We are excited to announce a new and expanded BagpipeLessons.com Online Piping & Drumming Competition for March 2012.
We are thrilled to announce the addition of 19 Scottish side drumming events, presented in association with James Laughlin of Come2Drum.com – the internet’s best place for information on learning pipe band drumming.
Last year, we saw an incredible worldwide response to the world’s first-ever online piping competitions. We received over 600 entries from pipers from around the world, many competing for the first time. The competitors submitted their competition videos via YouTube and received a detailed evaluation and comment sheet from our panel of world-class adjudicators. Videos of the prizewinners were posted for everyone to watch and enjoy.
Some comments from previous BagpipeLessons.com online competitions:
“I think that online competition is a great idea, allowing players to compete with each other disregarding distance.”
“The online competition is an absolutely fantastic idea… I got my first sheet yesterday and am very enthused about it. The critique is very constructive.”
“This first online competition is an historic event for piping.”
We’ve made improvements and added events based on feedback from our previous competitors and judges. We’re pleased to announce 37 different piping events and 19 different drumming events! Drummers have the option to record their videos with a live piper or with a recording of a piper.
We’re pleased to continue with our tribute to honor the piping legend: The Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March. The competition is open to any piper and is divided into age groups. The overall winner will receive a piping scholarship.
The Medley Event that is open to pipers in any grade, including Open/Professional. The Evaluation-Only Event is for pipers who want to be evaluated by a judge and receive judging sheet only, but don’t want to compete against other pipers.
Here’s how the online competition works:
- Pick the events you want to enter (see below).
- Sign up (each event limited to 30 competitors).
- Help spread the word and get your entry fee for free (see below).
- Make your video recording — this is your competition entry.
- Submit your recording.
- Wait for your judge’s comment sheet and the results!
All competitors will receive a full judging comment sheet. Prizes will be awarded according to the number of entries. Selected prize winners will receive scholarship gift certificates that can be used at any of the BagpipeLessons.com family of websites, including BagpipeGauge.com,BagpipeRevolution.com, or PipeBandTunes.com, with additional prizes to be announced later. Prizes will be given for: Best Dress & Deportment, Best Video Background, Best Quality Video.
Never competed before? No problem! If you don’t have a competition grading or you’ve never competed before you should enter the Grade 5 level events (see below). If you are from a region of the world that uses a different grading system (e.g. Australia, New Zealand), please email me and I can help you select the correct competition level. Also, you can send me a recent recording of yourselfplaying and I can suggest a grade level for you, too!
Tell a friend and get to enter for free! We need your help to spread the word and include pipers from around the world. After you’ve entered your events, ask your friends to sign up and tell them to type your name or email address in the “Who referred you?” box during the sign up process. For every three events your friends sign up for, you’ll get one free event entry fee! (I will refund your entry fee or credit it towards the next online competition.) So email your friends and bandmates, post on facebook, and blog about it!
Piping Events:
1. Beginner (practice chanter) – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
2. Beginner (practice chanter) – 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts)
3. Beginner (practice chanter) – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
4. Beginner (practice chanter) – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
5. Beginner (practice chanter) – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
6. Grade 5 – Slow Air (at least 2 parts)
7. Grade 5 – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
8. Grade 5 – 6/8 March (at least 2 parts)
9. Grade 5 – Jig (at least 2 parts)
10. Grade 5 – Piobaireachd (Ground Only)
11. Grade 4 – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
12. Grade 4 – Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
13. Grade 4 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
14. Grade 4 – Piobaireachd (Ground and Next Variation)
15. Grade 4 – Jig (at least 4 parts)
16. Grade 3 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
17. Grade 3 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
18. Grade 3 – Jig (at least 4 parts)
19. Grade 3 – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
20. Grade 3 – Piobaireachd
21. Grade 2 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
22. Grade 2 – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
23. Grade 2 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
24. Grade 2 – Hornpipe (at least 4 parts)
25. Grade 2 – Piobaireachd
26. Grade 1 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
27. Grade 1 – Jigs (two jigs, each tune at least 4 parts)
28. Grade 1 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
29. Grade 1 – Hornpipes (two hornpipes, each tune at least 4 parts)
30. Grade 1 – Piobaireachd
31. Any Grade – Medley (4-6 Minutes)
32. Ungraded – Any tune. Non-competitive, 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 complete judging sheet for you, but you will not be compared to any other pipers. Submit as many tunes as you like, but each tune requires a separate entry fee. This is a great option to get feedback for non-graded pipers or for tunes that are not currently offered at your grade level.
The Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge is open to all pipers regardless of any competition grading, except Open/Professional. 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 win a scholarship and be the Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March Champion. Select the appropriate event based on your age on March 1, 2012.
33. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March (at least 4 parts) – for pipers 12 or younger
34. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March (at least 4 parts) – for pipers 13 to 14 years old
35. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March (at least 4 parts) – for pipers 15 to 17 years old
36. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March (at least 4 parts) – for pipers 18 to 20 years old
37. P/M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 6/8 March (at least 4 parts) – for pipers 21 years or older
Drumming Events:
101. Beginner (Drum Pad) – 3/4 March (at least 2 parts)
102. Beginner (Drum Pad) – 4/4 March (at least 2 parts)
103. Beginner (Drum Pad) – 2/4 March (at least 2 parts)
104. Grade 5 – 2/4 March (at least 4 parts)
105. Grade 5 – 4/4 March (at least 4 parts)
106. Grade 5 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
107. Grade 4 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
108. Grade 4 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 2 parts)
109. Grade 4 – Jig (at least 4 parts)
110. Grade 3 – March, Strathspey & Reel (M at least 4 parts, S & R each at least 2 parts)
111. Grade 3 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
112. Grade 3 – Jig (at least 4 parts)
113. Grade 2 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
114. Grade 2 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
115. Grade 2 – Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
116. Grade 1 – March, Strathspey & Reel (each tune at least 4 parts)
117. Grade 1 – 6/8 March (at least 4 parts)
118. Grade 1 – Hornpipe & Jig (each tune at least 4 parts)
119. Ungraded Side Drumming – Any tune. Non-competitive, 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 complete judging sheet for you, but you will not be compared to any other drummers. Submit as many tunes as you like, but each tune requires a separate entry fee. This is a great option to get feedback for non-graded drummers or for tunes that are not currently offered at your grade level. This event may be played on the side drum or drum pad.
