Ten entries for the Scottish Small Pipes Open Class was, 1 think, the biggest entry we have ever had for that most popular class and, with a repeat of last year’s five for the Border Pipes Class, helped make the annual Competition in Edinburgh on Saturday April 2nd, probably the liveliest yet. The one relative let-down was that both the pipe duet and the pipe and other instrument classes only attracted two entries each.

Staged as ever-in St Anne’s Community Centre, the competition started in the morning in an attempt to avoid last year’s running well over time. Julian Goodacre’s expert chairing of the forbidding-sounding Extraordinary General Meeting in the hour beforehand meant that the competition started at 11.10 a.m. - only ten minutes late! Once again we used our tried and tested formula of combining judges with card-marking by a considerable audience. The only problem still requiring some thought is regarding the Novice class, which had a heartening five entries . . some of whom, however, were clearly experienced Highland pipers, although new to bellows-blown pipes. This put genuine “new” pipers at a decided disadvantage and is an anomaly which can perhaps be cleared up for the next competition [See Andy Hunter’s letter P.6. Ed]. The balance of that, however, was that it was heartening to hear so much new, good playing.

Results:

Open - Lowland/Border pipes (Hamish Moore Quaich); 1, Douglas Walker; 2, Jock Agnew; 3, Nigel Richard.

Open - Scottish small pipes (Colin Ross Trophy): 1, Stewart Gaudin; 2 (equal), Martyn Bennet & lan Kinnear; 3, John Saunders,

Pipe and Song (Jimmy Wilson Memorial Cup): 1, Judy Barker; 2, David Robertson; 3, Laura McKenzie.

Duet - Pipes and Other Instrument (Dunfermline Tassies): 1, Stewart Gaudin & Steve Hall (Whistle); 2, Manuel Trucco & John Levine (clarinet).

Duet - Pipes (Main Castle Medals): 1, Jeannie Campbell & Rona MacDonald; 2, Justine Busbridge & Jim Buchanan.

New Compositions (London Cup): 1, Nigel Richard (The Lass of Sighthil); 2, John

Goodacre ( Wellford Place); 3, John Saunders (Doctor Ish), [These tunes are Printed elsewhere in this issue]

Novice (Heriot & Allen Quaich): Alastair Smith; 2, Roderick Dean; 3, Jim Buchanan.

                                                                                                            Jim Gilchrist May 1994