The CLASP - Practice Chanter Competition - Sponsored by ES Session Chanters
Entries for this competition will close on Friday 18th September 2026 and Competitors should email their video submissions to clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk by Sunday 27th September.
Competition Information
CLASP are delighted to continue a new series of online practice chanter competitions for adults who are in the early stages of their piping journey and not yet ready to compete in a bagpipe competition.
We are also very excited to announce that CLASP is continuing its partnership with ES Session Chanters and the overall Practice Chanter Champion will receive one of these fabulous chanters as a prize.
Our aim
To offer adults at the early stages of their piping career a competition platform, which is geographically accessible to all, to comfortably begin competing and help the transition between learning on the Practice Chanter and competing in amateur solo bagpipe competitions.
Practice Chanter Events on offer:
Piobaireachd Ground
2/4 March (2 parts repeated)
Strathspey & Reel (2 parts of a Strathspey and 2 parts of a Reel)
Jig (2 parts repeated)
*Competitors can enter one, two, three or all four events. Points will be on offer for all four events, which determines the overall winner.
Who can take part
Competitors should be age 18+ and amateur level. (For example, has not competed in Open/Professional Piping Competitions in the past). This event is open to competitors who have not yet competed on a bagpipe in any competition.
As a general guide, we would recommend competitors look at the CLASP Grade 4 Bagpipe events. If these events (on bagpipes) are currently out of reach, it is likely that you would be a good candidate for the practice chanter event as an avenue to enter piping competitions and work towards competing on bagpipes.
Here is a link to CLASP Bagpipe competition tune requirements: https://theclasp.co.uk/set-tunes/#requirements
Competition information
All competitors will need to become CLASP members. This can be done via http://theclasp.co.uk and click on the 'Join Now' icon. You will receive a welcome email and will be asked to inform us of your grading. If you wish to take part in the practice chanter events, please indicate that in your reply email.
Once your grading is updated you will be able to enter any online practice chanter competitions that are currently open.
How to submit your performance
For the CLASP practice chanter competition, competitors should submitted a pre-recorded video (Unlisted - YouTube Link) by Sunday 27th September 2026 to clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk.
All video submissions will be compiled and sent to the judge(s). Each competitor will receive a critique from the judge(s) following the announcement of the prize winners.
How to up load a video to YouTube
Here is a short video guide: https://youtu.be/vNBUxSX-I28?si=XNlORCnfOtio11Fb
Tune Submission Information
For events in the practice chanter category, all tune submissions are own choice. For the 2/4 March event and Strathspey & Reel event, a minimum of two parts of each tune should be played. 2 parts of a 4 parted tune can be submitted. For example, a competitor might choose to plays the first two parts of Maggie Cameron (which is a 4 parted Strathspey).
The Overall Chanter Champion
The overall Chanter Championship will be determined by a points system and the person with the highest overall number of points will receive an ES Session Chanter
https://www.essessionchanter.co.uk/stainless
In the event of a tie, the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing, followed by the 2/4 March event as the next event to be used in a tie break situation.
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VIDEO Submission Practice Chanter Competition
-Competition video submissions should be recorded in the date window outlined by the CLASP.
- All entries will be video submitted using the free platform, YouTube.
- Videos should be submitted separately for each event. For example, if you are entering all four categories. You should email 4 separate video links.
- Each video submission must be made in one complete take (no editing allowed), but use as many attempts as you want.
- CLASP competitors should introduce themselves at the start of their video recording and include the following information: Competitors Name/ Event /Name of Competition and year and please include the Tune Name(s). For example: My name is John Smith and I will be taking part in the Practice Chanter 2/4 March event for the CLASP Competition, September 2026. My tune is Teribus. (This information should also be included when uploading your competition recording(s) on YouTube. Please see the video link below, which was recorded by CLASP admin and includes the basic steps to correctly uploading an unlisted video on YouTube and then emailing the link: https://youtu.be/vNBUxSX-I28?si=XNlORCnfOtio11Fb
-Competitors’ videos must show a clear shot of all the competitors’ fingers. Videos must be lighted properly so your face and hands can be clearly seen. Videos with poor lighting or sound may not be accepted.
- Video submissions should be uploaded to YouTube and then competitors should email the video link(s) to both clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk
- CLASP recommends that competitors list their uploaded video submission as 'Unlisted'. 'Unlisted' videos allow you to control who can view your video and only those you share the link with can view the video submission.
- All video submissions must be emailed to CLASP admin by midnight (UK time) on the closing date of video submissions.
- CLASP admin will share each competitors’ video submission link with their relevant judge(s) for the adjudication process.
Adjudication
Once the closing date for video submissions passes, competitors’ video links will be sent to their relevant judge(s) for the adjudication process.
Announcement of Winners
All competitors will receive an email with the prize list, approximately 2 weeks following the close of competition video submissions and results will also be posted on the news section of the CLASP website and on https://bagpipe.news/
Crit sheets will be emailed out to each competitor following the announcement of results. Please allow a few days for this admin process.
Performance Dress
No specific dress requirements
Performance Rights
By entering this competition, all performers give CLASP permission to publish any winning performances in part and/or in full on the digital/social media channels selected for the competition.
