There are a variety of solo classes to cater for all levels including beginner, intermediate, open and “seasoned” (older players). Playing with other instruments, duets, pipe and song and new composition categories also have a place on this day where the focus is on participation and enjoyment rather than the competitive aspects. Inevitably, as there are prizes, there have to be rules which follow below. Please check carefully the time limits and criteria for the class(es) you intend to enter.
Entry forms will be available online in the month prior to the event for pre-entry. The competition is open to non members. Non players and others are encourage to attend as audience members.
LBPS Annual Competition 2024
Saturday 30th March
– in the rooms of the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society,
127 Rose Street South Lane, Edinburgh EH2 4BB
This year’s competition has a different format. We encourage you to have a go at competing and/or performing in a supportive atmosphere where you will meet great people, have a chance to listen to a wide range of playing and receive constructive feedback on your performance.
The venue is the historic rooms of the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society in the centre of Edinburgh (where we held a Collogue a few years ago). The venue is just off Rose Street (parallel to Princes Street) in the centre of Edinburgh,. and is just along from Waverley train station and the main bus station.
The rooms will be open from 09.45 with tea and coffee available on arrival. The first class – the Skeely Piper competition – will commence at 10.30 prompt. The Composing competition follows immediately after. Entries can be performed by a single piper or by duets, trios, quartets and more – and be accompanied by musicians playing other instruments including voice.
There will be space available for tuning.
The theme for the Skeely Piper competition is: a tune or tunes associated with Scottish topography, e..g Tullochgorum, Tweedside, Crags of Stirling, The Waters of Kylescu, Inveraray Castle, Bonnie Milldams o’ Norham, Atholl Braes, Gallowa’ Hills, Loch Tay Boat Song, Hills of Glenorchy, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton, the Braes of Castle Grant etc. A rich seam, indeed, we are sure you’ll agree
Anyone residing overseas – this includes people based in the British Isles who can't make it on the day – can enter these classes and they should record a video that will be shown and judged on the day. Please see the Competition Rules for full details of the deadline and how to submit yo3ur entry.
Running order for the day:
10.00 - Arrival. Tea and coffee
10.30 - Skeely Piper competition
c11.15 - Composing competition (followed by a group performance of the winning tune)
c11.45 - ‘Open mic’ performances
12.30-14.00 - Lunch
14.00 - ‘Open mic’ performances and group playing sessions led by an LBPS Ambassador
c15.30 - Results and presentations
The Booking Form is below. Please complete the form and pay via PayPal.
BOOKING
Entry fees:
Members: £2.50 per class
Non-members: £3.50 per class
Spectators: Free
Annual Competition Booking Form 2024
Colin Melville’s entry wins the 40th Anniversary Composing Competition
Colin Melville of Munlochy, near Inverness, is the winner of our 40th anniversary composing competition. We received 21 entries.
Colin’s entry is a four-part tune that will be henceforth titled, The Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society. He wins £400 plus a full run of the LBPS’ music collections and CDs.
Colin, who used to play with The Tannahill Weavers for over a decade, said: “I am absolutely delighted my entry was deemed by the judges to have merit enough to take the top spot.
“I’d had fragments of the melody in the back of mind for a few years and the first part came quite quickly. This competition was the ideal opportunity to work on it and form something fuller.”
Judges, Gary West and John Purser, said: “We feel that Colin’s entry is a splendid tune which has every chance of becoming a standard within the lowland and border bellows pipes repertoire.
“Like all the best tunes, it is not overly complex, and every phrase does its job very well. It is the kind of tune that all levels of player should be able to play, and to learn without too much difficulty. I can certainly imagine it becoming something of a theme tune at LPBS gatherings, and indeed well beyond our immediate community, too.”
LBPS Convenor, Stuart Letford, said: “The committee had thought that, with many other piping organisations having tunes named for them, it was time the LBPS had one, particularly in this its 40th year. Colin’s tune fits the remit we asked composers to take cognisance of and the judges agreed that his tune was the clear winner. Indeed, I understand both had it as their respective choices before comparing notes.
“We look forward as an organisation to playing this tune whenever we meet. It is a lovely tune. “
Please click Read More to see the score.
Annual Competition 2023 - Classes and Specific Class Rules
Full details of the classes in the competition, of general rules and of class-specific rules are available here
LBPS Annual Competition 2023 – Saturday 18th March
Linlithgow Burgh Halls
The committee of the LBPS are looking forward to welcoming members to the 2023 LBPS competition. We encourage you to come and have a go at competing, whatever stage you are at in your small-piping/ Border piping “career”. It’s a supportive atmosphere where you will meet great people, have a chance to listen to a wide range of playing and get constructive feedback on your performance.
40th Anniversary Composing Competition - Closing date 30th April 2023
The committee has decided to hold a composing competition as but one element to mark the Society’s 40th anniversary.
Tunes submitted should have at least four parts and be in the Lowland idiom. The name of the tune shall be, ‘The Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society’.
LBPS Annual Competition 2022 – The Results
The LBPS Annual Competition 2022 was held in Linlithgow on Saturday, 9th April 2022.
It was the first time the Society had been to this historic town. The town's old municipal building, the Burgh Halls proved to be a superb venue and was only a five-minute walk from the railway station. The town itself is conveniently situated roughly halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
LBPS Annual Competition – Saturday 27th March 2021
We are pleased to announce the results of this year's annual competition, held via Zoom:
RESULTS OF THE LBPS ANNUAL COMPETITION 2021
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SEASONED PIPERS CLASS (Judge: Lee Moore) |
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1st |
Pete Stewart |
Wo Betyd Thy Wearie Bodie (Skene, MS, 1615) An Old Man Is a Bed of Bones (Playford 1651 arr Stewart) I Am a Silly Old Man (Balcarres MS as ‘Gin the kirk would let me be 1695) |
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2nd |
John Kelly |
Mary Scott the Flower of Yarrow Linkcumdoddie |
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3rd |
Jody Lynch |
Teddy o Neill (Air) The Clare jig and The Nora Crionna hornpipe The Wonky Table |
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INTERMEDIATE CLASS (Judge: Iain MacInnes) |
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1st |
Alexander Sime-Scott |
The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow, Lassie Gae Milk on My Cow Hill |
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2nd |
Ruari Black |
The Rose of Allendale / Knucklehead Johnny the Tree Wrecker |
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3rd |
Caroline Barden |
Wee Totum Fogg Pawkie Adam Glen |
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PIPE AND SONG CLASS (Judge: Iain MacInnes) |
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1st |
Ian Crane |
Tha Mi Sgith |
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2nd |
Pete Stewart |
The Ballad of Jock Elliot |
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SCOTTISH SMALL PIPES CLASS (Judge: Hamish Moore) |
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1st |
Stuart Letford |
John Anderson My Jo / Jack Latin (from Dixon) Lassies o’ Melrose |
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Joint 2nd |
Norman Macleod |
Dark Lowers the Night (3/4 Retreat), Hacky Honey (9/4 from Dixon, tune #4) |
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John Charles Bauschatz |
Shuidh Mi air Cnocan an t-Siùil A Bhean Ud A-staigh Hì Rì a Bho Horo Hug Gur e an Latha He Mo Leannan, Ho Mo Leannan Clo Mhicllemhiceil |
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3rd |
Bill Bennett |
My Home Town, Scarce of Tatties, Drops of Brandy Aye Walkin O |
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LOWLAND & BORDER PIPES CLASS (Judge: Gordon Mooney) |
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1st |
Stuart Letford |
Rowan Tree (arrangement by Mark Stewart, Crieff) The Lasses Bushes Brawly (from Dixon; the first four parts only) Dixon’s Highland Laddie (from Dixon but I shall miss our parts 6 and 7 due to time constraints). |
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2nd |
David Faulkner |
Joyful Days Will Come (David Faulkner) Dorrington Lads (Rook manuscript) |
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3rd |
Ian Crane |
Wat Ye What I Got Late Yestreen Kiss'd Her Under the Coverlet |
Ian Crane Stuart Letford
David Faulkner
Videos of the prize-winning entries and others have now been uploaded onto the LBPS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/LowlandBorderPipersSocietyOfficial
LBPS Annual Competition 2020
The LBPS Annual Competition will not be going ahead as planned on Saturday March 28th.
It is with great regret that we have taken this decision as a result of the impact of Coronavirus and in order to protect the safety and wellbeing of our members. We plan to consider future possible dates for this event, but obviously this will depend on the length of time it takes to restore normal activity in the country.
Please keep an eye on our Face Book, Twitter and website for further updates.
