NPC+CPA DJ Memorial for B and C pipers returns March 12th

The in-person Duncan Johnstone Memorial Solo Piping Competition will once again become an annual event on March 12th, when the contest for those graded B and C by the Competing Pipers Association returns to the National Piping Centre two Glasgow premises.

The B-Grade events will be at the Piping Centre’s McPhater Street location, while the C-Grade competitions will take place at the Otago Street location once occupied by the College of Piping, which the organization took over in 2015.

Started in 2002 by the National Piping Centre and the Competing Pipers Association, the Duncan Johnstone Memorial pays homage to the late legendary Glasgow piper who achieved great success in light music composition and competition and taught many successful pupils along the way. Among his students were Roddy MacLeod, Finlay MacDonald, Dougie Pincock and Neil Dickie, and it was MacLeod who spearheaded the creation of the contest when he was principal at the National Piping Centre.

The competition was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic but was replaced last year with “A Celebration of Duncan Johnstone and his Music, an evening of fantastic music and interviews with students of Duncan’s and fans of his music,” a pay-per-view internet broadcast.

There is no contingency plan in the event that an in-person competition can’t be held.

CPA secretary Ross Miller said, “Restrictions in Scotland are due to relax from next Monday and therefore we are confident along with the National Piping Centre to organize assuming it’s going to be in-person.”

Contestants have to be paid-up members of the CPA, and there’s an entry fee of £10 per event. All players are required to enter the Jig competition, which calls for pipers to submit a jig of their own choosing plus a jig composed by Duncan Johnstone, of which there are many. They then have to perform both tunes.

The B-Grade Jig competition will be available to CPA members with a Premier or A light music CPA grading.

In addition to the two Jig events, there’s a B-Grade Piobaireachd and MSR contests, but only an MSR for C-Grade pipers.

Judges are still to be announced, and Miller confirmed that they will be taken from those accredited with the Solo Piping Judges Association or the CPA’s supplementary list.

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