The 24th annual pipes|drums New Year’s Honours

2024 Product of the Year

Katenor Tenor Harness – Kate Dudek

Kate Dudek’s innovative system for pipe band tenor musicians takes the weight off by distributing it equally, making life and performance better for players of every level and size. In a year of excellent products, the Katenor Harness edged out other nominees by one vote.

Panellists’ comments:

• Someone had to make tenor drummers more comfortable . . . well done.
• It is a significant development for tenor drummers and well-deserved for important members of any serious band.
• I’m completely behind a supportive product that gives a player longevity without back pain.

Also nominated (in alphabetical order with a few comments from the panel)

Endurance Practice Chanter, BagpipeLessons.com and R.G. Hardie – More innovation from Jori Chisholm, this time a chanter that incorporates moisture-absorbing cartridges that can be swapped in and out for extended and more hygienic practice time.

• Practice with fewer slavers has to be a good thing.
• Could this be the solution to the perpetual spittle dribble chanter problem?

Gwrizienn, Xavier Boderiou album – Released later in 2024, Boderiou pushes new boundaries with his latest recording.

• Xavier makes excellent and interesting music. Always worth a listen.

Hilton Founders Edition Chanter, Modern Piping – It’s not simply a practice chanter, the Founders’ Edition chanter is a proper ensemble musical instrument with note intervals and pitch that fits easily with “other” instruments.

• Lincoln Hilton keeps taking things up a notch with his innovative music and his product launches.
• Aside from the sticker shock, it’s beautiful and sounds perfect. If only it came with Lincoln’s fingers and creativity!
• Have you seen it? It’s gorgeous!

Kintyre Practice Chanter, McCallum Bagpipes – In collaboration with Willie McCallum, McCallum Bagpipes creates a blackwood instrument with the dimensions and feel of their MC2 pipe chanter, making transition from detailed practice to pipes that much more practical.

• A practice chanter that actually looks like a pipe chanter? And has moisture control? Brilliant!
• To have a practice chanter designed by Willie McCallum speaks for its self. Being a prolific teacher, Willie would have seen the need for such an important tool to help pipers of any stage advance their piping. To be able to practice on a chanter that feels like a pipe chanter is a huge help and boost for any piper when taking the tunes from the chanter to the pipes.

Praxis, Mark Saul album – After some time away, Australia’s Mark Saul returns to the creative output that has made him renowned for musical composition and innovation.

• After all these years, Mark Saul comes out with this banger of a recording. Brilliant.

The Rising Son Collection, Campbell Naismith – In a year of few published collections of music, The Rising Son Collection had a different take on piobaireachd composition and arrangement.