Schiele 2012 Nicol-Brown Invitational Champion

Albany, New York – October 6, 2012 – Alexander Schiele of Snohomish, Washington, was named the 2012 Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Solo Piping Championships overall winner, after taking first prizes in the Piobaireachd and MSR events, and a fifth in the 6/8 Marches. The 2012 contest was the thirtieth anniversary of the competition, which has long been one of the ultimate destinations for North American amateur pipers who gain an invitation based on their success in Grade 1 solo competitions in the previous season. Schiele received airfare to compete at the piping competition in London in November 2013. The judges for all events were Paula Glendinning, Willie McCallum and Nancy Tunnicliffe.

pipes|drums Magazine, as a nonprofit endeavor that returns proceeds to worthy nonprofit piping and drumming causes, was once again a financial sponsor of the Nicol-Brown.

Piobaireachd (Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice)
1st Alexander Schiele, “The King’s Taxes”
2nd Jamie Kubasiewicz, Winnipeg, “The MacLeods’ Salute”
3rd Nicholas Theriault, Danville, California, “Lament for the Viscount of Dundee”
4th Dylan Whittemore, Kitchener, Ontario, “Black Donald’s March”
5th Kirk Brunson, Derry, New Hampshire, “Lament for Donald of Laggan”

MSR (William Ross Challenge Targe)
1st Alexander Schiele, “Knightswood Ceilidh,” “The Islay Ball,” “The Grey Bob”
2nd Jamie Kubasiewicz,  “Abercairney Highlanders,” “John Roy Stewart,” “Ca’ the Ewes”
3rd Joseph Stewart, “Abercairney Highlanders,” “Shepherd’s Crook,” “Brown Haired Maid”
4th Daniel Pisowloski, Canterbury, Connecticut, “Glengarry Gathering,” “Dora MacLeod,” “Miss Proud”
5th Callum Harper, Bolton, Ontario, “The Pap of Glencoe,” “The Doune of Invernochty,” “Neil Angus MacDonald”

6/8 March (Donald MacLeod Memorial)
1st Joseph Stewart, Seattle, “Ellenorr,” “Dornkop”
2nd Andrew Donlon, Germantown, Maryland, “The British Legion,” “The MacNeils of Ugadale”
3rd Nicholas Theriault, “Donald MacLean of Lewis,” “John D. Burgess”
4th Callum Harper, “Bengullion,” “Miss Ishabel T. MacDonald”
5th Alexander Schiele, “MacLeod of Mull,” “Invercharron Highland Gathering”

Also competing but not in the prizes: Sarah Simpson, Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. Christopher Farruggia, River Forest, Illinois, and Sean Poyntz, Miami, were invited but unable to attend.