Hudson of Houston wins USPF Professional; Amateur goes to Kathleen Brown

Newark, Delaware – June 8, 2024 – Nick Hudson of Houston won the U.S. Piping Foundation’s annual Maclean Macleod Solo Piping Competition, held at the Amy E. du Pont Music Building at the University of Delaware. It was the thirty-sixth time the event was held.

In addition to prize money for winning the Piobaireachd and fifth in the MSR, Hudson was awarded the USPF Silver Buckle, trans-Atlantic airfare from the East Coast to Glasgow, Edinburgh, or London, to compete at eligible senior competitions, and qualifies to compete in the MacCrimmon Competition at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.

Kathleen Brown of Arlington, Virginia, was the overall winner of the amateur events. Brown received airfare and two weeks of tuition at an approved venue in Scotland and the USPF Silver Buckle.

Professional/Open (17 competed)
Piobaireachd (St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia Silver Quaich)
1st Nick Hudson, “The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack” (US$1,000)
2nd Derek Midgley, “The Big Spree” ($800)
3rd Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck” ($600)
4th Bobby Durning, Carrollton, Texas, “Lament for MacSwan of Roaig” ($400)
5th Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh, “The MacDougall’s Gathering” ($200)
Judges: Bruce Hitchings, Colin MacLellan

MSR (St. Andrew’s Society of Baltimore Silver Charger)
1st Cameron Macdougall, Nigg, Scotland, “The Ross-shire Volunteers,” “Tulloch Gorm,” “Loch Carron” ($1,000)
2nd Andrew Carlisle, “Pipe-Major George Ross’s Farewell to the Black Watch,” “Loch Loskin,” “Dr. MacPhail’s Reel” ($800)
3rd Bruce Gandy, “The Abercairney Highlanders,” “Arniston Castle,” “John Morrison, Assynt House” ($600)
4th Derek Midgley, “The Clan MacColl,” “Tulloch Castle,” “Alick C. MacGregor” ($400)
5th Nick Hudson, “Parker’s Welcome to Perthshire,” “The Piper’s Bonnet,” “Alick Cameron, Champion Piper” ($200)
Judges: Alan Bevan, Amy Garson

Amateur (18 competed)
Piobaireachd (Donald MacPherson Silver Quaich)
1st Gillian Blaney, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, “The Big Spree”
2nd Kathleen Brown, “Mary’s Praise”
3rd Magnus Stone, Natick, Massachusetts, “Ronald MacDonald of Morar’s Lament”
4th John Bertino, Arlington, Virginia, “Rory MacLeod’s Lament”
5th Steven Knox, Woodbine, Maryland, “Hector MacLean’s Warning”
Judges: Skip Cleavinger, Joyce McIntosh

MSR (Seumas MacNeill Silver Quaich)
1st Ian Minnear, Spring, Texas, “Brigadier Ronald Cheape of Tiroran,” “Kirstie MacCallman’s Favorite,” “The Grey Bob”
2nd Kathleen Brown, “The Royal Scottish Piper’s Society,” “Susan MacLeod,” “Fiona MacLeod”
3rd Olivia Corcoran, Gaithersburg, Maryland, “Donald MacLellan of Rothesay,” “Sound of Sleat”
4th Magnus Stone, “The Duke of Roxburgh’s Farewell to the Blackmount Forest,” “Tulloch Castle,” “Bessie McIntyre”
5th Joe Votta, Absecon, New Jersey, “The Taking of Beaumont Hamel,” “Catlodge,” “Alick C. MacGregor”
Judges: Skip Cleavinger, Joyce McIntosh

Amateur (18 competed)