News

CLASP Introduces Practice Chanter Events Sponsored by ESSC

The CLASP - Practice Chanter Competition - Sponsored by ES Session Chanters
CLASP are delighted to announce 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 has secured sponsorship from 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. League Table 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 first CLASP Competition, (1st November 2024) we will ask competitors to submitted a pre-recorded video (Unlisted - You Tube Link) by November 1st 2024 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 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, 1st November 2024. 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
Winners will be announced in a live Facebook video announcement approximately 2/3 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.

 

Chatsworth Country Fair Results 2024

Results from this years CLASP competition at Chatsworth Country Fair 2024. Thank you to the RSPBA (London & South of England) Branch for running these events for CLASP members.
Here are the full results for Grade 2 & Grade 3 events:

Grade 2 - Piobaireachd
1st Laura McEwan
2nd Tom Broderick

Grade 2 - 2/4 March
1st Laura McEwan
2nd Tom Broderick

Grade 2 - Strathspey & Reel
1st Laura McEwan
2nd Tom Broderick

Grade 2 - Jig
1st Tom Broderick
2nd Laura McEwan

Grade 2 - 6/8 March
1st Laura McEwan
2nd Tom Broderick

Grade 3 - Piobaireachd
1st Joe Moore
2nd Philip Duthie

Grade 3- 2/4 March
1st Jamie Shand
2nd William Beck
3rd Joe Moore
4th  Stephen Barr
5th Philip Duthie
6th Jens Roeser

Grade 3 - Strathspey & Reel
1st Jamie Shand
2nd William Beck
3rd Philip Duthie
4th Joe Moore
5th Jens Roeser
6th Stephen Barr

Grade 3 - 6/8 March
1st William Beck
2nd Jamie Shand
3rd Jens Roeser
4th Hugh Deery
5th Sue Kennedy
6th Joe Moore

Grade 3 - Jig
1st William Beck
2nd Jamie Shand
3rd Joe Moore
4th Jens Roeser
5th Philip Duthie
6th Stephen Barr

CLASP Overall League Winners 2023/2024

The CLASP league runs from August to July each year, with The World Amateur Solo Piping Competition @ Piping Live! kicking off the season and Inveraray Highland Games concluding the season each year. The league table takes in all in-person competitions, online competitions and outdoor Highland Games. The overall winners are determined by points gained throughout the season in grade 1, 2, 3 & 4. The overall league winners are presented with clasps at Piping Live! festival to mark their league win.

The 2023/2024 league winners were:

Grade 1 - Eddie Boland (Eire)
Grade 2 - John Nevans (Scotland)
Grade 3 - Adam Aitchison (Scotland)
Grade 4 - Steve Langford (USA)


 

The World Amateur Solo Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024- Grade 2

Thursday, 15th August, the CLASP grade 2 events ran at the NPC Otago Street, Glasgow. The overall winner was Michael Saxer.

Full Results:

Piobaireachd 

1st Robert Russell

2nd Alastair Beaton

3rd Anthony Kelly

4th Luke Ashton

5th Adam Aitchison

6th Michael Saxer

 

2/4 March

1st Michael Saxer

2nd Henry McCarthy

3rd Alasdair Beaton

4th Luke Ashton

5th Donald Morrison

6th Adam Aitchison

Strathspey & Reel

1st Michael Saxer

2nd Donald Morrison

3rd Jack Boyle

4th Grant Walker

5th Adam Aitchison

6th Luke Ashton

Jig

1st Michael Saxer

2nd Laura McEwan

3rd Luke Ashton

4th Alastair Beaton

5th Donald Morrison

6th Grant Walker

The World Solo Amateur Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024 – CLASP Grade 1 Results

On Wednesday, 14th August, the CLASP Grade 1 events ran at the NPC Otago Street, Glasgow. The judges for the day were; Willie Morrison (Piobaireachd), Andrea Boyd (MSR) & Wilson Brown (Hornpipe & Jig).
The overall winner was Brady Webb.

Here are the full results:

Grade 1 - Piobaireachd:
1st John Nevans
2nd Ian Kirkwood
3rd Brady Webb
4th Charles-David Mtchell
5th Gillian Blaney
6th Keiran Walker

Grade 1 - MSR
1st Brady Webb
2nd Charles-David Mitchell
3rd Gillian Blaney
4th John Hughes
5th Eddie Boland
6th Douglas Small

Grade 1 - Hornpipe & Jig
1st Brady Webb
2nd Gillian Blaney
3rd Connall McNamara
4th Charles-David Mitchell
5th John Bertino
6th John Nevans

The World Solo Amateur Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024 – CLASP Grade 3 Results

On Tuesday, 13th August, the grade 3 CLASP 'World Solo Amateur Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024' was held in the NPC, Otago street.
The Light Music judge, Glenna MacKay Johnstone, and Piobaireachd judge, Roddy Livingstone.

The overall winner was Owen MacPherson.

Grade 3 - Piobaireachd
1st Sven Vollberg
2nd Sophie Stringer
3rd James Bain
4th Aaron Langwiesner
5th Alan Wardrop
6th Stephen McCusker

2/4 March
1st Owen MacPherson
2nd Alistair Robinson
3rd Sven Vollberg
4th Triston Perry
5th Ross Whyte
6th Aaron Longwise

Strathspey & Reel
1st Alistair Robinson
2nd Owen MacPherson
3rd Ross Whyte
4th Anthony MacLachlan
5th Sheila Stewart
6th Aaron Longwise

Jig
1st Owen MacPherson
2nd Alistair Robinson
3rd Matthew Brown
4th Anthony Chan
5th Sven Vollberg
6th Ross Whyte

The World Solo Amateur Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024 – CLASP Grade 4 Results

On Tuesday 13th August, the grade 4 CLASP 'World Solo Amateur Piping Competition @ Piping Live! 2024' was held in the NPC Otago street. The overall winner was Lou Lanaro. The Light Music judge was Glenna MacKay Johnstone and Piobaireachd judge, Roddy Livingstone.
Lou received Finlay MacDonald's new book which launches at Piping Live on Thursday and is called 'The Crofthead Collection'. Also, each overall winner will receive The National Piping Centre's 'Twenty Fifth Anniversary Collection'

Grade 4 Piobaireachd (Ground & next Variation)
1st Lou Lanaro
2nd Steve Langford
3rd Gavin Davis

Grade 4 - 2/4 March
1st Cathy Tse
2nd Lou Lanaro
3rd Joy Ruthford

Grade 4 - Strathspey & Reel
1st Joy Rutherford
2nd Cathy Tse
3rd Lou Lanaro

Grade 4 - Jig
1st Joy Rutherford
2nd Lou Lanaro
3rd Cathy Tse

Grade 2 – Order of Play- World Amateur Solo Piping Competition @Piping Live! 2024

Please click on the link below to download the order of play for Thursday's CLASP competition. The venue is the West End Venue of The National Piping Centre, 16- 24 Otago Street, Glasgow, G12 8JH *(Not McPhater Street building).

Grade 2 -PIping Live

Please note that the Piobaireachd and Light Music events will both start at 9.30am sharp. Competitors will be able to enter the building from 8.30am.
Prize giving will be at the venue once the competition and judging is complete.

Best wishes to all competing!

Grade 1 – Order of Play- World Amateur Solo Piping Competition @Piping Live! 2024

Please click on the link below to download the order of play for Wednesday's CLASP competition. The venue is the West End Venue of The National Piping Centre, 16- 24 Otago Street, Glasgow, G12 8JH *(Not McPhater Street building).

Grade 1-piping live

Please note that the Piobaireachd and Light Music events will both start at 10am sharp. Competitors will be able to enter the building from 9am.
Prize giving will be at the National Piping Centre, McPhater Street, in the street cafe, once judging is complete.

Best wishes to all competing!