Islands pupils scoop first prize in prestigious piping contest
SGOIL Lionacleit band members were celebrating this week after taking first prize in the freestyle competition at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships in Edinburgh – the world’s biggest schools piping event with 62 participating schools.
The win ensured their 2017 competition schedule got off to a fantastic start.
A well known panel of judges from the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, including Gary West, presenter of the radio programme Pipe Line; Phil Cunningham MBE, famous Scottish folk musician; Craig Munro, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, and Craig Anderson were impressed not only with Sgoil Lionacleit’s strong performance, but also with the creativity, musicianship and feeling that was incorporated into the arrangement, as well as the integrating of piping with such a diverse range of other instruments and artists.
The performance line-up included an ensemble of pipers, snare drummers, base and tenor drummers, a kit drummer, acoustic and base guitarists, pianist, a Gaidhlig singer and three Premier Highland Dancers. The piece was also accompanied by clarsach playing and the judges very much enjoyed this dynamic.
The team included 23 pupils from each of the Southern Isles, aged 11 to 17 years. The judges singled out the particular style of playing, as well as a distinctive west coast Gaidhlig feeling and musicality which they said came through in the performance.
They particularly enjoyed the buildup of the set from the slow Gaidhlig Air, through to the intervening piece of piobaireachd, finally leading onto the more lively and exciting set of jigs.
The performance successfully incorporated the variety and creativity that the judges were looking for and the pupils were complimented on how well they had achieved this.
For a full report from the contest, visit www.obantimes.co.uk