Ian K. MacDonald takes big prize at Spring 2021 Online Piping & Drumming Championships

The Internet – May 20, 2021 – The Spring 2021 Online Piping & Drumming Championships attracted an entry of more than 200 contestants competing in myriad events, each submitting recorded videos to be assessed over several days by a large panel of judges.

Ian K. MacDonald of Whitby, Ontario, was the overall winner in the Professional solo piping, taking two first prizes in the three events.

The competition is organized by BagpipeLessons.com, and the competition once again published all performance recording and scoresheets, and used data to create all manner of special awards. The series of events have established a world standard for online competitions since 2011 when the first online contest was held.

“My goal was to give pipers and drummers an opportunity to come together to perform, compete, and participate in something fun, positive, and challenging during a time when all of the world’s in person events have been cancelled,” said Jori Chisholm, organizer of the event and owner of BagpipeLessons.com. “My hope was to be able to give back to the piping and pipe band community that has given me so much. It has been wonderful to see all of the competitors putting up their videos in the online competitions.  The feedback I’ve received from participants and their parents has been very positive heartwarming.

“Players are so overwhelmingly grateful for the chance to be a part of the online competitions. I started the world’s first online piping competition back in 2011, and brought it back last year when we really needed it. The complete published record gives an ongoing educational component to the competition. The growing library of videos, tune lists, placings, and judges comments are a valuable resource for players and organizations — reference recordings for learning, adjudicator training, grading committees, etc.  I hope other competitions will follow my lead on publishing everything for all to see.”

Full results can be found here.

Solo Piping
Professional
Piobaireachd
1st Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario, “Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck”
2nd John Dew, Perth, Scotland, “The Rout of the Lowland Captain”
3rd Brendon Eade, New Zealand, “Too Long In This Condition”
4th James MacHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, “The Old Men of the Shells” #1
5th Ryan Murray,”The Park Piobaireachd” #2
6th Gordon Barclay, “Lament for MacSwan of Roaig”
Judge: Chris Armstrong

MSR
1st Calum Brown, Aberdeen, Scotland,  “Major Manson at Clachantrushal,” “Susan MacLeod,” “Stornaway Castle”
2nd Jack Williamson, Topeka, Kansas, “Major Manson at Clachantrushal,” “Susan MacLeod,” “John Morrison, Assynt House”
3rd James MacHattie “The Knightswood Ceilidh,” “Delvinside,” “The Angler”
4th Brendon Eade, “John MacDonald of Glencoe,” “Blackley of Hillsdale,” “Kildonan”
5th John Dew, “Compliments to the Teaching of Willie McCallum,” “The Falls of Forsyth,” “The Rejected Suitor”
6th Fraser Allison, “Major Manson at Clachantrushal,” “Maggie Cameron,” “The Rejected Suitor”
Judge: Callum Beaumont

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Ian K. MacDonald, “Beverly’s Choice,” “John Patterson’s Mare”
2nd Jack Williamson, “Mary Anne of Garradh-Na-Mona,” “The Skylark’s Ascension”
3rd James MacHattie, “Duncan Johnstone,” “The Hen’s March”
4th John Dew, “The Lochearnhead Tug-of-War Disaster,” “Dr. Alexander MacAskill of Bernera, Harris”
5th Calum Brown, “Bobby Cuthbertson,” “Donella Beaton”
6th Brendon Eade “P-M George Allan,” “Donald McLennan’s Tuning Phrase”
Judge: Greg Wilson

P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March (21 and older)
1st Gord Wallace, “Glenfinnan Highland Gathering”
2nd Raquel MacFarlane, “The Taking of Beaumont Hamel”
3rd Scott Phillips, “The Braes of Castle Grant”
4th Alistair MacKay, “Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban”
5th Lindsay Hunter, “The Lochabar Gathering”
6th Evan MacK, “Mrs. MacDonald of Uig”

P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March (18 to 20 years)
1st Aaron Gray, “Craig ‘n’ Darroch”
2nd Margaret Hill, “The Clan MacColl”
3rd Jack Lang, “Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque”
4th Parker Brooke, “Muir Of Ord”
5th Friedrich Christiansen, “John MacDonald of Glencoe”
6th Jürgen Christiansen, “Hugh Kennedy, BSc, MA”
Judge: Matt Wilson

P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March (15 to 17 years)
1st Bobby Allen Mrs John MaCall.
2nd Mackenzie Loudon John MacDonald’s Welcome to South Uist
3rd Seumas Eade Donald Maclean’s Farewell to Oban
4th Reece Doherty Major Manson Farewell to Clachantrusal
5th George Panagiotou Glen Caladh Castle
6th Calum Dunbar Invergordon’s Welcome to Queen Elizabeth II
Judge: David Hilder

P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March (13 to 14 years)
1st Malachi Johannsen The Glenfinnan Highland Gathering
2nd Orin Weiss The Taking of Beaumont Hamel
3rd Grace Barnes Donald Maclean’s Farewell to Oban
4th Sam Purvis The Knightswood Celeidh
Judge: Shaunna Hilder

P-M Alasdair Gillies Memorial Challenge 2/4 March (12 years or younger)
1st Colin Forrest Kantara El Arish
2nd Grace Kelman Millbank Cottage
3rd Rory Menzies Craigendarroch
4th Charlie Mack Captain Norman Orr-Ewing
5th Lewis Stewart Craig-n-darroch
6th Callum Ross Mrs MacDonald of Dunach
Judge: Richard Parkes

Solo Drumming
Snare
MSR
1st Adam McCollum Donald MacLellan of Rothesay, Dora MacLeod, Mrs MacPherson of Inveran
2nd Alex Kuldell Donald MacLellan of Rothesay, Ariston Castle, Fiona MacLeod
Judge: Gordon Parkes

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Alex Kuldell Duncan Johnson, Donella Beaton
2nd Adam McCollum The Three Devils, Alex MacDonald
Judge: Duncan Millar

Grade 1
MSR
1st Gary Wray Highland Wedding, Cameronian Rant,” Major Manson”
2nd Connor J S Higgs Argyllshire Gathering, Blair Drummond, Brown Haired Maid
3rd Tyler Boydstun Alan Dodds Farewell to Scotland, Bogan Lochan, Pretty Marion
4th Matt Biggs Highland Wedding, Caledonian Society of London, Mrs Macpherson of Inveran
5th Lee Smith Clan McRae Society , Arniston Castle, and Electric Chopsticks
Judge: Gordon Parkes

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Tyler Boydstun Lucy Cassidy, Bronnies Blue Brozzie
2nd Matt Biggs Rowd’s Hornpipe, Troy’s Wedding
3rd Connor Higgs Sandpiper, Last tango in Harris
Judge: Ciaran Mordaunt

6/8 March
1st Matt Biggs Duncan McGillivray Chief Steward
2nd Connor J S Higgs Bill Boyle
Judge: Harold Gillespie

Tenor
Grade 1
MSR
1st Andrea Jackson Hugh Kennedy, Shepherd’s Crook, MacAlister’s Dirk
2nd Christine Christiansen Hugh Kennedy, Susan MacLeod, Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran
Judge: Blake Schmidt

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Andrea Jackson Nova Scotia Nightcrawler, The Gold Ring
2nd Christine Christiansen Sandy’s New Chanter, The Jig of Slurs
Judge: Nicola Cairns

Pipe Band Style Musical Ensemble
1st South Park & District Pipe Band Teribus, Flett From Flotta, Jack’s Welcome Home, Drunken Duncan
2nd Banana Pinata Band At Long Last and Dawning of the Day
3rd JackDylanHarrison Scotland the Brave, Rowan Tree
4th Firefighters Highland Guard of Naperville Rowan Tree, Loch Ruan, Dark Lowers the Night, Schiehallion
5th Johannians Pipes & Drums Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering, Keel Row, Jimmy Ward’s, La Boum and Kalabakan.
6th Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums The Siege of Delhi, Captain Colin Campbell, Alick C. MacGregor
Judges: Richard Parkes, David Hilder, Gordon Parkes, Blake Schmidt

Freestyle Musical Ensemble
1st Cockaleekie Achmelvich
2nd Alaska Celtic Pipes & Drums Killicrankie, The Panda, Paddy Carey, She Moved Through the Fair, The Fiddler’s Joy, The Famous Ballymote, Kalabakan (Borneo)
Judges: Terry Lee, Matthew Welch, Gavin Noade, Nicola Cairns