Nicol - Brown Amateur Invitational
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The 2024 Competitors and Judges

The 41st Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational
Piping Competition

Saturday, October 12, 2024
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
10701 Old Georgetown Road
Rockville, Maryland 20852

 

View an updated pdf of the 2024 program.

Scroll down for 2024 competition details and results.

 

The 2024 Judges:

Roddy MacLeod, MBE (Glasgow, Scotland)
Ben McClamrock (Washington, DC)

Friday, October 11, 2024

Our judges began the Nicol-Brown weekend with a brilliant benefit concert at 7:30 pm at St. Mark Presbyterian Church.

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Competition Schedule:
9:30 am 6/8 Marches
12:30 pm Piobaireachd
4:30 pm March, Strathspey, and Reel
6:30 pm Awards Ceremony

MCs for the Nicol-Brown Weekend:

Andrew Donlon, Paula Glendinning, and Thompson McConnell

Contest Stewards:

Luke Ashton, John Bertino, Kathleen Brown,
Tom Cangelosi, Olivia Corcoran, JoAnn Scott,
and Chris Shepherd, Chief Steward

Admission is free to all events at the Nicol-Brown, thanks to our generous donors. We would love to add you to our list. Your donations are always welcome!

You’re welcome to browse through our archive of Facebook photo albums.

The 2021 virtual concert is still available on YouTube, with thanks to Roddy MacLeod, Bob Worrall, Jenny Hazzard, Nick Hudson, and The Piper’s Dojo for their support of the Nicol-Brown and its mission of encouraging amateur piping.

 

The 2024 Prize McCallum Chanter

Overall Nicol-Brown Championship

  1. Gillian Blaney (18 points)
    Prizes: The 2024 Nicol-Brown Champion’s Chanter — a McCallum blackwood pipe chanter with a custom-designed sole — donated by McCallum Bagpipes (Kilmarnock, Scotland); the choice of any pipe bag from Lee & Sons Bagpipes Ltd. (British Columbia); plus travel expenses up to $1000, donated by the NHSCOT Fund (Concord, New Hampshire), to be used to compete in a major solo contest in 2025 to be approved by the Nicol-Brown committee.
  2. Malachi Johannsen (13 points)
    Prize: $500 piping scholarship donated by Cathi Nixon (Tennessee) in memory of her father, Sandy Jones.
  3. Magnus Stone (9 points)
    Prize: $300 piping scholarship sponsored by Doreen Forney (Vermont) in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald, 1st Battalion Scots Guards.
  4. Michael Trenor (7 points)
    Prize: $200 piping scholarship sponsored by Jane and Jim Spicer (Maryland).
  5. Dr. Karl Fetter (6 points, Piobaireachd preference)
    Prize: $100 piping scholarship sponsored by Bruce and Betsy Douglas (New York).

 

The Nicol-Brown Chalice

Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice for Piobaireachd

  1. Gillian Blaney (9 points)
    “The Big Spree”
    Prize: A bound Piobaireachd Society Collection, Volumes 1-16, donated by Jon Maffett from The Piper’s Hut (Pickerington, Ohio).
  2. Malachi Johannsen (7 points)
    “Lament for the Iolaire”
  3. Dr. Karl Fetter (6 points)
    “The King’s Taxes”
  4. Michael Trenor (5 points)
    “The Battle of Auldearn #2”
  5. Flora Stone (4 points)
    “Lament for Donald of Laggan”

 

The Wm Ross Challenge Targe

William Ross Challenge Targe MSR Competition

  1. Gillian Blaney (8 points)
    “Roineabhal Cottage,” “Crann Tara,” and “Dolina MacKay”
    Prize: A long McCallum blackwood practice chanter with engraved sole, bowl, and presentation ferrule, donated by The Piper’s Dojo
    (Troy, New York).
  2. Jessica Theriault (6 points)
    “Morag Ramsay,” “Susan MacLeod,” and “Traditional”
  3. Magnus Stone (5 points)
    “The Duke of Roxburgh’s Farewell to the Blackmount Forest,” “Tulloch Castle,” and “John Garroway”
  4. Adam Tingskou (4 points)
    “Major Manson at Clachantrushal,” “Cabar Feidh,” and “The Cockerel in the Creel”
  5. Malachi Johannsen (3 points)
    “The Knightswood Ceilidh,” “Lady Louden,” and “Sandy Cameron”

 

The Donald MacLeod Silver Buckle

Donald MacLeod Memorial 6/8 March Competition

  1. Liam Forrest (6 points)
    “Major John MacLennan, Gordon Highlanders” and “Cameron MacFadyen”
    Prize: The Donald MacLeod Memorial Silver Buckle (above), created and donated by Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths (Andover, New York).
  2. Magnus Stone (4 points)
    “The Trees of North Uist” and “Duncan McGillivray, Chief Steward”
  3. Malachi Johannsen (3 points)
    “Leaving Port Askaig” and “The Trees of North Uist”
  4. Michael Trenor (2 points)
    “Pipe Major Donald MacLean of Lewis” and “Mrs. Lily Christie”
  5. Gillian Blaney (1 point)
    “The Scottish Division” and “Bengullion”

Dress and Deportment

This prize is a special recognition for the effort and thought put into the presentation of performances, showing respect for the contest, the judges, the audience, and love of the music.

  1. Liam Forrest
    Prize: A $100 gift certificate for The Piper’s Hut in Pickerington, Ohio, sponsored by Doreen Forney in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald, 1st Battalion Scots Guards.

Congratulations!

Henderson Imports, Ltd. (Traverse City, Michigan) has donated a certificate for $50 for each competitor to use at their shop.

Jack Lee (Surrey, British Columbia) has donated a $25 voucher for tunes and recordings at BagpipeMusic.com for each competitor.

Each competitor will receive the coveted Nicol-Brown lapel pin.

Nicol-Brown Lapel Pin

2024 Competitors

Invitations to the Nicol-Brown Competition are based on overall season rankings and competitive results in solo contests sponsored by the piping and pipe band associations of North America; as well as results from other independent contests that show the highest standards of amateur piping. Prizes in events with larger numbers of competitors are given special consideration. All invited pipers must have significant results at the highest amateur level in both Piobaireachd and Light Music. An invitation is held every year for the Grade One Piper of the Day at the New Hampshire Highland Games, provided that piper competed in Grade One Piobaireachd and Grade One Light Music events that day at the NHHG.

Invited but Unable to Attend

THANK YOU!

The 2024 Nicol-Brown Contest will be made possible by the efforts of many volunteers, donors and sponsors who are generous in their support of amateur piping. We would love to add your name here:

2024 Dedications

  • Jeffrey Foote’s donation was given in support of a great piping community.
  • Doreen Forney’s donation was given in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald.
  • Charlie and Paula Glendinning’s donation was given in memory of Ken Eller.
  • Catriona Hill’s donation was given in memory of her friend, Connie Powell, who loved piping very much.
  • Todd Jacob’s donation was given in support of his brother from another mother, Mic Trenor.
  • Cathi Nixon’s donation was given in memory of her father, Sandy Jones.
  • Rick Woolard’s donation was given in memory of Ronald Morrison of South Uist.
  • Bob Worrall’s donation was given in memory of Ken Eller.

Please contact Paula Glendinning or speak to one of the other committee members if you would like to donate a prize for this year or a future year. We welcome cash donations if you would like to sponsor a scholarship and/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 2024 Nicol-Brown Chalice Committee

  • Kathleen Brown
  • Judy Campbell
  • Jim Feeney
  • Paula Glendinning
  • June Hanley
  • Donald F. Lindsay, Founder
  • Ben McClamrock
  • Thompson McConnell, Treasurer
  • JoAnn Scott
  • Chris Shepherd, Chief Steward
  • Jane Spicer

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