Registration and Deadlines
- Registration deadline extended! Registrations for our Fall 2022 competition are due by December 1, 2022.
- The deadline to submit videos for our Fall 2022 competition is December 7, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. PDT (UTC/GMT -7).
*NEW* 2022 Grand Champion title will be announced after the Fall 2022 competition for the top-scoring piper or drummer in each category across all three (Spring, Summer and Fall) competitions. We hope to motivate you to practice harder and compete at your best!
Video Content
- All videos must be submitted using the official Video Submission Form on the Competitor Info page (the link will be emailed to all registered competitors).
- Each event must be recorded in a separate video.
- For all solo events and duet events, the musical performance must be recorded in one complete take with no editing or splicing. Multiple attempts to to get the perfect take are allowed; enter the best one. (For Band events, see below.)
- Videos must not have been recorded before October 17, 2022.
- Videos must be recorded for this competition. Reusing a previously recorded video is not permitted.
- Videos must use proper lighting so both face and hands of the contestant can be clearly seen. Videos with poor lighting or sound may be not be accepted. Please see previous season's entries for examples.
- Videos should show most or all of contestant's body, including the head.
- Marching is not required, but encouraged if you can march and stay visible in the video frame.
- Videos must be uploaded to YouTube and set it to Public or Unlisted (not private).
- Video titles must start with the phrase “World Online Piping & Drumming Championships Summer 2022” followed by contestant name and event. For example, “World Online Piping & Drumming Championships Fall 2022, Angus MacCrimmon, Grade 4 2/4 March.”
- A list of all competitors and their locations (city, state/province and country) will be posted on our competition page. All videos and judge’s comments sheet will be also posted.
- One entry per event only. To compete with more than one tune in a category, please enter the same event at a higher grade level (aka "playing up") or enter the Evaluation Only event for comments.
- Contestants may enter events in their grade and/or a higher grade only. No entries to lower grade events.
- Wearing of kilts is encouraged but not required.
For solo competitors using the Australian or New Zealand grading system, here's some help in selecting the correct grade:
Novice (Learner) = Grade 5
D Grade (Elementary) = Grade 4
C Grade (Sub-Intermediate) = Grade 3
B Grade (Intermediate) = Grade 2
A Grade (Open) — Grade 1
Open Level Solo Piping and Side Drumming events are for the highest level of solo competition (above Grade 1), also called Open, Professional, or Senior (CPA Grades A, B, C, and Premier).
Additional Rules for Solo Piping and Piping Duet Events
- We recommend contestants begin videos by saying their names and the name of their tune(s). Tune name is not applicable for medley events. For example, “My name is Patrick Og MacCrimmon. For my 4/4 March, I will play The Meeting of the Waters.”
- For piobaireachd events: contestants must submit the sheet music for their tune if their setting is not from the Kilberry or Piobaireachd Society books.
- For the solo piping Medley event: medleys must be between four to six minutes in length.
- For Piping Duet event, you may play a tune or set of tunes up to seven minutes in length.
- The Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge as well as the Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge events are age-grouped events. They are open to all pipers regardless of any competition grading, except Open/Professional.
- For the P/M Alasdair Gilles Memorial Challenge, select the appropriate event based on your age on October 17, 2022. Prize winners will be announced for each age group level. The first place winners for each age group will be judged against one another and the overall winner will be the Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March Champion and will receive a scholarship towards his or her further piping education.
- The Colin MacKenzie Memorial Piobaireachd Challenge is a single event for those 18 years and under as of October 17, 2022. Players must play a full piobaireachd of their choice. One scholarship winner will be announced.
- Ungraded, evaluation only event: this is a non-competitive, evaluation event. Play any tune. Your performance will be evaluated by a judge who will write comments for you, but you will not be compared to anybody else. Submit as many tunes as you like, but each tune requires a separate entry and video. This is a great option to get feedback for non-graded players or to play tunes that are not currently offered at your competition level. This event may be played on the practice chanter or pipes.
- For Open/Professional solo piping events, there must be more competitors than prizes.
Additional Rules for Solo Drumming Events
- Playing on a drum is required except for beginner level events.
- All drumming events that begin with a march or hornpipe must start with two three-pace introduction rolls.
- No piper is needed. You have the choice to play unaccompanied, with a live piper or with a recording of a piper.
- If you choose to use a recording of a piper, the recording may be of a piper playing the Highland bagpipes, electronic pipes or practice chanter.
- Tenor and bass drummers may compete with an optional side drummer but it is not required.
- You must be in full view of the camera with your face, upper body, hands and drum all clearly visible. If you use a live piper, they may also be on camera (but not required).
- Bass drummers should stand with one drum head facing towards the camera.
- We recommend that you say your name(s) and the name of your tune(s) at the start of your video. For example, “My name is Duncan MacRae. For my 4/4 March, I will play The Battle of Waterloo.”
- Ungraded, evaluation-only event: this is a non-competitive, evaluation event. Play any tune. Your performance will be evaluated by a judge who will write a comments for you, but you will not be compared to anybody else. Submit as many tunes as you like, but each tune requires a separate entry and video. This is a great option to get feedback for non-graded players or to play tunes that are not currently offered at your competition level. This event only may be played on the drum or drum pad, and tenor and bass drummers may play on table top or drum.
- For Open/Professional solo drumming events, there must be more competitors than prizes.
Additional Rules for Band Events
- Band members can choose to record their performances together or separately and edit the videos together.
- Event 401 Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble requires two or more performers playing a tune or medley of tunes of up to 10 minutes maximum. Musicians can include any combination of pipers, side drummers, tenor drummers, or bass drummers.
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Event 402 Freestyle Musical Ensemble requires two or more performers playing a tune or medley of tunes of up to 10 minutes maximum. Musicians can include any combination of musicians, singers, dancers, or performers. Must include a minimum of one piper. Musicians can record together or separately and be edited together.
- Contestants may perform on more than one instrument. Each instrument played counts as a performer. This means that a single person can enter band events, as long as they are playing two or more of the required instruments.
For further questions, please email us at [email protected].
