Dew, Maxwell at the top of World Online Summer Championships

The Internet – August 22, 2022 – If anyone thought a return to in-person events would suppress the appetite for online solo contests, the World Online Piping & Drumming Championships – Summer 2022 event suggests otherwise. More than 400 entries over 80 events from 16 countries came in. Ultimately, John Dew of Glasgow was the best overall in the Professional Piping and Vancouver’s Grant Maxwell took the Professional snare drumming overall.

“I’m thrilled to see so many live in-person events are coming back, and I’m very happy to see that there’s still lots of interest from pipers and drummers and bands from around the world to be part of an online piping and drumming competition,” said organizer Jori Chisholm of BagpipeLessons.com. “For many of our participants, due to geography, an online competition is the best or only option for them to compete. For other participants, our online competition is one of the many competitions they enter over the course of the season and gives them an opportunity to test their skills against players from around the world and receive feedback from our panel of international, world-class judges.”

Overall Results
Solo Piping
Open/Professional: John Dew
Grade 1: Connor Eckert
Grade 2: Phil Nielsen, New Zealand
Grade 3: Kathryn McEwan, Scotland
Grade 4: Zyggy Gray, Australia
Grade 5: Sean Stewart, Scotland
Beginner: Joel Dorning

Solo Drumming
Snare
Open/Professional: Grant Maxwell
Grade 1: Hollie Chalmers, Scotland
Grade 3: Daniel Liu, New Zealand
Grade 4: Daniel Liu, New Zealand
Grade 5: Michael Cox, Canada

Tenor
Grade 1: Erin McRobbie, UK
Grade 2: Ryan Niksch, South Africa
Grade 3: Lexie Shaw, Australia
Grade 4: Rowan Shaw, Australia
Grade 5: Rowan Shaw, Australia

Professional Solo Piping (10 competed)
Piobaireachd
1st Brendon Eade, New Zealand, “The Old Men of the Shells” #1
2nd James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, “Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay”
3rd Scott Armstrong, Auckland, New Zealand, “The Big Spree”
4th John Dew, Glasgow, “The Battle of Strome”
5th Lachie Dick, Glasgow, “The Rout of Glenfruin”
Judge: Greg Wilson

MSR
1st John Dew, “Compliments to the Teaching of Willie McCallum,” “Lady Louden,” “Dr. MacPhail’s Reel”
2nd Brendon Eade, “The Knightswood Ceilidh,” “Monymusk,” “The Sheepwife”
3rd James MacHattie, “Margaret Ann MacLeod,” “Bob of Fettercairn,” “The Little Cascade”
4th Lachie Dick, “The Duke of Roxburgh’s Farewell to the Blackmount Forrest,” “Inveraray Castle,” “The Grey Bob”
5th Aidan Bowen, Ontario, “Dr. Allan MacDonald,” “The Islay Ball,” “The Cockerel in the Creel”
Judge: Ian K. MacDonald

Hornpipe & Jig
1st John Dew, “Dora Watt,” “Alasdair F. Henderson”
2nd Jack Williamson, Topeka, Kansas, “Dr. McInnes’s Fancy,” “Donald MacLennan’s Tuning Phrase
3rd James MacHattie, “Wee Alec, Fort William,” “The Gold Ring”
4th Laura Mullin, Eramosa, Ontario, “Forham’s Dawn,” “The Humours of Ballyloughlin”
5th Lachie Dick, “P-M George Allen,” “The Bride’s Jig”
Judge: Greg Wilson

Professional Solo Snare
MSR
1st Grant Maxwell, “Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban,” “Arniston Castle,” “Alick C. MacGregor”
2nd Harvey Dawson, Toronto, “Sinclair Scott,” “The Ewe wi’ the Crookit Horn,” “John Morrison, Assynt House”
3rd Alex Kuldell, Falls Church, Virginia, “John MacColl’s Farewell to Kilbowie Cottage,” “Duncan Lamont,” “Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran”
4th Hollie Chalmers, Scotland, “Links of Forth,” “Bogan Lochan,” John MacKechnie”
Judge: Gary Potter

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Grant Maxwell
2nd Alex Kuldell
3rd Harvey Dawson
4th Hollie Chalmers

All of the results, video links and judges’ comments can be found at the World Online Championships website.