News

Competitors Information

All pipers need to Register at 10.30am at the games field. All competitors will then receive a number badge.

Competitors will need to pay £6 admission fee into the games field, but will receive it back when they register at the 'Events Secretaries Test' in the games field.

There will be two platforms - one for Light Music and one for Piobaireachd. The Highland Games will run the competition on the day, and like any outdoor games, there can sometimes be some tweaks to playing orders so keep in touch with your steward during the day.

Here is the order of play I have passed onto Luss Highland Games. For more information on the games here is a link to the website.
Best of luck to all competing.

Grade 3 – Piobaireachd

1. George McCall
2. Stewart Allan
3. Iain Kirkwood

Grade 2 – Piobaireachd

1. Lou Henningsen
2. David McRobb
3. Janette Greenwood

Grade 1 – Piobaireachd

1. Bradley Boxall
2. Stewart Gaudin
3. Andrew Park
4. Gregor McCulloch
5. Aaron Yeung

Grade 3 – 2/4 March / Strathspey and Reel

1. Iain Kirkwood
2. George McCall

Grade 2 - 2/4 March / Strathspey and Reel

1. Lou Henningsen
2. Bradley Boxall
3. Stewart Allan
4. Aaron Yeung
5. David McRobb

Grade 1 - 2/4 March / Strathspey and Reel

1. Janette Greenwood
2. Andrew Park
3. Stewart Gaudin
4. Gregor McCulloch

Allow a little extra time for security checks when arriving at the Army School. The Post code is EH13 0PP, this will take you to Colinton Road and the entrance is just past the Redford Barracks entrance.

Please note there will be two performance rooms so Grade 2 Piobaireachd and Grade 3 Light Music will start at 10am sharp.
For anyone new to this venue, there are not any catering facilities, but most people bring a lunch along and there is an area on the ground floor where you can eat.

Judges are Wilson Brown (Piobaireachd) and Connor Sinclair (Light Music).

Order of Play

Army School of Piping CLASP Competition – 3rd June 2017
Starting time 10am

Grade 2 Piobaireachd

1. Dagmar Pesta
2. Allan Harper
3. Helen Thomson
4. Lachlan MacDonald
5. George Gordon
6. Tom Broderick
7. Janette Greenwood

Grade 1 Piobaireachd

1. Aaron Yeung
2. Gregor McCulloch
3. Stewart Gaudin
4. Andrew Park

Lunch

Grade 3 Piobaireachd

1. Iain Kirkwood F&G)
2. Stewart Allan (G & F)
3. Ross Walker
4. Dugald Macleod
5. Andrew Richardson (Full & Ground)
6. David McRobb (Ground and Full)
7. Robert Wilson (Full & Ground)
8. Ewen Brindle (Full only)
9. Robert Thomson (Full & Ground)

Prize Giving

Starting time 10am
Army School of Piping CLASP Competition – 3rd June 2017

Grade 3 Light Music

1. Andrew Richardson
2. Iain Kirkwood
3. Dugald Macleod
4. Lachlan MacDonald
5. David McRobb
6. Robert Thomson
7. Ewen Brindle

Grade 1 Light Music

1. Stephen Whitton
2. Robert Wilson
3. Andrew Park
4. Stewart Gaudin
5. Janette Greenwood
6. Gregor McCulloch

Lunch

Grade 2 Light Music

1. Dagmar Pesta
2. Stewart Allan (MSR Only)
3. George Gordon
4. Tom Broderick
5. Ross Walker
6. Aaron Yeung
7. Helen Thomson

Prize Giving

CLASP is delighted to confirm that the venue for this years World Solo Amateur Piping Competition at Piping Live! is The Convent Chapel, which is part of St Aloysius College, 45 Hill St, Glasgow, G3 6RJ.

The venue is walking distance from the National Piping Centre, which allows competitors to remain in the hub of the many Piping events through out the Piping Live! festival.

Here is a map, which shows you an on foot route from the National Piping Centre to the Convent Chapel, which is an 8 minute walk.

Please note there will be two performance rooms running at the same time.
One for Piobaireachd and the other for Light Music and both events will start at 9am sharp.

Start Time 9am - Performance Area – Collinson Room

Grade 3 Piobaireachd
1. Robert Thomson (Full & Ground)
2. David McRobb (Full Only)
3. Ross Walker (Full Only)
4. Robert Wilson (Full & Ground)
5. Stewart Allan (Full & Ground)
6. Ewen Brindle (Full & Ground)
7. Andrew Richardson (Full & Ground)
8. Bill Copland (Full & Ground)
9. Iain Kirkwood (Full & Ground)

Grade 1 Piobaireachd
1. Iain Graham
2. Stuart Peters
3. Aaron Yeung
4. Gordon Hislop
5. Stewart Gaudin
6. Andrew Park
7. Andrea Zingg

Lunch Break – 30 minutes

Grade 2 Piobaireachd
1. John Campbell
2. Lachlan MacDonald
3. Con Houlihan
4. Colin Taylor
5. Janette Greenwood
6. Dagmar Pesta
7. Ross Walker
8. George Gordon
9. Allan Harper

Start Time 9am – Performance area - Robertson Room

Grade 2 Light Music – 2/4 March/ Stathspey & Reel/ 6/8 March
1. Aaron Yeung
2. Dagmar Pesta
3. Andrea Zingg
4. Con Houlihan
5. George Gordon
6. John Campbell
7. Stewart Allan
8. Colin Taylor

Grade 3 Light Music - 2/4 March/ Stathspey & Reel/ Jig
1. Philip Duthie
2. David McRobb
3. Lachlan MacDonald
4. Iain Kirkwood
5. Ewen Brindle
6. Robert Thomson
7. Bill Copland
8. Andrew Richardson

Lunch Break – 30 Minutes

Grade 1 Light Music - 2/4 March/ Stathspey & Reel/ 6/8 March
1. Andrew Park
2. Stewart Gaudin
3. Iain Graham
4. Stuart Peters
5. Gordon Hislop
6. Robert Wilson
7. Janette Greenwood
8. Stephen Whitton

The 25th annual Archie Kenneth Quaich competition for amateur piobaireachd players was held in the Royal Scottish Pipers' Society's rooms in Edinburgh on Saturday 4 March. The competition is sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society as one of their ways of encouraging the wider playing and appreciation of piobaireachd.

This year there were 31competitors including two from the USA, and one each from Ireland, Germany and Switzerland. Five players were participating for the first time.

In view of the high number of entrants, the competition was played in two heats with a final of three players from each heat. This format worked well logistically, but the pressure of having to play twice was evident to some extent in the final. Nevertheless, there were some excellent performances and the bagpipes were generally good. A large number of competitors and friends stayed on for the final and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevailed, as always.

The Archie Kenneth Quaich was won by Robert Frater, a member of the CLASP, from Harrogate. The full list of prize winners and their tunes in the final were as follows:

1. Robert Frater - The Battle of Auldearn No 1
2. Walter Gray - Hail to My Country
3. Gregor McCulloch - MacLeod's Controversy
4. John Forbes - Lament for the Rowan Tree

Finalist: Andrea Zingg - MacCrimmon's Sweetheart
Finalist: Gill Cairns - Too Long in This Condition

Competitors submitted two tunes and were advised a week in advance which had been chosen for them to play in the heats. A wide variety of tunes was presented, including a number of 'modern' compositions, and they were generally well prepared and musically performed.

The judges were Willie Morrison and Bruce Hitchings and the prizes were presented by Mr James Burnet, a former office bearer of the Piobaireachd Society and one of the originators of the competition 25 years ago. The smooth running of the event was due in no small measure to the energy and enthusiasm of members of the Royal Scottish Pipers Society, who did the stewarding, helped with tuning and made sure that everyone was made welcome.

Alan Forbes
Music Committee Secretary
The Piobaireachd Society

Here is a date for the diary of all CLASP competition members.

The next scheduled CLASP workshop weekend will take place, at the National Piping Centre, on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th October 2017. One of the main focuses will be the introduction of the 2018 Set Tunes, which will be required for competition from Autumn 2018.

Full details of the course content will be confirmed in the next few weeks along with the booking form - so watch this space!

The Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers has put in place a new system for communicating with its members, using Team App.

The App allows you to enter events through your phone, check in on competitions and receive notifications right to your phone about draws, updates and more. The App itself is free to download.

The app is for current CLASP members, who are encouraged to download it as it will further strengthen communication between organisers and members.

Roddy MacLeod MBE, Principal of The National Piping Centre, which organises the CLASP league said: "We are delighted to be able to offer our CLASP members' an easy to use app where they will always be connected to the latest CLASP news, events, and also with the option of a very quick way to enter a CLASP competition.
This is a great way of applying new technology to make CLASP very accessible to it's members and to improve efficiency in the administrative processes."

To get the full features of this App members need to download Team App onto their smartphone (www.teamapp.com/app). 

Launch Team App, then: 

1. Sign-up to Team App. You'll be sent an email to confirm your registration.
2. Log in and search for CLASP to become a member. 

CLASP is for adult amateur pipers, with a league and points from a number of competitions throughout the year are added to give an overall CLASP winner.
However, members can compete as little or often as they would like throughout the year, with events throughout the UK. The 2016/2017 season of CLASP is sponsored by Wallace Bagpipes.

August 2017 – New set tune list for grade 1, 2 and 3 competitors will be released.
October/November 2018 – New Set tunes will be submitted for competition.
August 2019 – New set tune list for grade 1, 2 and 3 competitors will be released.
October 2020 – New set tunes will be submitted for competition.

This timeline will be reviewed but, if we feel it is working well, it is likely to continue in this way.

There will be two lists, each with six tunes. List 1, will be used for Grade 1 and 2 competitors. Grade 1 competitors will select two tunes from list 1 and one tune of their own choice.
Grade 2 competitors will select one tune from List 1 and one tune from list 2.
Grade 3 competitors will select one tune from list 2.

Please note that some competitions will not require competitors to submit from the Set Tune list. However, competitors can submit set tunes if they wish as it will be their own choice. The competitions which will be exempt from Set Tunes are as follows:
‘World Solo Amateur’ – Piping Live!
‘Northern Meetings’ – Inverness
‘Luss Highland Games’
‘Rosneath Highland Games’
‘Inveraray Highland Games’
‘Chatsworth Country Fair’

The CLASP League Table is available for download. (updated 15/02/2017)