Online Nicol-Brown competitors announced

Jessica Bain of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Callum Bevan, Abbotsford, British Columbia; Sean Buchta, Florida; Zippa Curiskis, St. Paul; Trevor DeMass, Murray, Utah; Scott Long, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Stuart Marshall, Greensboro, North Carolina; Charles-David Mitchell, Kingston, Ontario; Henry Paluch, Aurora, Ontario; and Andrew Prioli, Cranston, Rhode Island, are the 10 pipers who will compete in this year’s 2021 Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Solo Piping Competition.

The event will be held once again by pre-recorded video submissions, this year judged by Jenny Hazzard, Nick Hudson, Roddy MacLeod and Bob Worrall.

Piobaireachd, MSR and 6/8 March events will offer five prizes each, the aggregate winner taking the championship title, with results revealed on October 9th. Competitors at the Nicol-Brown frequently go on to enjoy solo competition success at the Open/Professional level. Past champions include eventual Highland Society of London Gold Medallists Alan Bevan and Glenn Brown.

The competition is identified by a swank chalice trophy for the piobaireachd, a distinctive targe for the MSR, and a silver belt buckle for the overall winner. Prize winners get a raft of goods and services donated by sponsors and the champion gets airfare to compete at a major event in the UK.

Invitees were determined after reviewing results from the 2020 Nicol-Brown, amateur competitions held in-person in North America and online events offered to anyone in the world. CLASP events for amateur pipers older than 18 and the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd were also considered this year.

Organizers are planning a Nicol-Brown Weekend, beginning on October 8th with an online concert by the judges from their homes. On October 9th, there will be a Zoom awards ceremony. Two master classes from the judges will be held right after.

Paying homage to Robert Nicol and Robert Brown, the famous “Bobs of Balmoral” piobaireachd players and teachers, as well as piping greats Donald MacLeod and Willie Ross, the contest was started in 1982 and has been the inspiration for other similar events around the world. The 2019 Nicol-Brown, the last one held in-person, was staged in Troy, New York, and the 2020 edition was to be held in the more central Philadelphia, but the COVID-19 situation forced the organizers to move to an online version.

Stuart Marshall was the 2020 Nicol-Brown champion.

The event is privately organized and depends on sponsors and donations. You can make a donation to the event here.

pipes|drums is once again a proud financial sponsor of the Nicol-Brown.

Related

Nicol-Brown is back in October . . . online again
June 17, 2021

Marshall fields 2020 Nicol-Brown Amateur Championship
October 11, 2020