Var 3 S good, Doubling could just pull back the last phrase to allow smooth transition into the Taorluath. Just a tad square in the Crunluath, nice job of the a-mach. Pipes sharpening up throughout performance. Musically pretty good job overall. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Daniel Lidgren 🇨🇦           Tunes: The MacFarlanes’ Gathering      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Well-tuned bagpipe, just moved a fraction as you went on. Intonation on B and F just poking out slightly, Ground played beautifully, shame about last Taorluath. Urlar doub ok. I have heard this played this way before but do prefer the more balanced style of swinging it. Taorluath variation you are a little slow getting to the cadence, feels a tad separated. Nice swing in the TD. Nice control in the Breabach but again the cadence feels a little late. Tempo spot on in Doubling. A really good tune Daniel, Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Davey Welsh 🇳🇿           Tunes: The Unjust Incarceration      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes good. Musically a bit keen off most of the cadence Es in the ground. Most of these are held notes. Wee catch LG to B in repeat. Nice Piob HG in third line. Var 1 is too quick for a singling variation, coming out quite clipped and straight through for a Dithis. Could draw out the pulses more here by expressing them MMS per bar and gain better control of the phrasing. No transition change in tempo to doubling, however is about right now. Taorluath pulsing ok, just needs little more attention to ends of phrases/ lines. Few misses throughout. Could draw out the last phrase of the variation to allow for the transition into the Crunluath. Some technical imperfections throughout variation particularly D Crunluath. A-mach movement needs work. Good on you for getting this up and running. Hope to hear it again! Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: David Stulpner 🇦🇺           Tunes: Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Ground well played. Hiharins a touch slippery and indistinct end of line 1 & 3. Line 3 getting a little bogged down and tempo slowing. Need to keep this tune moving. Var 1 few indistinct Hiharin here also. Doubling – good uplift in tempo. A few technical deficiencies throughout Crunluaths variations. The LG semiquaver couplets are coming across very clippy. A good tune overall, just need to be neater technically. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Graeme Glass 🇳🇿           Tunes: His Fathers Lament for Donald McKenzie      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Drones well set. Some Intonation issues on B & E – Bit flat. Ground nicely set out. I feel the B semiquaver following Cadence C is too measured. Var 1. Small catch up to the HA. Var 2 coming out a bit square. Var 2 doubling could achieve better timing of the themal notes here. Var 3 singling couplets leading into the echo a bit quick, could swell up here. Doubling nice swing here. Taorluath well played. Nice transition into doubling, good tempo. Crunluath Breabach well set out. Some Crunluaths a little tight. Enjoyable tune thanks for the listen Graeme.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Jack Williamson 🇺🇸           Tunes: His Father's Lament for Donald MacKenzie      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Bagpipe beautifully tuned. Intonation issue of F quite flat. Ground played very well. Var 1 good – last cadence to B muffled. Var 2 good. Lovely transition into doubling. Var 3 S&D good. TS & TD good. CS & CD played with control Drones just moving here, sounds like a bit of moisture. Otherwise, a really solid musical performance. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Joshua Hogg 🇿🇦           Tunes: Lord Lovat's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Pipes sounding well. Ground played with grace and beauty. Lovely music. Ground doubling very nice, just a little bit of timing variation in line 3. Var 1 could use a bit more on the F quaver as a ‘fat and’ note. Feel you are treating this very much as per the score. Last phrase not quite sitting right. Taorluath nicely played. Doubling a little square in delivery. Crunluath singling well played. Doubling could perhaps come up a notch on the singling. Thanks for the listen Josh.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Lachie Dick 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: The Prince's Salute      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Beautifully tuned pipe. Ground played very well. Fractionally jumping off the LA ends of lines in Var 1. Lovely transition into doub. Taorluath a little square. Couple missed D Taorluaths first phrase of Doub & last phrase line 3. Same here in Crunluath on D Crunluath and in line 3 of singling. Crunluath Doub ok if anything quite square in delivery. An unfortunate squeal on the B a mach. A solid effort, thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Scott Armstrong 🇳🇿           Tunes: Lady MacDonald's Lament      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Well tuned bagpipe. In the ground I feel phrase 2 of each line is tripping you up by holding the E of the Cadence to B. Feels a little awkward and not flowing as well as it could. Line 2 last 2 phrases just a little boggy also. Jumping around a little with timing in the doubling. TS set out well, good use of the ‘and notes.’ Nice transition into doubling. Good control in Crunluath. Keep the pulsing up in the CD, just starting to come across a little square. A nice tune overall Scott, perhaps the ground & GD not quite flowing as well as it could have. A good finish. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 40. Open/Pro - Piping - Piobaireachd
Competitor: Stuart Robinson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿           Tunes: MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament (N.1)      Judge: Stuart Easton     
Judge's Comments: Well tuned drones. A hint of intonation inaccuracy on B, D, F and HG. Tone just dipping in places especially on D. Nice control throughout the ground. Var 1 good. Nice transition to doubling. D Taor untidy last phrase TS. Bit of tightness creeping into TD incl wee catch in line, miss in last phrase. Some small catches in Breabach movement Low to HG in both CS and CD. A nice musical tune just marred by some minor technical imperfections. Thanks for the listen.
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Event 50. Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge - for pipers 18 years and younger
Competitor: Seumas Eade 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Macleod's Controversy      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice sounding bagpipe. Drones almost locked at the start. Low G just a tickle sharp. Top hand just a little thin, but good piob high G. Ground was very well played at a good pace. The end of each phrase was well defined, but not always the start of the phrase. You kind of rolled into the Taorluath Singling without really concluding the Ground very decisively. I would suggest leaving just a little more space there to create a sense of anticipation. A confident and assertive presentation of the Taorluath Singling, with a good tempo change into the Doubling. Execution quite good, with nice, rhythmic taorluath movements; just the odd miss. Nicely judged drop in tempo for the Crunluath Singling. I especially like how you sat on that first themal note. Crunluath movements could be a bit stronger — keep working on getting those low Gs and low As big and even. Good Doubling. A good amount of emphasis on each themal note, and you continued to show your phrases here as well. A very well thought-out tune, played with poise and expression on a good pipe. Nicely done, Seumas.
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Event 50. Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge - for pipers 18 years and younger
Competitor: Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: The Field of Gold      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Full, sweet-sounding bagpipe. Drones not quite locked at the start, and E verging on sharp. High A a bit thin. A very expressively played Ground with well defined phrases. Good command of your technique. You could be even smoother if you looked closer at some of the short notes and figured out which ones could be played even shorter to avoid sounding square (e.g., the short note just before a cadence generally shouldn't be the same length as the E of the cadence, or it will sound clunky). Perhaps a touch aggressive in Variation 1. You may wish to experiment with cutting the short notes a touch less here and see if it comes across a bit more fluidly. Good transition to the Taorluath. Drones wandering a bit. Nice, rhythmic playing with good technique here. Another well handled transition into your Crunluath. A little less consistency in your treatment of the themal notes meant that this variation didn't move along quite as idiomatically as your Taorluath did — perhaps you were just overthinking the phrasing a touch. Very small finger slip in repeat of line 1 — darn! Some really nice, musical playing here, Mackenzie. I can tell that you've put a lot of thought into this tune. Well done!
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Event 50. Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge - for pipers 18 years and younger
Competitor: Megan Brodie 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: Lament for Donald of Laggan      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: A nice, full-sounding bagpipe that was steady and well-tuned from the start. Ground was nicely expressed but just a touch cautious, resulting in a slightly stilted feel. A couple of suggestions for improving the flow here: push the tempo a bit, but also be sure that when you have two adjacent short notes, you don't play them the same length (or else they will sound a bit clunky) — i.e., make one of them shorter than the other. Excellent command of your technique in the Ground — everything seemed to flow very easily and naturally. Nice transition to your Taorluath Singling. Again, just a little square at times, in this case mostly as a result of lingering just a little too long on the second strike in your double echoes. Very strong, well articulated taorluath movements; just a couple of missed ones. Taorluath Doubling - Good tempo change from the Singling. This variation could be even more dynamic and exciting if you shortened the short notes before each themal note a touch more (and transferred the additional time to the themal note). You also tended to stress the themal notes less and less as this variation went on. Good crunluath movements, apart from the odd jammed edre. Same musical suggestion as in the Taorluath Singling: take it easy on the second beat of each double echo. Nicely timed Crunluath Doubling. Just be careful not to bounce off the low A connecting notes too aggressively. Pipe held well. Perhaps underblowing just a shade by the end of the Crunluath. Nice tune, Megan. I really enjoyed the high quality of your playing. To take this to the next level you will want to look at ways to make the tune flow along more fluidly, paying attention to the short notes especially. Well done.
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Event 50. Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge - for pipers 18 years and younger
Competitor: Abby Long 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: The Battle of Waternish      Judge: Alan Bevan     
Judge's Comments: Nice sounding bagpipe. Drones well set and steady at start. A little flatness on D but chanter well blown. Nicely played Ground. Very well phrased. Dre movements a little loose. Smooth playing in Dithis, with excellent attention to phrases. Perhaps just overdoing it a touch at the end of some phrases, but this is a really minor criticism — I'd rather hear you slightly overdo it than not do it at all! Nice increase in tempo in Doubling. A little less consistent in your timing here, and a couple technical glitches. A nice transition to Variation 2, and a lovely rocking interpretation. This is not an easy thing to pull off successfully, and you did a very good job. Just lacking some weight on the themal notes by the end of line 3. Again, a couple small technical blemishes. Slightly abrupt transition to Doubling, but good tempo contrast with Singling. Taorluath movements could be more clearly articulated. Good transition to Taorluath Singling, and back to Doubling. Taorluath movements were stronger here, apart from the odd missed one. Pipe drifting (blowing). Losing emphasis on the themal notes by lines 2 and 3 of the Doubling. Hand slip and tiny choke in line 3. Nicely executed Crunluaths at start of Singling, but it sounded like you were beginning to run out of steam by this point and you began to really struggle with both your technique and your blowing. Perhaps your pipe could be a little more efficient so you have the stamina to keep playing your best by the end of the tune. It must be said that this is also a pretty ambitious (and lengthy) tune for this grade. A brave attempt at the Crunluath-a-mach variation, but really struggling to keep it going. A really impressive effort on a very challenging tune, Abby. Lots of sophistication and study evident in your playing. It's a pity you weren't able to maintain the stellar quality of your playing from the first half of the tune. As mentioned, I'd have a good look at your instrument to see if you can get it to be more air-efficient. (Can the drone reeds be shut down a touch, or the chanter made a bit more efficient?)
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Event 101. Beginner Drum Pad 3/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Anna Boss 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Massed Bands 3-4      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls of good duration, just try to even out your buzzes to make the rolls smoother. Good uptake to march, nice relaxed tempo and keeping very well to that tempo throughout the tune. Again work on evening out your rolls as they are slightly pulsated. Some good flams, but continue to work on your flam technique to make sure that all your flams are crisp. Keep practising your exercises and movements on both hands to keep getting better, well done
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Event 102. Beginner Drum Pad 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Andrew Bryce 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Knox Grammar      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: A little heavy with pulses a bit forced and open but perfectly accurate with timing and execution of crotchet and quaver rolls. Very clean open work and playing with a nice "swing." Spot on with piper and tempo very steady and controlled. You play with great confidence and a sense of enjoyment. Work on evening out the roll pulses. Good show, keep at it.
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Event 102. Beginner Drum Pad 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Anna Boss 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Scotland the Brave      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Entry pulses on rolls starting with an accent, ease into the rolls and avoid an accent sound. Nice accented rolling sequences and quality material for this grade. Second part overruns the amount of beats normally allotted to a part in common time, check this out with your instructor. early into the first part of the tune. Scoring is very unusual. Nice quality rolling for this grade. Keep at it.
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Event 103. Beginner Drum Pad 2/4 March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Anna Boss 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Massed Bands 2-4      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Anna. Introduction roll slurs a little too pushed with a stress on each triplet movement. Try to smooth out your slurs to an even volume. A steady uptake to the set and tempo held throughout your performance. Execution of flams clipped short not producing the correct sound. Some triplets sped up within the phrase. Minor hesitation with paradiddles and some seven stroke rolls not finished cleanly. Quite a good performance for this category. Work on your stick control to enhance the quality of your presentation.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Brady McCoy 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Corriechoillie's Welcome High Road to Gairloch      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Feeble pulsing in intro rolling. Playing one line dynamics, you need to vary light and shade. Rolling very thin throughout, you need to get more power into your rolling, Scoring well set to melody and suitable for this grade. Playing solidly timing-wise and well integrated with melody line on a tape, it’s hard to do this. Overall more power needed, don't be afraid of some volume.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sam Gordon 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Siege of Delhi      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro with good quality rolling. Nice drum sound. Scoring well set and suitable for this grade. Losing piper in third and fourth part, needing to make timing adjustments to counteract this. It's hard to play to a tape and the piper seems to be speeding up in parts. Overall very nice roll quality and clean open work but integration with melody line is a problem. It would help you a lot to play to a piper instead of a piping tape.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michelle Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: Prince Charles welcome to locharbor      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Pulses separated in intro. Very staccato in first two bars of second part. Stumbling a bit in third part, Scoring a little crowded in fourth part and not on top of beat notes or melody line. Scoring well set to melody but some of the material is a bit too difficult for you to play with ease. Rolling pulses could be better blended. Maybe thin the score for you to get better flow.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: Arthur Bignold      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Roll pulses not blending in intro rolling. Losing integration with the piper from the start, it's hard to play to a tape. Scoring crowded at times, not on the beat notes. You could thin the score a bit for this grade and make it more comfortable for yourself. Playing one line dynamics, you could vary the light and shade. Some closed flams, Open work rushed and not very well controlled.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Joshua Sin 🇸🇬      Place: 5      Tunes: Greenwood Side, The Drunken Piper      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Intro rolls — pulses a bit forced on right hand. Stumbling on some bars. You could get more light and shade. Open work jerky and not keeping accurately in time. A piper to play too would help you greatly.
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Event 104. Grade 5 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tristan Chong 🇸🇬      Place: 6      Tunes: The Piper's Cave, The Drunken Piper      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Nice intro rolls. Very staccato and stumbling over beat notes. Not keeping in time. Very difficult scoring and this is not required for this grade. If you played with a piper it would help you to keep in time and thin down scores to play material you can play with ease.
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Event 105. Grade 5 Side Drumming 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: The Children      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls of good duration, try not to emphasise the buzz in the middle of the opening rolls so that they are smoother from start to finish. Good uptake to 4/4 march, nice lively tempo and well maintained throughout the performance. Drum score goes well to the pipe tune, Some nice dynamics coming through also, especially in 4th part. Just be careful of your triplet flam movement in the ending bar of each part — you are a little behind the pipe tune and getting lost slightly here, try to smooth that out and keep to the time and pipe tune. Overall a good performance, well played
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Event 105. Grade 5 Side Drumming 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Sam Gordon 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Stone of Destiny      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls a little pulsated but of good duration. Nice uptake to march, playing well to the pipes in parts 1 and 2. Good flam technique but work on smoothing out your rolls. Losing the pipe tunes slightly at the start of the 3rd and 4th part — paradiddle movement not coming through clearly. Pity about the mistake in the 4th part. Overall well played, keep working on your exercises to improve your playing. Good potential here, keep working hard to continue to progress
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Event 105. Grade 5 Side Drumming 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michelle Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 3      Tunes: Scotland the brave, old rustic bridge      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Opening rolls of good duration but slightly pulsated. Good uptake to first 4/4 march, keeping well with the pipes. Be careful of some of your flams, especially when playing the triplet flam movement in the middle of both parts — they are a little too open at times which makes them sound like single beats instead of flams. Tempo well maintained. Flams also a little open in the second 4/4 march and losing the pipe slightly towards the end in both parts. Overall a good performance, well played. Keep working on your flam technique to make the performance even better. Well done
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Event 106. Grade 5 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lillian Scott 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Lillian. Well presented introduction rolls, just a slight volume pulse during the 2nd roll. A slight drop in tempo on uptake then remained steady throughout. A confident entry followed with good musical interpretation for this idiom. Good stick control demonstrated providing nicely executed rudiments. Nice use of dynamics adding to your expression and rhythm. Instrument could be brighter with a more crisp snare response.
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Event 106. Grade 5 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michelle Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 2      Tunes: Pipe major Sam Scott      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Michelle. Introduction rolls were a little too open. Confident uptake to march. Good execution of open groups, flams, triplets however roll work in general not smooth. Some rushing within phrases and lacking in dynamics affected your expression. Tempo was steady throughout and scores well set to melody. Instrument would benefit from a crisper snare response.
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Event 106. Grade 5 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Glendaruel Highlanders      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Michael. Introduction rolls were of a good length but could be smoother. A slight tempo drop on entry then settled for remainder of performance. Execution errors were evident in flam triplet work and over rolling at times. Generally expression was good but spoilt with timing issues, slowing down & speeding up within phrases. Technical level good for this category. Instrument projected clearly with a slightly low pitch.
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Event 106. Grade 5 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Frank Bantle 🇩🇪      Place: 4      Tunes: 6-8 Standard March      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Frank Introduction rolls a little buzzy and 1st roll not cleanly finished. A slightly unsteady entry with expression tending to be too jerky and not flowing to the rhythm. Tempo became erratic at times slowing down. Execution of flams clipped short and 5 stroke rolls crushed a little too much. Some false sticking evident, affecting musical appreciation. Instrument projected well with a dull tone.
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Event 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Kirkwall Bay, Dornoch Highland Gathering, Duncan McGilivray      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Good introduction rolls and nice uptake to 6/8 march. Nice dot and cut 6/8 rhythm being achieved with rolls, flams and 5s all coming across clearly. Would have been good to hear you playing with a piper, but overall well played. Try to incorporate some dynamics into your playing to enhance the performance further. Keep practising your movements to further improve, lots of potential here. Well played
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Event 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Glendaruel Highlanders      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls of good duration, try not to emphasise the buzz in the middle of the opening rolls so that they are smoother from start to finish. Good uptake to 6/8 march, nice tempo and well maintained throughout the performance. Be careful in 3rd part — losing the pipe tune in flam movement bars 5 and 6. Drum score goes well to the pipe tune but try to make sure you are following the dot and cut 6/8 rhythm. Some nice dynamics coming through also. Overall a good performance, well played
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Event 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Murray 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Atholl Highlanders, Bonnie Dundee      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Opening rolls a little pulsated but of good duration. Relaxed uptake to march but playing very well to pipe tune. Nice dot and cut 6/8 rhythm being achieved and rolls, flams and 5s all coming across clearly. Keep working on your exercises and technique to progress your playing further, and try to incorporate some dynamics into the performance to make it better. Overall well played, good job
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Event 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Welch 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Duncan McGilverary      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Opening rolls a little pulsated, but of good duration. Nice uptake to 6/8 march, keeping well to the pipe tune and maintaining throughout. Be careful of your ending bar, losing the piper a little here with your finishing 5. Nice dot and cut feeling but you need to work on your flam technique — some flams sound dead as sticks are coming down together, and smoothen your rolls. Also try to incorporate some dynamics into the performance. Overall good job
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Event 107. Grade 4 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christine Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Dr. Ross’ 50th Welcome to the Argyllshire Gathering.      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls quite pulsated and 2nd roll is longer than the 1st. Good uptake to 6/8 march, nice relaxed tempo. Your rolls are quite dead sounding and your movements are very staccato — you need to loosen the grip on your sticks so the rolls and movements are easier to play. Kept well to pipe tune and steady tempo throughout. Really focus on how you hold your sticks and try to loosen the grip so the sticks move easier and the rolls and movements are smoother. Good job
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: John Macdonald of Glencoe      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Daniel. Introduction rolls slightly pulsing. Confident entry into march with nice tempo. Some minor over-rolling evident at times. Execution of rudiments well controlled and of high technical standard for this level. Lacking a little expression and dynamic range in relation to rhythm. Generally well constructed and projected march. Instrument set nice with good snare action.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Eric Sennett 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Captain Norman Orr Ewing      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Eric. Good introduction rolls and confident entry to march. Steady tempo and held throughout. Nice musical flow with good use of dynamics and scoring well arranged to melody. In general execution of rudiments, flams, accented rolls and triplets all clearly projected. Some rushing within phrases evident and a tendency to play behind the beat, affecting overall expression. Instrument with good snare response, just a little low pitched.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Murray 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: 79th Farewell to Gibraltar      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Christopher. Smooth introduction rolls and a confident uptake to march. Good tempo and held steady throughout. Rudiments mostly well executed however some rushing in short groups evident. Nicely expressed with good musical flow and pleasant dynamics. Some loss of control on lower volume work at times. Scores well suited to melody. Instrument with good snare response, just slightly low pitched.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Lillian Scott 🇨🇦      Place: 4      Tunes: The 79th's Farewell to Gibraltar      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Lillian. Well-rounded introduction rolls. Tempo dropped on entry to march which was labouring and lacked sparkle. Execution of rudiments needs to be cleaner on rolls and triplets. Expression lacked dynamics and musical feel in relation to the melody. Need to work on stick control and expression in relation to the musical theme to enhance your performance. Instrument could be of brighter tone.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 5      Tunes: Arthur Bignold      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Michael Introduction rolls slightly forced emphasising 3 pulses rather than solid and smooth. Playing with power and confidence on uptake to march. Difficulty with tempo resulted in playing behind the melody line. Execution errors in open work and rolls not always precise. Lacking some dynamics and rushing and slowing within phrases losing musical flow affected your expression. Work on your stick control and accuracy to melody to enhance performance. Instrument just lacked a crisp snare action.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Chloe Ong Jingwen 🇸🇬      Place: 6      Tunes: Hugh Kennedy      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Chloe. Introduction rolls slightly "buzzy." Brisk tempo on uptake and held throughout march. Rudiments generally well executed and clear. Drum score could be more advanced for solo presentation. Try to include some dynamic variation and work on expression in relation to the rhythm. Instrument pitch a little low with a good snare action.
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Event 108. Grade 4 Side Drumming 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Welch 🇺🇸           Tunes: King George V Army      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Christopher. Introduction rolls too open. Tempo on uptake was slow for this type of tune, and slightly unsteady on entry to the march. Execution of open work and rolls not clearly defined. Lack of dynamics affecting expression and musical flow. Some rushing and slowing within phrases are evident. Work on stick control and roll work to enhance performance. Instrument lacking crispness.
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Event 109. Grade 4 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Michael Cox 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Alan McPherson of Mosspark      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Very deliberate. Nice rolling and open work. Some clever scoring, well set to melody except for the last bar in the last part, you were still playing after the piper stopped. You kept well with the melody line all through, you could work a bit more on dynamics. Solid enough overall.
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Event 109. Grade 4 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Archie Beag      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Parts not very well defined. Some very difficult material here but played with good technique and execution Playing with conviction but with small hesitations at times.
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Event 109. Grade 4 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Murray 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Brest St Marc, Kesh Jig      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Very deliberate and lacking expression. On line dynamics, you need to vary weights. Playing well all through with the melody and on top of beat notes but lacking life and lift,
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Ceana Fleury 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: The Young MacGregor, Maggie Cameron, Willie Murray's Reel      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Ceana. Well executed rolls into the set and a nice tempo. Confident uptake to the march with clean execution and accurate timing. Some hesitations in the flow and minor lack of dynamics evident. Clean break into a good strathspey tempo. Expression not quite capturing rhythm and some execution errors evident as you progressed. Good break to reel and driving well into the rhythm. Lacking some expression in reel. Drum scores well suited to melodies. Instrument projected nicely but lacked crisp snare response.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Erin Allen 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Dugald MacColl's Farewell To France, Islay Ball, The Brown Haired Maid      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Erin. Well produced introduction rolls into a brisk tempo on entry to march. Tending to rush over phrases with a slight lack of stick control evident. Short rolls and dynamics could be better presented. Strathspey at a good tempo lacking precise rhythm and some hesitation in execution. Reel driving on and accurate to melody. Minor execution and stick control issues evident. Instrument well set.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 3      Tunes: John Mcoll's March to Kilbowie Cottage, Maggie Cameron, Brown Haired Maid      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Daniel. Strong introduction rolls into a good tempo for march. A good technical level but lacked musical feel regarding rhythm and expression. Some hesitation and timing issues in later parts. Good break to strathspey. Expression not producing correct dance rhythm. Lacking in dynamics and some stick control issues spoiling flow. Reel lacked expression. Sticking and timing errors spoiled this tune. Instrument well set up.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Stuart Walker 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: Athole Of Breadalbane, Dornie Ferry, Murdo Laments Spree      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Stuart. Introduction rolls well executed. Good uptake into a nice tempo for march. Execution generally good and clearly defined. Good use of dynamics evident. Strathspey lacked rhythm and expression. Execution generally good but lacked musical feel throughout. Reel was slow and lacked sparkle. Expression flat here and not projecting musical interpretation. Breaks good and rudimentarily satisfactory but overall there was a lack of feeling to musical themes. Instrument quite dull in pitch.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Jake Otto 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band, Caledonian Canal, Capt. Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Jake. Introduction rolls not cleanly produced. Entry to march solid, but failed to demonstrate any dynamic variation throughout. Execution of rudiments not always correct and hesitation in grouping affecting the flow of the music. Strathspey lacked strong rhythm and expression and tended to be erratic in timing within phrases, rushing then slowing. Reel too tended to rush over melody and lacked expressive feel. Overall work on dynamics and stick control to enhance performance. Instrument slightly low pitched.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Stewart Gibson 🇨🇦      Place: 6      Tunes: The Young Macgregor, Maggie Cameron, Willie Murray's Reel      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Stewart. Introduction rolls not quite smooth. Good tempo on entry to march, however playing behind the main beat. Expression a little jerky, not flowing to the melody. A general lack of dynamics evident. Strathspey not phrased to the rhythm. Execution of rudiments needs to improve. Lack of expression in relation to this idiom. Execution errors evident in reel, spoiling the musical flow and part endings not controlled. Instrument could use more snare response.
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Event 110. Grade 3 Side Drumming March Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Murray 🇨🇦           Tunes: Pipe Major Willie Grey, Mac An Irish, Blackberry Bush      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Christopher. Introduction rolls well executed. Slow tempo on entry to march. Sticking faults evident and a lack of conviction tended to create timing and execution errors. Strathspey playing behind the beat note and not fully projecting rhythm and expression. Non traditional reel driving on well but rushing over phrases. Try to correct your tempos and work on execution of rudiments in conjunction to each melody. Instrument well set.
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Event 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ceana Fleury 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Hot Punch, The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro with nice quality rolling. Score well set to melody. Keeping good time and well integrated with melody line. Very confident with attention to rudimental detail. Clean open work and good quality rolling throughout.
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Event 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Kirkwall Bay, Dornoch Highland Gathering, Duncan McGillivray      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: A bit heavy on right hand pulses in intro rolls. Some closed flams in places. Accented rolling sequence in fourth part breaking up slightly otherwise very steady and confident.
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Event 111. Grade 3 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jake Otto 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Old Adam      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro. Very relaxed tempo. Second bar second part not quite blending with melody line, likewise fourth bar in fourth part. Careful playing for the most part just lacking a bit of zest.
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Event 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Erin Allen 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Curlew      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Nice lively uptake to jig, playing well to piper. Be careful of your single work in the 2nd part, especially the '5' — could be cleaner. Good attempt at dynamics throughout and playing some tricky material quite well. Drum score set well to pipe tune and overall an enjoyable performance, well done.
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Event 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ceana Fleury 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: John Patterson's Mare      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Nice start to the jig and good tempo. Be careful of your swiss roughs in the first part, not coming through clear. Your flams need to be cleaner in the 3rd part, work on your flam technique when going hand to hand like that, and slight slip also in this part. Good finish to jig, nice arrangement and drum score matches well. Really enjoyed the tune and good attempt at playing some tricky material. Overall pretty good performance, just tidy up your roughs and flams, and try to incorporate more dynamics into your performance. Good job
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Event 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christopher Murray 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Brest St Marc, Kesh Jig      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Good start to first jig, quite a relaxed tempo. Playing very well to pipe tune throughout. Be careful of your 5s in the second part, need to smooth these out a little and make them more even. 2nd jig well played, again keeping well to the pipe tune. Slight slip at the start of the 2nd time through 2nd part. I would like to hear a little more drive in this tune and some more dynamics. Overall very musical performance and well played
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Event 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Daniel Liu 🇳🇿      Place: 4      Tunes: Archie Beag      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Good start to jig, tempo a little relaxed but well maintained throughout. Watch your single work in the second part, not flowing as it should. Tempo slowing a little in the 3rd part, better in 4th part. More dynamics, light and shade would really add musical feel to this tune and enhance the overall performance, would have been good to hear this with the pipes. Overall a well played jig.
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Event 112. Grade 3 Side Drumming Jig (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Jake Otto 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Inspector Donald Campbell of Ness      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Lively uptake to jig, keeping well to the pipe tune in the first part. Be careful of your swiss roughs in the 2nd part, not coming through clearly enough. Losing the pipe tune in the 4th part, single run a little uneven and the roll following that is a little too long which is making you behind the piper. Overall a well played jig. I think slowing the tempo down will give you more time to focus on the movements and finish them with a little more finesse. Try to incorporate more dynamics into your playing to further enhance the performance also. Good job
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Event 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron W. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Highland Wedding; Bogan Lochan; John MacKechnie      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro. March: Good quality scoring and well set to melody. A lot of closed flams. Very steady and well integrated with piper. S/S: Again quality material well played. Small loss of integration with pipes in part four and six. Reel: A lot of closed flams and some loss of integration with pipes, stretching bar lines at times to fit the material. High quality material throughout. Overall very solid playing with some small faults easily corrected.
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Event 113. Grade 2 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, Struan Robertson, Alick C. MacGregor      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Pulses a bit open in intro rolling. Rolling forced and open in places, some rolling left hanging. Dynamics vary on line, you could vary the weight a lot more.Good material. S/S not as well integrated with piper as the march and again some rolls left hanging. Forced rolling at times. Nice break. Reel: again same problem with rolling overall, you need to concentrate on this — open work and material are fine.
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Event 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Meleana's Wedding      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Good intro rolls and nice uptake to 6/8 march. Playing well to pipe tune with nice dot and cut 6/8 rhythm. Be careful of your triplet flam movement in the 2nd part — not played totally smoothly and losing the piper slightly. Some nice material played here and score goes well to pipe tune. Try to incorporate a little more dynamics into your playing to enhance the overall performance. Very musical performance and very enjoyable, well done
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Event 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Matt Boss 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Duncan McGillivray Chief Steward      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Good introduction rolls and nice uptake to 6/8 march. Some difficult material played very well and in the dot and cut 6/8 rhythm. Try to incorporate more dynamics into your playing to help the musical feel of the tune. Overall very well played and very enjoyable, would have been nice to hear this with the pipe tune.
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Event 114. Grade 2 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron W. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Mrs. MacDougall      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Introduction rolls a little pulsated but of good duration. Nice uptake to 6/8 march and temp held throughout. Playing well to pipes and nice dot and cut 6/8 rhythm coming through. Be careful of your flam technique on your left hand, flams not as clear as on the right hand. A little more dynamics would also help. Overall well played, but could have incorporated some more difficult movements into the score. Good job, well played
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Event 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Cameron W. MacDonald 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Barry Ewan and The Mermaid Jig      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Cameron. Rolls not well produced on introduction. Uptake to hornpipe at a nice tempo. Confident entry with good musical appreciation for this idiom. Good execution displayed and good use of dynamics. Expressive and well controlled throughout. Clean break to jig. Some sticking issues early then settled into a good rhythm. Steady and well executed presentation and Excellent musical projection throughout. Instrument a little low pitched and would prefer a brighter snare response.
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Event 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Patrick Chen 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Duncan Johnstone, Cridhe Ùr Annag      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Patrick. Both rolls not cleanly finished on introduction. Confident entry to hornpipe at brisk tempo. Some rushing over open work evident within phrases. Generally well executed however timing and expression to melody need to improve. Back accented and short rolls could be smoother. Clean break to jig into a nice tempo. Lacking some dynamics and rhythmic interpretation. Some sticking issues evident. Technically good, however not projecting musically for this idiom. Instrument well set.
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Event 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Matt Boss 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Hair O' the Dog, Butterfingers      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Matt. Well-presented rolls on introduction. Brisk tempo on uptake to hornpipe. In general execution is quite clean throughout. Lack of any musical expression evident, rushing over score in phrases and tending to increase tempo as you progressed. Clean break to jig. Triplets too loud, adding to a flat line volume projection with no emphasis on expression in relation to this style of music. Stick control generally good. Work on playing to the melody with a musical interpretation to improve. Instrument pitch a little low.
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Event 115. Grade 2 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Stuart Walker 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 4      Tunes: Crossing the Minch, Mauchline and District Caledonia 2010      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Stuart. Well executed introduction rolls. Slightly slow tempo on uptake to hornpipe, but steady throughout. Execution quite accurate. Lack of expression and dynamic failing to create musical flow. Clean break to jig and good tempo. Some loss of stick control evident. Presentation lacked an expressive element for this style of tune. Generally execution tidy but need to work on expression in relation to musical theme. Instrument pitched low.
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Event 116. Grade 1 Side Drumming March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Hollie Chalmers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Links of Forth Maggie Cameron John Mackegnie      Judge: Gavin Noade     
Judge's Comments: Nice introduction rolls and uptake to march.Good relaxed tempo and playing well to piper. Watch your triplet roll movement in the 2nd part, not quite even. Handling some difficult material very well, try to incorporate some more dynamics to add to the musical feel. Overall enjoyable march. Good break to S'spey, tempo a little slow for me but well controlled. Losing the strathspey feeling in places, try to get more emphasis on your strong beat to highlight the strathspey rhythm. Be careful of your flam whip on the left hand in part 1, and your ending phrase in parts 2 and 3 (flam taps) — just a little ragged. Just a little more drive needed in this tune, but generally well played. Good break to reel, nice tempo and again playing a difficult score well to the piper. Be careful again of your triplet roll movement in the 3rd & 5th part, not even. Nice musical feel in this tune and more dynamics coming through. Well played reel Overall a very musical and enjoyable performance. Focus on improving the triplet roll movements in the march and reel, and try to get a bit more drive into your s'spey. Well done
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Event 117. Grade 1 Side Drumming 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Hollie Chalmers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: 6-8 March      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Hollie. Solid introduction rolls into a slightly slow tempo for this idiom. Confident entry into the quickstep. Excellent use of dynamics, and well expressed throughout. Execution well controlled with clean open work and smooth, nicely defined rolls. Flowing nicely to musical theme. Would like to have heard a slightly higher technical level of drum score. Instrument lacking bright snare response.
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Event 118. Grade 1 Side Drumming Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Hollie Chalmers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Rhonda Blair The Old Wife of the Milldust      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro, lovely bright tempo. Quality material. Lovely use of light and shade. Very accurate, on top of beat notes and melody line. Good break to jig. Again top class scoring and dynamics with some very exciting use of rudiments. Very accurate execution with absolute attention to detail. Highly entertaining and first class performance.
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Event 120. Open/Pro - Side Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Alexander Kuldell 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Donald MacLellan, Arniston Castle, Fiona MacLeod      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro. Bright tempo. Playing with good lift and expression. Good use of dynamics. Again nice lift in S/S. Good break to reel. Playing with conviction and attention to detail. Very bright overall and going for broke, enjoyable performance.
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Event 120. Open/Pro - Side Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Grant Maxwell 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban, Arniston Castle, Alick C. MacGregor      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro. Drum could be a bit brighter with some more top snare sound. Very relaxed tempo and entry, Good use of light and shade. Solid with melody line all through. Relaxed tempos for all three tunes. Scores very well written and suited to melody lines. Maybe lacking a bit of power overall and over careful.
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Event 120. Open/Pro - Side Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Tyler Boydstun 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: The Young Macgregor, Shepherds Crook, Mrs. Macpherson of Inveran      Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt     
Judge's Comments: Good intro. Drum nicely tuned. March: Not exactly on top of beat notes in places. S/S: Glossing over execution at times and again not quite on top of melody. Good break. Reel: Losing integration and over running some of the open work. Not finishing exactly on cadences.
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Event 121. Open/Pro - Side Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Grant Maxwell 🇨🇦      Place: 1      Tunes: Debbie Toth’s Hornpipe, Callum Magee      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Grant. Solid rolls on introduction into a brisk tempo for the hornpipe. Confident entry to set with a strong technical influence. Phrasing well to pipe melody, with good use of dynamics throughout. Clean break to jig and nice bouncy tempo. Some interesting syncopation in regard to the musical theme displayed. Driving on with excellent execution. Good dynamics demonstrated with accurate timing and expressive projection. Instrument slightly dull, lacking crisp snare response.
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Event 121. Open/Pro - Side Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Alexander Kuldell 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Duncan Johnstone, Donella Beaton      Judge: Harold Gillespie     
Judge's Comments: Hello Alexander. Excellent introduction rolls into hornpipe. Brisk uptake but well controlled. Nice musical flow, with good execution throughout. Good, expressive projection and accurate to melody. Clean break to jig. Musically correct however just lacked a little excitement and drive. Good rhythm and expression, but would benefit from a score more sympathetic to the melody. Instrument well set.
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Event 201. Beginner Tenor (Tabletop/Practice Mallets) – 4/4 March (at least two parts)
Competitor: Zuzanna Kowalska 🇮🇪      Place: 1      Tunes: 51st Highland Division      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Good intro beats. Beating in third and fourth bar or every part are not in time and seem a bit rushed, a bit more control and finesse is required here. Flourishing could use a bit more control but a very good understanding of basic flourishing techniques. A bit more practice and finesse required overall.
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Event 202. Beginner Tenor (TableTop/Practice Mallets) – 2/4 March (at least two parts)
Competitor: Zuzanna Kowalska 🇮🇪      Place: 1      Tunes: Willie Gray's Farewell to The Scots Guards      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Intro and uptake to the March locked on to the tempo set, though take care to sound each beat of both intro rolls. A well played piece with a particularly strong start to 2nd part. A good variety of well integrated flourishes tastefully augmenting the played score throughout, though try to ensure that you give each beat the appropriate weight. The occasional heavy handed beat is evident at times which can easily hamper the flow, though that was not the case here. Try to practice this out of your performing now to ensure that as you progress with more complicated beat scores and flourishing components. Well done.
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Event 203. Grade 5 Tenor Drumming - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Violet Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: Greenwood side, drunken piper      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Intro beats seem a bit slow in comparison to pipers introduction into tune. Dynamics could be explored a bit more throughout. Good control of sticks when flourishing. I liked the use of off beats but sometimes they weren't on time, lacked consistency. Triplets are also being clipped. Good ending bars in the Drunken Piper. Overall, a nice performance with confident playing and flourishing. Just a few issues with timing and lack of dynamics.
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Event 203. Grade 5 Tenor Drumming - 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guadalupe Aleman 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: The Siege of Delhi      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Good intro flourishing however I would've liked for you to play the intro beats here. Beats played well in the first and second part but definite timing issues in beats in third and fourth parts. Triplets sound like they are being clipped in the third part. Flourishing in fourth part also needs a bit more control. Dynamics need to be explored a bit more throughout, no real emphasis on the 2/4 rhythmic pulse. An enjoyable performance overall, with a good understanding of basic flourishing and playing techniques.
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Event 204. Grade 5 Tenor Drumming - 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Violet Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: Scotland the brave, old rustic bridge      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Intro very slightly behind the tempo set. Good uptake to first part though take more care that you don't strike on the back end of the beat as this will tend to drag the tempo back. Nicely into Old Rustic Bridge. Good development of the score in the first part. You definitely got more confident and comfortable as the performance progressed. All in all a good effort.
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Event 204. Grade 5 Tenor Drumming - 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Guadalupe Aleman 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Jimmy Findlater      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Timing of into flourish is good but you will create a better initial impression by committing to beat the intro also. Likewise, whilst the visual impact of the uptake to the march clearly demonstrates competence in regard to timing, committing to striking the drum whilst establish the March idiom would enhance the performance. Similarly, rounding out the phrase at the end of each part would create a stronger March feel. Played beats generally blending well with the other instruments in their placement, if a little heavy and lacking in dynamic range throughout. Flourishing generally good. Overall a decent effort.
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Event 207. Grade 3 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts S & R each at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Ryan Niksch 🇺🇸      Place: 1      Tunes: Athol Breadaldane Gathering Caladonian Canal cpt Lachian MacPhial of Tiree      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Not quite locked on to the tempo at the intro. First part of the March slightly rushed in places though settled well into 2nd part Clean break into the Strathspey. Try to establish a solid strathspey idiom before elborating as the tune develops. Just watch the timing of the last part. Reel — the best tune in the set for me. with a particularly good third and four parts. Good range for flourishes, well executed. Nice use of the floor tom! Love it!
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Event 209. Grade 2 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Erin McRobbie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Allan Dodds Farewell to Scotland, Atholl Cummers, Mrs McPherson of Inveran      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Excellent intro beats and flourishing. March: Lovely relaxed playing and flourishing, maybe beats a little rushed in fourth bar of first part. Great control of stick when flourishing and playing. 6th bar of second part also seems a little rushed but lovely use of dynamics here. Really enjoyed flourishing at the start of third part, I thought it was quite effective here. March played confidently and beats used were effective in highlighting drum score and tune. Nice use of dynamics, good knowledge of 2/4 rhythmic pattern. Strathspey: Lovely intro beat. Impressive and effective flourishing throughout this tune. A bit more use of dynamics and strathspey idiom could be use to enhance performance. Timing in this tune is great and beats played are effective to the drum score. Reel: First two bars of reel are slightly rushed in tempo but you seemed to relax into the correct tempo after this. Really enjoyed the flourish and beats in fifth bar of first part, so simple but extremely effective! Lovely controlled playing and excellent flourishing. Good control of sticks in both playing and flourishing. Score really complimented the pipers and drummers well. Overall, a very enjoyable performance. Excellent intricate flourishing that did not impact on the playing of the drum. Great weight control and confident playing. A few minor timing discrepancies and maybe a bit more emphasis on dynamics but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to this performance!
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Event 209. Grade 2 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ryan Niksch 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: MacNiel’s March Ewe with the Crooked Horn DJS Murry      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Good intro beating with lovely confident flourishing. March: Beats are generally played well, just slightly pushing tempo in part endings. Good stick control in both playing and flourishing. Lovely use of flourishing throughout this tune. I would have liked to hear more dynamics and emphasise the 2/4 rhythm. Strathspey: Great flourishing throughout this tune. Great intro beat into strathspey. Ending bars a little rushed throughout tune. Good, confident playing in second part and third part. Playing in first bar of fourth part is a bit ahead of tempo. This tune also lacked in dynamics, a bit more emphasis required on the strathspey idiom. Great tune choice. Reel: Good intro beat into reel. Slightly ahead of the beat throughout the tune. Really enjoyed flourishing in this tune and felt it was very effective. Overall, a really nice performance. A few issues with timing and dynamics but otherwise confident playing and great deportment. Flourishing very effective and well controlled throughout. Well done!
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Event 210. Grade 2 Tenor Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Erin McRobbie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Flying Scotsman, Battle of Waterloo, The Panda      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Solid intro. Slight blip early in first part but otherwise good. Good use of dynamics in the 2nd part Excellent poise and control throughout complemented by a tasteful range of well executed flourishes. It's clear that careful thought has gone into ensuring that the placement and flow of flourishes enhances the beaten score. Beatings generally compliment the other instruments well, though be careful not to overcomplicate at times — such as the first part of the jig. Overall a very good and impressive performance.
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Event 211. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Erin McRobbie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Allan Dodds Farewell to Scotland, Atholl Cummers, Mrs McPherson of Inveran      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Intro - Spot on. March - Played with confidence incorporating good dynamic range and a pleasing range of well executed flourishes. Strathspey - Good break and a solid 1st part. Another well played tune with good use of visuals to accentuate the phrasing. Some minor issues with presion of beats at times. Reel - good break and a very solid reel in all aspects. Excellent performance.
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Event 211. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Ryan Niksch 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: Mrs John Mac Call Bogan Lochan The Sheep Wife      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Good intro and a well played March. Good break into the strathspey which was generally well played though lacking in dynamics at times (2nd pat especially) and with the occasional timing issue evident (3rd part and 4th part especially). Solid break into the reel. Playing tends to be a bit 'sticky' at times and the flourishing which had been used effectively in the first two tunes pretty much disappeared! Drum choked! A more resonant instrument will be both easier to play on and more pleasing on the ear!
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Event 211. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christine Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 3      Tunes: Hugh Kennedy, Susan MacLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran.      Judge: Chris Pollock     
Judge's Comments: Intro tempo not maintained into the March. In general all three tunes of the set lacked any flow or connected theme between the sections of flourishing and sections of beats. The strathspey in particular did not have a strathspey rhythm or dynamic established at any point. Beats throughout were often 'sticky' and moved around ahead and behind the beat at times. The performance was at a disadvantage from not having a snare score to accompany. Well done for giving it a go. It's not easy to put yourself up for critique. For future performances perhaps consider playing to either a full band recording or at least a recording with pipes and snare. This will allow you to practice regularly at a set tempo, hopefully building confidence as you increase in familiarity with the piece.
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Event 212. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Erin McRobbie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 1      Tunes: Flying Scotsman, Battle of Waterloo, The Panda      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Lovely controlled intro beats and flourishing. Effective beats throughout the first part of the hornpipe.Triplets in seventh bar of each part are lovely and controlled. A bit more light and shade would enhance this tune overall but otherwise a great confident score with beats that highlight the drum score well. Intro into first jig a little ahead of the beat. Beatings perhaps seem a bit unsettled at the beginning and there are a few timing issues in the first bar of the second part and in the eighth bar also. Nice flourishing that highlights the tune well. Good intro into second jig. Beats in third and fourth bar of first part (first time through) are a little ahead of time. Beats in eighth bar of first part are a little ahead of tempo, first time through. This repeat of the part was much better. There are a few timing issues in the second part and triplets are clipped. Great ending that successfully enhances the drum score. Overall, a very enjoyable performance. Lovely use of flourishing and playing is intricate and highlights the drum score and tune well. A few timing issues and perhaps more use of dynamics but otherwise a confident and well put together score!
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Event 212. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
Competitor: Christine Christiansen 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: The Man from Skye, The Hen’s March.      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Very good intro beats. First few beats in the first part of the hornpipe are a little behind but you seem to recover very quickly after this. Flourishing choice is effective throughout this tune, I felt it highlighted the pipe music well. A bit more control of the stick in the flourishing would help in playing the beats that immediately follow though. Beats in second and third part seem a little rushed throughout. Beats in fourth part are also a bit ahead of the tempo. Playing with a lovely amount of confidence and flourishing, whilst it could use a bit more control, it is definitely effective against the piping music. Break into the jig was behind and seemed to be unsettled in the first few bars of the first part, however you seemed to relax into it as the part moved on. Lovely confident flourishing within the first part. Beats that followed the flourish in the first two bars of the second part seem to be a bit behind the tempo of the tune. Nice, effective flourishes towards the end of this part. Beats in the third part seem to run away from the tune, perhaps a bit too busy in this part. Effective use of flourishing in fourth part but the playing itself seems a bit inaccurate here. Overall, lovely weight control that does not take away from the tune or piper. Lovely confidence and deportment throughout this tune. A few areas to practice on, such as timing and control but otherwise an enjoyable performance with effective use of flourishing and a lovely tune selection.
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Event 301. Novice Bass Drumming (Grade 4 & 5) - Any March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: Nick Haysom 🇦🇺      Place: 1      Tunes: PM Sam Scott      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: First beat played was a bit behind, this was maybe due to the lack of intro beats, however you recovered very quickly. Nice flowing arm strokes and lovely weight played throughout the tune. Ending bars played very well. Maybe falling slightly behind the beat in the first time through the third part. Really enjoyed the accented beats at the beginning of the fourth part, very effective here! Lovely use of light and shade throughout the tune. Lovely, rich tone from your drum also. A very enjoyable performance!
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Event 301. Novice Bass Drumming (Grade 4 & 5) - Any March (at least 2 parts)
Competitor: David Beaulieu 🇺🇸      Place: 2      Tunes: The Siege of Dehli      Judge: Sarah Coyle     
Judge's Comments: Well executed intro beats. A few beats are falling behind in the first part. Ending bar phrases are played well. A few more accented beats would have helped enhance the overall performance. Second part also had a few beats off tempo but you recovered in the second time through the part. Really enjoyed the playing in the third part. Nice use of off beats in both the third and fourth part. You definitely seemed to have settled for these last two parts. Overall, you had a nice tone to your drum and played well and confidently. Only a few timing issues and maybe a bit more use of dynamics but otherwise a nice, enjoyable performance.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Capt Callum Campbell's Caprice, Dunrovin Farm, Shaggy Grey Buck, Brown Haired - By WRH Gr2      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 1 — The intro got my attention and you pulled it off very well. Pipe sound rich and well tuned. Solid drones and good chanter tone. High As really nice. Good, assertive playing (from all sections) in opening HP. Jigs well-controlled. Perhaps just a touch cautious. Some blowing issues starting to show on Ds here. Dramatic transition to slow air. Good unison slightly spoiled by a player or two starting the D throws prematurely. Lovely harmonies. Fundamentals of chanters really being highlighted here — lots of harmonics being produced. (Someone picked a really good drone number.) Musical, expressive strathspey. Controlled entry to reel. I liked the cheeky wee slur! Clean playing. Reprise was effective. Clean finish, but final D not quite band-on. (A risky note to end a medley on.) Technically, I am judging piping, but I wanted to acknowledge the excellent support being provided by the drum corps in this band. Bass tone was just lovely, tenors not as well picked up on the recording but sounded well tuned and resonant, snares crisp and bright and well pitched relative to the pipes. All sections played very well together, and I was particularly impressed by the ensemble in your strathspey. Effective scores and lots of colour being provided by bass and tenor. Excellent bass muting in the reel as well. I LOVED this medley! A classy, creative and very entertaining performance played with great tone. My only quibble was that there were far too many slips and errors, which would have cost you dearly in a more competitive contest.
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 1 — Sound: Drones well tuned, though not 100% in with the chanters. Seems like the drones might be sharper than the chanters. Some top hand intonation issues throughout and blowing as you went through the selection. Overall a very enjoyable sound! Off well with good unison and presence. Some rushing towards the end of Calum Campbell's after the tied note. Good control in the jigs, though some note mistakes interfering with unison. F strikes in the second part are well played. Some blowing issues on D in the third part of Dunrovin. Effective arrangement of this tune and nice entry into Shaggy Grey Buck. Some slight note errors in the first part of the second jig. Good balance of harmony/melody. Inconsistent blowing in the slow air causing intonation issues. Very polished harmony writing here, enjoyable! Strathspey is a bit slow for my taste but with good SWMW phrasing. High A entry into the Reels was not blown together — keep the pressure up! A few pipers here and there rushing in the later parts causing some separation in unison. Nice writing here, though marred by some chanter intonation issues. Ds in the final reel are starting to separate a bit more, but the final D was more in tune than those in the reel itself. This is a great medley! Lots of effective arrangement and your band is clearly working hard with a lot of potential Just a few things as noted to help polish your performance. Keep it up!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 1 — 1st roll not together between sections. 2nd roll? Not for me! Decent break. Slightly sloppy end to the part from the pipers. Solid bass and tenor work throughout adding good dynamics. Particularly effective in Dunrovin Farm. Harmonies nicely incorporated and enhancing the overall performance. S/A well arranged. Good break into Strathspey Effective slur in Break Your Bass Drone Drums a little messy in Jenny Dang the weaver and at times as the set came towards its conclusion. Not all together at the finish.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 1 — Dear Wellington Red Hackle, interesting introduction, however drums not together on first roll. Drum corps complimentary to pipeline throughout opener. Nice bouncy jigs, well expressed. Good use of harmony here. Bass section accurate, with good touch. Air well produced with sympathetic drum accompaniment. Strathspey with well defined rhythm and expression by all units. Reel driving along. Some drum corps integration issues evident here. Minor timing issues in pipeline late on. Good volume balance across band. Sound tuning all round. Clear chanter projection.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band 🇳🇿      Place: 2      Tunes: Duncan Macinnes, Dorrator Bridge, Sound of Sleat (Hackle Gr4)      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 2 — Quite a soft E on the introduction, and not all pipers hit it at the same time. Things improved markedly after this. Good pipe tone, enhanced by bright snares and a full, resonant bass drum. Chanters a little fragile on the top hands. Drones well tuned and steady. Pipe unison good in the march. Nice, stylish playing here by pipers, and well supported by the drum corps. Controlled strathspey with a good amount of emphasis on the strong beats. Pipers dragging slightly in the 3rd part. Blowing faded at the end of the strathspey and during the transition to reel. Otherwise, good break to the reel. Playing was quite clean here. Plenty of drive, but also good control. Some high quality music here. Evidence of some really good work on the musical fundamentals. I really enjoyed your playing. Well done, everyone.
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 2 — Attack: Some squealing drones on the attack, but well timed. Pipes: Well tuned drones. Some Es are not quite spot on, but a good, stable top hand sound. March: Great choice of tempo. Doublings are well executed across the pipe corps, though watch out for some early B doublings in Bar 4 of each part. Good control on Part 3. Fs in the 4th part are starting to separate due to some overblowing. Otherwise a well played march Strathspey: Good entry. Lacking clarity on the C doublings in Part 1. Some "harachum" (doubling tachum) movements crushed. Work on getting a clear triplet rhythm. Top hand intonation and unison starting to separate at the fourth part. Last note not blown together. Reel: Solid entry. Very effective to use the first beat of the Reel to double down on unison. Adept handling of the third part, very challenging. Some note mistakes in the fourth part marring the unison. One late pipe at the cutoff. Overall a lovely performance! It's clear that your band is part of a great organization and is engaged in effective education. Just a few points noted above to help this set along for the coming season. Good work!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 2 — Intro spot on from drums though pipe not fully confident. A decent march, if down tempo. Good break into a nice Strathspey. Integration threatened to unravel at times in 3rd and 4th part but recovered quickly. Reel lacking drive but reasonably well together. Messy finish. Tunes selected appeared to be a stretch for some players. Snare score held the performance together very well. Well done to all for giving it a go.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 4 — Dear Wellington Red Hackle, Drums away clean, pipe drones not together on introduction. Unsteady uptake to march. Notation errors in pipeline early. Tempo labouring a little affecting musical flow. Drum corps working nice to melody. Strathspey tempo slightly slow. Strong rhythm produced and nicely expressed by all units. Reel tempo down and lacking drive and excitement. Drumline sticking problems evident. Pipeline flowing well. Bass accurate throughout. Overall volume out of balance. Overall tuning quite good.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Regimental Pipes Drums Calgary Highlanders 🇨🇦      Place: 3      Tunes: Battle of Waterloo, Flett from Flotta, The Pikeman's March      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 5 — Sharp looking band, Pipe Major! A good introduction, and a nice up-beat tempo in the Battle of Waterloo. Chanters well tuned, but a little thin and fragile-sounding on the top notes. Drones well set and steady. Pipers not all articulating dot-cut rhythms the same way — some pointing well, others tending to round off the corners, which resulted in some cloudy unison playing. Effective use of harmony. All sections playing well together Some unfortunate errors towards the very end of the performance, but a clean finish. Technically, I am judging piping, but I wanted to acknowledge the solid support being provided by this drum corps — both the snares and the bass section. Nice snare tone. Bass and tenors well tuned but could be a little more resonant. An enjoyable performance, and it was nice to hear that you had an audience!
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 4 — A very impressive start! Attack not quite perfect, but overall strong. Pipes: Drones well set. Top hands are tending to be somewhat sharp on the chanters and some inconsistent blowing throughout. Battle of Waterloo: Good tempo and unison. Some note mistakes in the second part marring tempo and a couple pipers rushing ahead. Flett: A couple of squeals in this tune on G grace notes — may be a reed worth looking at. Too much tape on High G can lead to more squeals. Some rounding out of the E and F Dotted 8th/16th relationships here hurting the unison, but good job keeping the pace moving. Fs starting to wander in pitch. Pikeman's: Effective harmony writing and playing. The triplet section is not in perfect unison, so work with every piper to get this unified throughout the pipe corps. Some overblown chanters in the second part here as well as some rushing. Keep your composure through the end of the set! Overall a very enjoyable set of classic 4/4 marches. The band is clearly well taught and set up, so just work on getting the chanters more in tune and this set will shine even more.
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 4 — Smart intro and a spritely tempo, Some minor piping mistakes and integration issues evident at times but all in all a decent effort from all sections producing an enjoyable performance. Snares well set, drone light and top hand sharp. Poor finish.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 2 — Dear Regimental P&D Calgary HLD, Solid introduction across all units into a lively tempo. Confident uptake to the set. Drumline driving nicely with good rhythm and expression. Bass unit accurate, but overpowering in volume spoiling band balance. Some notation errors evident in pipeline early. Tempo remained steady throughout. Drumline not using dynamics to enhance musical flow. Pipeline integration issues and minor note value errors evident. Not a clean finish. Chanters well-matched, snares clearly projecting. Bass section pitched low.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Kevin R. Blandford Memorial Pipe Band 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: John MacDonald of Glencoe, Dornie Ferry, MacKay from Skye      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 4 — Good introduction. Very good pipe tone at the start. Chanters bold, well-tuned and stable. Drones solid. March was perhaps a touch on the quick side, possibly contributing to a lack of emphasis on the down-beat. This produced a bouncy effect that was especially pronounced in the ending phrases. Slowing down in the 3rd part. Unison good throughout. It is difficult to play well together as a trio (nowhere to hide!), so well done. Quite a musical, enjoyable strathspey performance. One big chirp. By the 4th part, the blowing was beginning to suffer a bit, and you also began to lose your rhythmic definition. Good transition to reel. Lacking some definition/downbeat emphasis in some spots (e.g., tending to roll off the high As on the off-beat of beat 1 in the 2nd part). Clean finish. Lots of good work on display here, folks. Some really quality tone and playing. I'd just take a good, hard look at the musical approach to your march and see if you can lean into the downbeat a bit more to get it to sound more 'marchy' and less 'bouncy.'
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 3 — Good attack and E. Pipes: Drones well tuned at the start. Top hands not quite spot on in tune. March: Very good entry. First two parts played well. Third part started to slow down and lose some unison, most audible in Bar 5. Some minor separation in Part 4 as well. Good phrasing throughout. Strathspey: Start not perfectly together. Good triplets and showing of the SWMW pulsing in the first part. Triplets at the end of Part 2 not as together as those that came before. Part three well played. Losing unison on the short Es in Part 4 after grips. Reels: Good entry. Blowing starting to sag impacting the intonation of the band from the first part of this tune. Good control overall, though keep the energy up to blow and play at the same level you were in the first two tunes. In general a strong performance! Just a few points where unison and tuning were not spot on. Keep up the good work, I look forward to hearing the full band!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 3 — Intro - spot on. Nicely into an enjoyable March. Occasional integration issues evident but the overall impression is good. Well into a strathspey played with nice lift though slight integration issues evident at times Good break into a lovely reel. Well done.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 5 — Dear Kevin R. Blandford Memorial, Introduction, no drums? Drones unsteady on intro. Slightly slow tempo on entry for march. Notation errors and note values not fully held. Strathspey exposed top hand tuning out. Some integration issues evident here. Not correctly phrasing rhythm for this idiom. Reel tempo down slightly. Lacking precise execution. Lack of bass section detracts from ensemble presentation. No snare line to add much needed dynamics to performance.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: East Kilbride Pipe Band 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 5      Tunes: Sweetmaid of Glendaruel, The Brownhaired Maiden, High Road to Gairloch, Captain Norman Orr Ewen      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 3 — Good introduction. Drones well set and steady. Chanter intonation could be better — low As and high As in particular were not well tuned. It is obvious from the good unison playing in this pipe corps that you have put a lot of work into your playing, ensuring that everyone is pointing the rhythms correctly, and playing in the same style. Well done! Several errors poking through in the Sweet Maid of Glendaruel. Things got cleaner in the subsequent tunes. More confident playing in Brown-Haired Maid. However, drones drifting and low As distractingly out of tune by this point, due to blowing. Execution not always clearly articulated (e.g., D throws in Capt. Norman Orr Ewing) Band playing very well together as a unit throughout this set of tunes. Good, lively tempi and good control. Clean finish. Technically, I am judging piping, but I wanted to acknowledge the excellent support being provided by the drum corps. Scores are well composed, stylistically appropriate, and provide plenty of accent and dynamics. I found the cut-out and reentry in Brown-Haired Maiden especially effective and impactful. Nice muting from bass in High Road to Gairlock. Nice triplet work from tenors in Sweet Maid. Bass and tenor well tuned and resonant but perhaps a bit too dominant (could be the fault of the recording). An impressive and enjoyable performance, guys. Well done!
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: — Pipes: Drones set sharp to chanters. Chanters could use more refinement — some are much sharper than others, and it seems like top hands aren't quite together. Overall a good presence, could just use some more polish. Sweet Maid: Good tempo and attack. Very nice unison in this tune. Bs in Bar 4 are somewhat distracting (some of them are fairly sharp) Brown Haired Maiden: Nice job keeping the tempo the same from Sweet Maid. Technique is strong across the circle here over all, just some tuning concerns as noted above. High Road: A slight drop in pace here. Try to keep the forward motion you've built in the first two tunes. Some players are starting to be a little fatigued and blowing on D in particular is affecting intonation. Ewing: Better pace in this tune. As above, unison is well established. Some note mistakes in the second part marring the unison — work on getting rid of those before the in-person contests and this tune will be a great closer. Overall an enjoyable performance. Work on getting the chanters more in-tune with one another to help your performance and well-rehearsed unison come to the forefront. Keep up the good work!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 5 — A solid intro and nice uptake to opening March Drums well balanced within the overall ensemble sound. Overall A well controlled performance by all sections. Minor integration issues at times within the pipe section but all in all a very competent and enjoyable performance of a nice selection of tunes chosen well for the capabilities of the performers. Well done.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 3 — Dear East Kilbride, All units not accurate on introduction. Steady uptake to set. Snare line accurate to melody. Bass section tidy and accurate but could provide a little more weight variation. Good volume balance across whole band. Pipe line notation errors and note values not always executed correctly. Drum line lacking dynamic range, however remaining accurate to melodies. Good interpretation and integration throughout. Tuning well set all round.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Grande Prairie and District Pipe Band 🇨🇦      Place: 6      Tunes: Cutting Bracken, Walter Douglas, M.B.E, Prince Charles Welcome to Lochaber, The Haughs of Cromdale.      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: 6 — Quite a dramatic loss of momentum right from the start. It's very important to ensure both drums and pipes all start at the tempo called by the P/M. Tempo continuing to drag throughout Cutting Bracken. Pipes quite well set, apart from a sharp/unstable high G poking through. Some flat blowing at times, especially on low A and D. This showed up the most in Walter Douglas and Haughs of Cromdale, perhaps because some pipers were struggling with the tunes. Drones significantly affected by slack blowing in Haughs. Fairly good unison playing throughout this set of marches. Watch for moments of rushing, e.g., players placing the D strikes ahead of the beat on part endings. Nice, tasteful use of harmony at the end of this set. Technically, I am judging piping, but I think more drive from the snares would help the pipers keep the tempo going. (D/Sgt., sometime you have to take the pipe corps by the scruff of the neck — just ask my Lead Drummer!) Otherwise, an effective percussion accompaniment in all tunes (the cut-out and reentry being a highlight for me.) Clean finish. Nice playing, folks!
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 6 — Some squealy drones at the start. Drones not quite set together but not distracting. High Gs are fairly out of tune. Cutting Bracken: Good entry and control through this tune. High G's aren't together with some flat, some sharp. Work on getting a clear High G on each chanter. It is challenging with today's pitches being so high, but this will pay dividends in the results. Walter Douglas: As in Cutting Bracken, High Gs are somewhat distracting. Very good unison in the second part of this tune. Taorluath in the last line very well executed. Prince Charles: Effective transition from Walter Douglas and good job keeping the tunes moving along. Blowing on Ds is starting to affect intonation. Cromdale: Low As are staying effectively in tune and matching well with drones now. One piper's chanter seemed to drop towards the last phrase of this tune — keep the pressure up! Overall a well played set. The tempo is perhaps a bit low, but for this time of year your band has above average unison for sure. As you continue to prepare for the upcoming season I would work on getting the top hands of the chanters more locked in, especially High Gs since your set has a lot of these in the first half of the performance. Keep it up!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: — Rolls not even. Pipe section seem more confident and controlled than the drum corps. Suppressed tempo may play a part in this, allowing pipers time to play but hampering drummers. Good use of harmony at times though overall performance lacked balance between pipes and drums. Not all together at the finish. All in all, a good effort with a nice selection of tunes well chosen for the level of performance.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: 6 — Dear Grand Prairie and District, Drums not together and drones not together on introduction. Uptake tempo slow. Separation in drumline evident from the outset. Pipeline integration issues intermittent throughout the set. Lack of bass section affecting tonality and ensemble. Drumline/pipeline integration problems continued throughout set. Lack of dynamics from drum corps. Pipeline inaccurate note values evident. Nice harmony in later parts of set. Overall performance lacking drive and excitement. Tuning of drums on dull side. Pipeline also pitched low.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums 🇺🇸           Tunes: The Siege of Delhi, Struan Robertson, Alick C. MacGregor.      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: — Introduction was fairly together but lacked energy. Good tone. Drones and chanters well tuned. Some cloudy unison playing in march caused by several pipers consistently placing the doublings ahead of the beat. I can hear that you've been working on the pointing in this tune, and a lot of the time it was quite good, but it just wasn't consistent. Strathspey needs more contrast between strong/medium and weak beats, so you're not landing four heavy accents in each bar. You really need that in order to achieve the dance idiom. Reel played fairly well by most of the pipe corps. One or two players were really struggling to play the tune, unfortunately. Good cut off. There was a very large number of audible errors, cut-outs and at times double-toning drones in this performance, which was very distracting. It seemed like the strathspey and reel in particular were a bit beyond the current capability of a couple of the players. Hopefully with some more time and continued hard work, this will improve.
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: 5 — Pipes: Good timing on the attack, though a few early drone squeals. Drones and chanters not quite set together, with top hand notes tending to vary from player to player. Siege of Delhi: Good tempo choice although perhaps a bit slow. A few early doublings after quarter notes (Parts 1 & 2 Bars 1/5) — extend those quarter notes! Some rushing into Bar 4 of each part on the short F to High A. It can be challenging, but work on getting the G grace note on that F directly on the downbeat of Bar 4 rather than before it. It is a common mistake to play the High A on the beat and the F before it, but wait just a moment longer for the F — this will help both unison and phrasing. Some note mistakes and rushing in Part 3 - keep the brakes on! Good treatment of the quarter note in Part 4, though one or two pipers rushing off. Overall a nice march. Struan Robertson: Blowing sagging in the transition of this tune. Tempo somewhat low compared to the forward motion of the march. Drones starting to drop out/double tone in Part 2 — perhaps due to lack of confidence. The strathspey is one of the hardest idioms (if not the hardest) to master, but it is a journey and it's good to hear you on it. Work on getting every bar consistent with the Strong, Weak, Medium, Weak pulsing. Of particular note, work on getting your triplets in this tune to be consistent across the band. Most players are crushing these beats, so think of them as two 16th notes followed by an 8th note and that may help. Alick C MacGregor: A bit long on the last note of the strathspey and some uncertainty heading into the reel. Good idea of the idiom here. A few note mistakes in Part 3 marring the unison. Some rushing in the last phrase of Part 3 — keep your composure! Make sure that the strikes in the last part occur right on the upbeat — this is a cool hallmark of Alick C and one that can be very effective if in unison. You might want to try playing to a metronome on the upbeat to hear this kind of emphasis. Overall a nice set! Good presence and some enjoyable selections. Incorporating the notes above will help this set shine. Keep it up!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: — Intro down tempo. Pipers more or less together through the March drums tardy from start and throughout. Not a confident break. The strathspey idiom is clearly beyond some of the performers. Not a confident break into a reel which displayed similar issues to the two tunes preceding it. Overall performance would benefit from the incorporation of some dynamic variation from the Mid-section. Drones and chanters not well set. Material clearly is a stretch for some participants. Good stop. Well done for giving it a go.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: — Dear Alaska Celtic, All units not away cleanly on introduction. Uptake at a slow tempo for the march. Drumline integration issues evident throughout. Pipeline notational errors throughout. Intonation problems with top hand evident. Drum line lacking dynamics and not interpreting musical theme. Break to strathspey not clean. Both corps with integration issues throughout strathspey. Not producing correct rhythm for this idiom. Intonation problems through pipeline evident. Bass section not accurate and lacked expression. Pipeline steady in reel. Drum corps not performing in a sympathetic manner to the musical theme. Bass section mistiming throughout. Drums pitched low, and chanters lack note clarity.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Johannians Pipes & Drums (JPD) 🇲🇾           Tunes: The Atholl Highlanders, Farewell to Camraw, Banjo Breakdown      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: — Good introduction. Honestly, it was a little difficult to hear the pipes on this recording, so I am going to address the band as a whole. Pipes fairly well tuned, but high As a bit sharp. Difficult to hear the drones over the bass drum. Nice drive from the snare section in Atholl Highlanders. Bass providing a good, steady beat, but the volume was a little overpowering given the size of the band. Tempo was well maintained in this march. Pipers playing quite well together in the slow air, but a lot of crossing noises were audible. Clean those up, boys! A slightly ragged transition to the jig. Once you got established, you played with plenty of spirit though. A spirited rendition of the Banjo Breakdown. An energetic performance with well maintained tempo. Thank you.
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: — Some early drones but a well executed attack otherwise. Pipes: Drones and chanters are not quite locked in. Work on getting the top hands of the chanters (High G and High A particularly) in tune with one another. Blowing inconsistencies led to some of the tuning issues. Atholl Highlanders: You seem to be playing this tune almost in simple time, rather than the original 6/8 "compound" time, but have strong unison. Try to focus on the quarter note/eighth note relationship and have the 2/1 ratio underlie this entire tune to get the "6/8 swing" that we usually hear in pipe bands. Effective use of harmonies in the fourth part! Camraw: Nice harmonies here — good writing! It seems like there might be some discrepancies between players on the grace noting and note length in this tune. Work to get everyone on the same page to keep pushing each other forward. Banjo: Good choice of tempo without rushing. Some note mistakes in the Second part getting in the way of good unison. Trailing drones at the end. Very nice to hear you all play! You've got a great group going and I hope to see you continue to improve with the notes above (and from the other judges of course!). Hope to see you at the Worlds one year soon! Keep it up!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: 6 — Good intro spoiled by the early drone. Decent uptake to March spoiled by little mistakes and thumpy bass. Nice harmonies but they tend to over power the melodic line, take care with how the lines are split. Not confident into Slow Air but reasonably well played. Break into Banjo Breakdown not together between pipes and drums. Drums tend to dominate. All in all, a good set of tunes. Good effort, Shame about the trailing drone on the finish.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: — Hello Johannians, Drums separating and pipes not together on introduction. Steady uptake to the set. Drums driving tempo nicely. Pipeline steady through march. Bass section overpowering, spoiling volume balance. Tenor line could add more variation to scores. Timing issues evident in pipeline. Air lacked clarity. Not a clean break to jig, but into a good tempo. Lacking good integration from both corps here. Bass section overpowering throughout. Tuning of drums low pitched, and pipeline drone and chanter not balanced.
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Event 401. Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
Competitor: River City Pipes & Drums 🇺🇸           Tunes: MSR: Peter McKenzie Warren, Sporting Jamie, Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, Lord James Murray, Linen Cap      Judges: Panel A     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Alan Bevan (Piping) — Place: — Thank you for submitting your performance. Some intonation problems on all instruments, which affected the overall presentation: - drones not in tune with chanters, and several quite flat notes on chanters, especially D - snare drum pitched very low to pipes, - bass drum also pitched quite low and lacking resonance. I thought the march was the highlight of this set. It was played at a good tempo that was well maintained. Pipers were struggling a bit to articulate the bottom hand work, but kept the tune going. Your approach to the strathspey was quite unusual. It came across as very march-like, as opposed to the dance idiom it is supposed to have. Reel was extremely slow (about half-speed), to the point where the expression was adversely affected. Clean finish. A good effort, guys. The biggest thing to work on in my opinion is the musical approach you are taking to your strathspey. I would spend some time as a group listening to some really good examples of strathspey playing and adjust your expression and drum scores accordingly, so you can more successfully produce a dance feel.
Judge: Andrew Donlon (Piping) — Place: — Pipes: Good timing, though not a clean E to start. Seemed like one of the pipers may not have had his E finger off the chanter at the start. High As are pretty out of tune with one another. This can be a challenging note to tune, but work with one another to get this locked in. Peter MacKenzie Warren: Good tempo. Some note mistakes and inconsistent blowing hurting unison and sound in the second and third parts. Good treatment of the rhythms in the fourth part's first phrase. Strathspeys: You played these tunes at almost the same tempo as the march. I would recommend listening to a few recordings of these tunes to get a stronger sense of the style of strathspeys. Being an American myself I found learning this idiom the hardest by far, and listening to recordings of Scottish players really helped me understand the "lift" and other concepts of this idiom. Reels: As with the strathspeys not quite spot on for the idiom. Reels are written in cut time, but you're playing these in 4/4 time, or at about half the speed that they would typically be played. Just like the strathspeys, I'd recommend listening to some recordings of other pipe bands playing reels to get a stronger sense of the idiom. Overall an enjoyable set of tunes! I'd note that MSRs typically require a 2/4 March rather than a 4/4 like Peter MacKenzie Warren, but not an issue in this contest. Nice to get a listen to this old classic 4/4 march! Thanks for entering in and keep up the hard work!
Judge: Chris Pollock (Midsection) — Place: — Not together on intro. Side drum flat. The acoustics of the room don't seem to help the performance. Can't comment on the strathspey or reel as they were not evident in the performance. Take some time to listen to top end bands playing strathspeys and reel and learn the feel of the idiom.
Judge: Harold Gillespie (Side) — Place: — Dear River City, All units not away cleanly on introduction. Intonation problems on pipe line from outset. Notation errors and incorrect note values spoiling presentation. Drumline steady, but lacking dynamics. Bass overpowering for compliment of band. Integration issues with both corps. Drumline not interpreting correct rhythm through strathspey. Not a clean break to reel. Notation mistiming and integration problems continued throughout reel. Instrument tuning low-pitched all round.
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Event 402. Freestyle Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: Grans Tune by WRH Grade 2      Judges: Panel B     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Brendon Eade (Piping) — Place: 1 — Great way to start the track - wee casual small pipe session .... melodic contemporary 3/4 - sophisticated tune selection here. Guitar accompaniment is sympathetic and creates colour. Increasing complexity with the introduction of multilayered harmonies is effective and maintains interest. Switch to big instruments definitely lifts the performance - really enjoyed this arrangement of Gran's tune, well done to all.
Judge: Gavin Noade (Side) — Place: 1 — Really enjoyed the introduction on the small pipes and guitar before breaking into the pipe band. Really nice tune and harmonies, and really well played. Some percussion would have been nice, but really enjoyed the ensemble.
Judge: John Dew (Piping) — Place: 1 — Lovely to hear the smallpipes being played, great choice of tune. Harmonies are very nice and the tune piece is wonderful. The big pause between the two takes makes the whole video seem disjointed and the flow is disrupted, if it were better timed it may be ok but at the moment it just feels like two different versions of the same thing joined together. Nevertheless the harmonies and the sound were great. When the pipers played the tune it began to slow down considerably, keep the tempo up. Good harmonies in the pipes though the practice chanter was slightly out of tune I felt. Good guitar voicings, feel free to add in a secondary dominant, particularly going back into the last line: F#7 to Bm could work really nicely. The integration at the very end could have been tighter. On the whole a very enjoyable piece that could have been joined together better.
Judge: Sarah Coyle (Midsection) — Place: 1 — I really enjoyed this performance. Lovely choice of tune, harmonies were really nice and the guitar added a really nice tone and feel to the overall performance. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this lovely piece of music.
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Event 402. Freestyle Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Regimental Pipes Drums Calgary Highlanders 🇨🇦      Place: 2      Tunes: Bannockburn      Judges: Panel B     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Brendon Eade (Piping) — Place: 2 — Effective intro - impressive spectacle from outset. Effective layering of all corps, kind of spooky bass and tenor arrangement which builds atmosphere. Nice introduction of harmonies and a clean chanter cut, well held which created anticipation. Enjoyed the performance a simple melody well presented, with dynamic and effective orchestration, well done.
Judge: Gavin Noade (Side) — Place: 2 — Liked how this piece built up with the pipers and then the bass, tenors and snares following. Good use of harmonies in the pipe corps and I liked the percussion line adding differing rhythms throughout the performance. The piece overall was very different and enjoyable. Also liked the pipers break to show off the percussion, good job.
Judge: John Dew (Piping) — Place: 2 — Nice to hear a new, original piece of music. Very well put together. Musically this worked nicely and had a lot of interesting material to it. Good integration between pipes and drums. Usually when pipers cut out they take the drones out as well, this allows for the drumming part to be heard more clearly. A couple of mistakes were ruining the performance however. In terms of sound the chanters were well set and stayed in tune. Watch the blowing on the top hand but good control of drones during the drum interlude. Bass and tenors well set and drums nice and crisp. A very enjoyable piece, well done.
Judge: Sarah Coyle (Midsection) — Place: 2 — Nice intro from the bass drum. Lovely precise playing from the tenors, maybe a little overpowering, but otherwise played very well. Beats really emphasised the drum score and tune, added great colour to the overall performance. Really enjoyed entire midsection performance during the break, where the pipers cut out, did a great job at keeping up the tempo of the tune. Really enjoyable performance, very exciting to listen to!
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Event 402. Freestyle Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Johannians Pipes & Drums (JPD) 🇲🇾      Place: 3      Tunes: Banjo Breakdown, Jingling Nona - Malay Traditional Song, Joget Pahang - Malay Traditional Song      Judges: Panel B     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Brendon Eade (Piping) — Place: 3 — Wow! Exciting intro, loads of energy and rhythm. Some interesting dance moves in there too. Pipers doing a pretty good job on melody delivery, the occasional error distracted Overall a high energy performance which kept the attention thanks for the listen.
Judge: Gavin Noade (Side) — Place: 3 — Very much enjoyed the different percussion instruments and rhythms, and especially the dance moves. Something very different and enjoyable.
Judge: John Dew (Piping) — Place: 3 — Fantastic introduction, loving it. Great dance moves as well. A few wrong notes from one of the pipers is disrupting the melodic flow of the performance and results in poor integration. In terms of the rhythm section, you can always change up the rhythm to suit the tune. I feel that if you change tune you should alter the rhythm in order to enhance the contrasting change in melody. This will allow for a greater dynamic variety in the performance. Feel free also for parts to drop in and out. These arrangement changes will help it to sound less samey and less monolateral. All in all a nice performance, well done.
Judge: Sarah Coyle (Midsection) — Place: 3 — Thoroughly enjoyed the intro from the tenors and the percussion section. Great selection of percussion instruments. Did a fantastic job at keeping up a lovely, bouncy tempo. Bass sounding great and playing very well! You all looked like you had a great time playing here and I had a great time watching and listening to your performance. Good job!
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Event 402. Freestyle Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums 🇺🇸      Place: 4      Tunes: Killicrankie, The Panda, Paddy Carey, She Moved Through the Fair, The Fiddler’s Joy, The Famous Ballymote, Kalabakan (Borneo).      Judges: Panel B     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Brendon Eade (Piping) — Place: 4 — Classic opener - try to ensure that the tempo set is one that all corps can deliver effectively. Not quite clean to the Panda, unusual side drum setting, B and T quite busy here. S/A - good tune selection - pipers need to be more tightly together here to maximise the beauty of the music. Strathsepy - some intercorps and intracorps separation which makes it hard to deliver the lift required. Enjoyed Kalabakan, clean stop. Some good tune selection, thee were a few ensemble issues as above which could be addressed to maximise impact.
Judge: Gavin Noade (Side) — Place: 4 — Nice medley selection with some good tunes. Needed some more variation in the drumming, bass and tenor, but really enjoyed the effort and the selection of tunes. Good job.
Judge: John Dew (Piping) — Place: 4 — Nice choice of tunes for the medley selection. The 3 pace rolls were behind the pipe majors command. Decent strike in an intro E. March was well played with some decent harmonies. A few mistakes in the jigs leading to disruption of musical flow. Slow air was nice but perhaps a tune with a more metric rhythm would suit this band better. This will allow for closer integration within the pipe corps. I feel that the last couple of tunes could be more confident, this only improves if each individual is confident with the tune. Much potential here, keep up the good work.
Judge: Sarah Coyle (Midsection) — Place: 4 — A few miss timing issues with the tenors in opening tune and into jig, this seemed to settle by Paddy Carey. Nice rolls played in the slow air, dynamics from tenor section are really nice here. Break into strathspey a little behind and mid section a bit behind the tempo. Bass drumming playing well in the famous Ballymote and Kalabakan, keeping nice steady tempo. Lovely selection of tunes, a nice performance to listen to. Well done!
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Event 402. Freestyle Musical Ensemble
Competitor: Celtic B 🇺🇸      Place: 5      Tunes: Kilworth Hills, The Banks of the Lee, Glasgow City Police Pipers      Judges: Panel B     
Judge's Comments:
Judge: Brendon Eade (Piping) — Place: 5 — Hi guys thanks for the entry, pipe sound pretty close but not 100% from outset. Good to open with a classic 3/4, errors do distract however. Nice slow air, low Gs not quite accurate enough for me, then into the Glasgow Police Pipers - very trad - again some errors creep in, nice use of harmonies 4th. Clean stop well done, thanks for taking the time to enter the online contest!
Judge: Gavin Noade (Side) — Place: 5 — Very inspiring performance, some issues with tuning and timing but great to see this ensemble playing together. Great job.
Judge: John Dew (Piping) — Place: 5 — Great choice of tunes here. There were a couple of points where there were mistakes in the March, try and learn correct music and be confident with the tune before recording as it disturbs the musical flow. It can sometimes lead to poor integration. Chanters are well set though the F is a little sharp. Lovely slow air playing there. Feel free to add more harmonies throughout the performance as this can enhance the music. All in all a good performance, well done.
Judge: Sarah Coyle (Midsection) — Place: 5 — Maybe a little unsettled through Kilworth hills but you all seemed to have settled by the second tune. Really enjoyed your use of harmonies in Glasgow City Police Pipers. Overall, a great set of tunes and a very enjoyable performance.
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Event 403. Piping Duet
Competitor: Nigel Escott & Mackenzie Loudon 🇳🇿      Place: 1      Tunes: In Praise of Ora, Molly Connell, Campbeltown Kiltie Ball, Alick C MacGregor, The Field of Gold, Paddy Carey.      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Lovely sound! Extremely well set and well blown tone. The odd D not quite together at early on but very good sound. Good pace to the opener, yet still sounding relaxed. Excellent unison and clarity. Good tone on the break to strath. Very well played. In Campbelltown KB, take care to hold the dotted note preceding two cuts, and be sure not to overcut back to back cuts. Superb flow to the reel. I like how the little bloop near the end of the reel didn't cause a disruption in tone or flow — well handled. A little bit of "shadowing" near the start of Field of Gold, but tightened up later in line one. Pipes holding well. Effective harmonies. Careful playing at the start of the jig, but not dragging. High Gs not quite together by the end, but rest of the pipes held very well. This was very well done and a real pleasure to listen to!
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Event 403. Piping Duet
Competitor: Kathryn McEwan and Laura McEwan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿      Place: 2      Tunes: The Guild of the 'Nineteen' Lubricators, Within a Mile of Edinburgh Tune (arr as a Strathspey), Whistlebinkies Reel, Devonshire Terrace, The Bells of Laurieston, The Jiggernaut      Judge: James MacHattie     
Judge's Comments: Sounds like each individual pipe is well balanced, but they are not at the same pitch — either one is fairly flat or the other is quite sharp — or possibly both. That means that the six drones won't be in together either. Hard to rebalance pipes for one event, though, if you're both playing solos — don't want to upset the balance of each individual pipe! Very good unison in the first tunes, with just a little issue near the end. Lively and well played. Watch pressure on D at the end. Good strathspey playing for the most part, but be careful not to overcut when you have a cut on a downbeat. Good control and unison in the reels. Pretty good birls from C! Watch little crossing noises from D to low A in the slow waltz. Confident and clear break into the jig. Be careful not to accelerate a little on descending runs — keep those open and controlled. Once again be really careful with bag pressure on the long D at the end — bit of sagging. A well constructed set, and well played. Matching chanters would have helped a great deal, but I do understand the limitations of the reality of balancing solo contests with the duet!
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