Colin Melville’s entry wins the 40th Anniversary Composing Competition

Colin Melville of Munlochy, near Inverness, is the winner of our 40^th 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 40^th 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.