The 13th annual Redding Bagpipe Competition is the largest indoor solo piping competition in WUSPBA. Offering all amatuer grades (1-5), with four events for each grade. This year, the RBC is partnering with the Sun Belt, Sandy Jones Memorial Competition to sponsor the Grade 1 aggregate winner to attend the Sandy Jone. Come and participate or just observe, the first weekend of March at the Red Lion Hotel in Redding, CA.

THE 17TH ANNUAL BALMORAL CLASSIC
Call for Bagpiping Competitors, Age 21 and Under

Pittsburgh’s Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming invites young pipers to apply to participate in the 2023 Balmoral Classic: US Junior Solo Bagpiping Championship. Pipers will compete in MSR and in Pìobaireachd. The competition’s Overall prize is decided by a combination of scores from Pìobaireachd and MSR.

Our 2023 panel of distinguished judges includes:

John Cairns (Canada) was the first person from outside of Scotland to win the two Highland Society of London Gold Medals for solo piping at Oban and Inverness. He has won numerous other prizes, including eight Pipers’ and Pipe Band Society of Ontario Champion Supreme designations, three North American Champion titles, the Bratach Gorm, the Piobaireachd Society Canadian Gold Medal, Bar to the Gold Medal and Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel Contest, three Livingstone Invitational Contests, and three Fergus Gold Medals for Light Music.

Scot Walker (USA) was rated #1 Overall Professional Piping Competitor for seven years running by the EUSPBA. He has won 1st at nearly all the major North American Solo Championships, and in Scotland at games in Dornoch, Strathpeffer, Lonach and Cowel. A 4th-generation player with many years of experience, Scot served as Pipe Major of the Lehigh Valley Pipe Band for 20 years, and played with Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band in Glasgow, Scotland until 2016. He is a member of the EUSPBA judges' panel, and is a published composer.

Glenna Mackay-Johnstone (Canada) grew up in a piping household as a daughter of the late, great Ontario piper, Reay Mackay. She has played at the highest levels in both solo and band competition. She was a member of the 78th Fraser Highlanders, participating in many World Championships and a host of North American Championship. Glenna is a judge with the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario and was a member of the organization’s Music Committee for several years. Both of her children are accomplished pipers, rising fast in both solos and bands

APPLY BY OCTOBER 9 at:

Piping Application

The competition will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2023, from 9:00am to 4:30pm. An awards ceremony will follow at 5:00pm. The venue will be the Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.

There will be a free Piobaireachd workshop with John Cairns—open to all 2023 applicants and former Classic competitors—on Sunday morning, November 5.

World Solo Drumming qualifying and RSPBA Solo Drumming Champion of Champions event for snare drummers 18 and older.

All Grades & D/M

Band grades 4,3,2,1 & D/M

All grades of pipe band competitions

Pipe band grades 4,3,2, J, N/J & D/M

Hosted by the RSPBA Dundee, Perth and Angus Branch

American Pipe Band Championships for Grade 2 and Grade 3 bands.

Special one-time event at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, recreating the landmark 1990 album Names and Places and a special tribute to former Vale of Atholl Pipe-Major Ian Duncan. Also featuring the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.

The Ardmore Cup Solo Invitational will be two events, a MSR and, a medley that must include at least one Irish tune. Kids are free, Adults €5.00
The contest will feature top players from Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Come and hear:

• Alister Donaghy, Beragh, Northern Ireland
• Chris Earls, Arklow, Republic of Ireland
• James Frazer, Rathfriland, Northern Ireland
• Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
• Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland
• James Stone, Waterford, Republic of Ireland
• Alen Tully, Dublin
• Scott Wallace, Banbridge, Northern Ireland

Over €5,000 in prize money
For information on reserving tickets contact
Eric M. Stein
ericmstein53@gmail.com
Tel 1-631-241-5757

The third annual Sun Belt Invitational Solo Piping Competition will take place on November 9th at the Orlando Sheraton North Hotel and the 10 contestants have been firmed, along with the tunes they’ll be playing in the Piobaireachd event:

• Callum Beaumont, St. Andrews, Scotland, “Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck”
• Glenn Brown, Glasgow, “The Edinburgh Piobaireachd”
• Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “A Son’s Salute to His Parents”
• Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “The MacDougalls’ Gathering”
• Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland, “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”
• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland, “Lachlan MacNeil Campbell of Kintarbert’s Fancy”
• Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC, “Lament for Ronald MacDonald of Morar”
• Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, “The Prince’s Salute”
• Connor Sinclair, Crieff, Scotland, “The Unjust Incarceration”
• Alen Tully, Dublin, “The Marquis of Argyll’s Salute”

Each will also perform a medley of their construction. The total prize pool is more than US$6,000.

In the Pipe-Major Sandy Jones Amateur Championship, these pipers have qualified by winning designated events in North America over the year:

• Karl Fetter, Jamestown, North Carolina
• Malachi Johannsen, Modesto, California
• Liam Horne, Wise, Virginia
• Thomas McCollum, Michigan
• Katherine Miller, Florida
• Ian Minnear, Houston
• Magnus Stone, Natick, Massachusetts
• Mic Trenor, Columbus, Ohio
• Joey Votta, Absecon, New Jersey
• Adam Weghorn, New Zealand

The event is also offering two contests for practice chanter players 14 years old and younger: The William McCallum Sr. Memorial March (two parts any time signature) and the Pipe-Major Donald MacLeod Memorial Piobaireachd Ground (play the urlar of a piobaireachd composed by Donald MacLeod).

The Balmoral School of Piping & Drumming invites young pipers to apply to participate in the 2022 Balmoral Classic: US Junior Solo Bagpiping Championship. Pipers will compete in MSR and in Pìobaireachd. The competition’s Overall prize is decided by a combination of scores from Pìobaireachd and MSR and the winner will receive a set of MacRea bagpipes, donated by MacCallum Bagpipes.

Our distinguished 2022 judges are:

Robert Wallace (Scotland) is a double Gold medalist and President of the Piobaireachd Society. Since retiring from competition he is in much demand as a teacher and judge. For 15 years he was Editor of the Piping Times magazine and Principal of the College of Piping where he was instrumental in rebuilding their premises in Otago Street, Glasgow. Robert is editor of Piping Press web magazine. A professional journalist and writer, he has used his musical skill to produce many books including the Glasgow Collection of Bagpipe Music, Bagpipe Tutor (Vols 1–3), and the Bagpiper’s Handbook.

Amy Garson (Canada) was the first woman to win the Silver Medal for Piobaireachd at the Northern Meeting in Inverness (1981). She placed third at the Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal competition for Piobaireachd in Oban (1984), and third, fourth and fifth for the Northern Meeting Gold Medal for Piobaireachd in Inverness (1983-86). The first woman to be invited to compete at the Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship (1988), she won the Cambridge, Ontario Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal (1989), the Gold Medal at the Fair Hill Games (mid 1980s), and the Gold Bar for former winners (1988).

Lezlie Webster (USA) has been a professionally-ranked piper since 1973 and has had much success in international competitions. The first female piping judge in the United States, she continues to judge at Highland Games and piping competitions around the US and Canada. Lezlie founded the Boston Police Pipe Band and the Gaelic Fire Brigade Pipe Band in Boston, and currently instructs the New Hampshire Police Pipe Band and the New Hampshire Pipes and Drums grade 5 band. A Graduate of the Institute of Piping, she counts many top professional pipers among her students.

APPLY BY OCTOBER 1 at:

Balmoral Classic Competition 2024

“For our first live Classic since 2019, we will be hosting only a piping competition, as we are trying return to in-person events as safely as possible,” says the Balmoral’s director, George Balderose. “We plan to reestablish the drumming contest in future Classics”

Weekend Classic events include the piping competition on Saturday from 8:00am to 3:00pm, a concert featuring Celtic-fusion band Seven Nations at 7:00pm on Saturday night, and a free Piobaireachd workshop with Robert Wallace, open to all 2022 applicants and former Classic competitors, on Sunday morning.

The Glengarry Cup is a competition for professional pipers. Each year, professional pipers from Ontario and abroad are invited to compete for this trophy.
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The trophy has been awarded since the 1980s when it was donated by the Glengarry Pipe Band. Past winners include Colin MacLellan, Andrew Hayes, Bruce Gandy, Rob Crabtree, Andrea Boyd, Matt MacIsaac and many others.

Location: Army Ottawa Junior Ranks Mess, 149 Somerset St W
Doors open at 6:30 PM, contest begins at 7:00 PM
Tickets: $10/person (cash at the door or by pre-purchase online)

This unique event continues to celebrate the late-great Gordon’s links to Scotland, Ireland and Brittany as each competitor will play sets of Scottish, Irish and Breton music.

They will be judged by a panel of experts, with the overall winner named the best player of all three musical styles.

The competitors are;

• Andrea Boyd - Canada
• Ladislas Klatka - Brittany
• Angus Nicolson - Scotland
• Bradley Parker - Ireland

Part of Piping Live!, five piping foursomes from Grade 1 bands go head to head in MSR and Medley events:

• 78th Fraser Highlanders
• Johnstone
• People's Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia
• ScottishPower
• Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia

Top-level solo pipers compete in piobaireachd and light music events, the overall winner getting an invitation to the Glenfiddich.

All solo events, Wallsgreen Park, Cardenden

For qualified CPA members, at the National Piping Centre. Contact the CPA for details.

The Prairie Piping Invitational features top professional pipers playing entertaining tunes in a free-for-all event that always provides a great night of piping. Sponsored by The City of Regina Pipe Band and Reelpipes.com.

Date: May 20, 2022 [Friday at 7:00pm, music starts at 7:30]

Where: Hotel Saskatchewan, Regency Ballroom

2022 Invitees:
Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, NS
Daniel Lidgren, Calgary, AB
Raphael Mercier, Saskatoon, SK
Stewart Smith, Calgary, AB
Sean Somers, Calgary, AB

2022 Adjudicator:
Jim McGillivray

Requirements: players will entertain with an 4-6 minute selection of their own choice. The selection must include the ground of a piobaireachd.

We're planning an amazing package of fun and excitement for all. We have pipe bands from across the prairies, a Highland dance Championship and pre-premier contest, Scottish heavy athletics, beer tent with music and dance entertainment, children’s activities and lots more! Check our event schedule, volunteer for free entry, or sponsor

Largest Pipe Band Contest in the United States in 2018 & 2019....All solos on Friday and All Bands on Saturday. Grade 2 & 3 bands play twice and play their medleys in concert formation. Entry available at www.MWPBA.org