Nicol - Brown Amateur Invitational
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The 32nd Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational
Piping Competition

October 11, 2014
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
21 Hackett Blvd.
Albany, New York 12208

 

View a pdf of the 2014 program.

 

Judges: Andrew Hayes and Michael Rogers

Overall Nicol-Brown Championship

  1. Liam Hilder (15 points)
    Prizes: airfare to compete in London in November 2015, donated by the New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival, and by Steve Porter; an McC2 pipe chanter with a custom-designed sole, donated by McCallum Bagpipes, and a photo portrait donated by Sandy St. James.
  2. James Dyson (13 points)
    Prize: A Peter Henderson Blackwood Pipe Chanter donated by Henderson’s Ltd.
  3. Kevin McLean (12 points)
    Prize: $200 piping scholarship donated by Bonnie Rideout.
  4. Tyler Harris (9 points)
    Prize: $150 piping scholarship donated by Joseph Stewart and family.

Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice for Piobaireachd

  1. James Dyson (“MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart”)
    Prize: A bound Piobaireachd Society Collection donated by Jon Maffett from The Piper’s Hut.
  2. Kevin McLean (“The Red Speckled Bull”)
    Prize: A McCallum long blackwood practice chanter donated by Bruce, Betsy, Andrew and Stephanie Douglas.
  3. Sean Regan (“Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”)
    Prize: A $100 gift certificate donated by Lee and Sons Bagpipes to be used at www.leeandsonsbagpipes.com toward reeds, pipe bags, and/or music files.
  4. Liam Hilder (“Hector MacLean’s Warning”)
    Prize: The Prince Charlie vest or Barathea Wool vest of your choice from The Piper’s Hut donated by the Spicer family.
  5. Tyler Harris (“Too Long in this Condition”)
    Prize: The Book of the Bagpipe by Hugh Cheape, donated by JoAnn Scott.

William Ross Challenge Targe MSR Competition

  1. Liam Hilder (“Abercairney Highlanders,” “Delvinside,” and “The Sheepwife”)
    Prize: A bound William Ross Collection donated by Doreen Forney in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald, First Battalion Scots Guards.
  2. Jack Williamson (“Brigadier General Ronald Cheape of Tiroran,” “John Roy Stewart,” and “Ca’ the Ewes”)
    Prize: A McCallum long practice chanter with techno red sole and ferrule donated by McCallum Bagpipes.
  3. Tyler Harris (“The Taking of Beaumont Hamel,” “The Islay Ball,” and “Bessie McIntyre”)
    Prize: Scots Guards, Volume 2 donated by Doreen Forney in memory of P/M Angus Macdonald.
  4. Kevin McLean (“John MacDonald of Glencoe,” “Ewe wi’ the Crookit Horn,” and “Loch Carron”)
    Prize: Scots Guards, Volume 1 donated by Doreen Forney in memory of P/M Angus Macdonald.
  5. Andrew Hahn (“The Clan MacColl,” “The Piper’s Bonnet,” and “John Morrison of Assynt House”)
    Prize: The Gillies Collection donated by JoAnn Scott.

Donald MacLeod Memorial 6/8 March Competition

  1. Tyler Bridge (“The Bonawe Highlanders” and “Dundee City Police Pipe Band”)
    Prize: The Donald MacLeod Memorial Silver Buckle created and donated by Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths.
  2. James Dyson (“The Dornoch Highland Gathering” and “All the Blue Bonnets are Over the Border”)
    Prizes: A Piper’s Pal Reed Case and Piper’s Pal Reed Protector donated by Duncan’s Highland Supply; and a $25 gift certificate from Scott’s Highland Services.
  3. Kaitlin Kimove (“MacLeod of Mull” and “John Gordon of Drummuie”)
    Prizes: The Gordon Highlanders Pipe Music Collection, Volume 1, and a $25 gift certificate from Scott’s Highland Services sponsored by Marsha Bell.
  4. Liam Hilder (“Fairview Cottage” and “The Trees of North Uist”)
    Prizes: The Seaforth Highlanders Collection and a $25 gift certificate from Tartantown sponsored by Marsha Bell.
  5. Kevin McLean (“The Braemar Gathering” and “Mrs. Lily Christie”)
    Prize: A $25 gift certificate from Tartantown.

Dress and Deportment

(judged by Eric MacNeill)

  1. Maeghan Bielski
    Prize: A $50 gift card for Henderson's Ltd. donated by Joseph Stewart and family.

Congratulations!

Each competitor this year received an Airstream Blowpipe donated by Scott’s Highland Services, as well as a Nicol-Brown towel, and a framed group photo. First-time competitors received the coveted Nicol-Brown lapel pin.

2014 Competitors

Invitations to the Nicol-Brown Competition each year are based on overall rankings and competitive results in the pipers’ home associations, as well as in national and international contests that show the highest standards of amateur piping for Piobaireachd and Light Music. Competitors pay their own way to the contest in Albany, or are helped with their travel expenses by their own sponsors and patrons.

  • MAEGHAN BIELSKI (Middleboro, Massachusetts)
    3rd Place out of 81 pipers in the 2014 EUSPBA Grade 1 Overall and Piobaireachd Season Standings as of September 22, 2014.
  • TYLER BRIDGE (Guelph, Ontario)
    1st Place in combined PPBSO Grade 1 Light Music and Senior Amateur Piobaireachd Champion Supreme standings for 2014.
  • JAMES DYSON (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
    1st Place in combined Grade 1 Light Music and Piobaireachd standings for Atlantic Canada for 2013 and 2014.
  • ANDREW HAHN (Valley Center, California)
    1st Place in 2014 Amateur Grade 1 Aggregate Standings for WUSPBA as of August 25, 2014; Grade 1 Piper of the Day at the Queen Mary ScotsFestival and the Scottish Fest in Costa Mesa, California.
  • TYLER HARRIS (Wheatley, Ontario)
    2nd Place in combined PPBSO Grade 1 Light Music and Senior Amateur Piobaireachd Champion Supreme standings for 2014.
  • LIAM HILDER (Port Coquitlam, British Columbia)
    2013 Nicol-Brown MSR Champion; 2013 and 2014 BC Pipers’ Association Grade 1 Grand Aggregate Champion; Grade 1 Games Aggregate winner at 2014 BC Pipers’ Association Annual Gathering.
  • KAITLIN KIMOVE (Stoney Creek, Ontario)
    1st Place out of 81 pipers in the 2014 EUSPBA Grade 1 Overall and Piobaireachd Season Standings as of September 22, 2014; 1st in Grade 1 Piobaireachd out of 17 pipers at Colonial Highland Gathering in Fair Hill, Maryland; Piper of the Day at the 2014 Capital District Scottish Games in Altamont, New York, and at the 2014 New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival.
  • KEVIN MCLEAN (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)
    2nd Place in 2014 BC Pipers’ Association Grade 1 Grand Aggregate standings.
  • SEAN REGAN (Woodstock, Virginia)
    2nd Place out of 81 pipers in the 2014 EUSPBA Grade 1 Overall and Piobaireachd Season Standings as of September 22, 2014; Piper of the Day at the Cary, NC Indoor Competition, the Maine Highland Games, and the Scotland County Highland Games.
  • JACK WILLIAMSON (Topeka, Kansas)
    2013 Nicol-Brown 6/8 March winner and tied for 2013 Nicol-Brown Overall Champion; Winner of the 2014 Grade 1 MWPBA Regional Solo Piping Contest in Palatine, Illinois.

THANK YOU

The 2014 Nicol-Brown Contest and Concert were made possible by the efforts of many volunteers, donors and sponsors who are generous in their support of amateur piping. We'd love to add your name here:

2014 Dedications

  • Marsha Bell’s donation was given in honor of Paula Glendinning.
  • Doreen Forney’s donation was dedicated to the memory of P/M Angus Macdonald.
  • Barb, Erin, and Dan McCarthy’s donation was given in memory of Dr. Harold Kirkpatrick.
  • Steve Porter’s donation was given in gratitude and appreciation for what Invermark has meant to him and to countless other pipers and drummers over the years. Keep making wonderful music and magical experiences!
  • Rick Woolard’s donation was dedicated to the memory of Ronald Morrison of South Uist.

Please contact Paula Glendinning at 301-774-3154, or speak to one of the other committee members if you would like to donate a prize for next year. We also welcome cash donations if you would like to sponsor a scholarship or help with the expenses of the Nicol-Brown. We are happy to designate your gift with a dedication in honor or in memory of someone. Please let us know if you would like us to add a link or a dedication to your donation listing.

The 2014 Nicol-Brown Chalice Committee

  • Ursa Beckford
  • Maureen Connor
  • Paula Glendinning
  • Donald F. Lindsay
  • Barbara McCarthy
  • JoAnn Scott
  • Heather Scott-Wisehart
  • Mary Robinson White
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