The 27th Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational
Piping Competition
October 10, 2009
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Albany, New York
Judges: Murray Henderson, Amy Garson, and Andrew Douglas
Download a pdf of the program.
2009 Events
Overall Nicol-Brown Championship
- Anthony Masterson
Prizes: airfare to compete in London in November 2010, donated by the New Hampshire Highland Games; and a custom-made kilt donated by Sandy St. James (a 16-ounce, 8-yard kilt from his stock list of 400 tartans). - Elizabeth Sheridan
Prize: $250 piping scholarship donated by Tartantown. - Ursa Beckford
Prize: $200 piping scholarship donated by Fairlie M. Sharp in memory of her parents, Bob and Annie Brown. - Avens Ridgeway
Prize: $200 piping scholarship donated by Peter Kent in memory of Henry G. Hood.
Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice for Piobaireachd
(Each piper in the Piobaireachd prize list received a one-year membership in the Piobaireachd Society, to encourage his/her continuing education and pursuit of excellence in Ceol Mor.)
- Anthony Masterson (“The Mackays’ Banner”)
Prize: Bound Piobaireachd Society Collection donated by Doreen Forney in memory of P/M Angus Macdonald. - Elizabeth Sheridan (“MacNeil of Barra’s March”)
Prize: Strathmore blackwood pipe chanter donated by The Piper’s Hut. - Liz Cherry (“The Park Piobaireachd #2”)
Prizes: Angus MacKay’s and Donald MacDonald’s books on CD-ROM donated by Ceol Sean CDs, and a copy of Sight Readable Ceol Mor with two CDs donated by Dugald MacNeill. - Avens Ridgeway (“Beloved Scotland”)
Prizes: General Thomason’s Ceol Mor on CD-ROM donated by Ceol Sean CDs, and a copy of Sight Readable Ceol Mor with two CDs donated by Dugald MacNeill. - Ursa Beckford (“Tulach Ard”)
Prize: A copy of Sight Readable Ceol Mor with two CDs donated by Dugald MacNeill.
William Ross Challenge Targe MSR Competition
- Anthony Masterson
(“The Lonach Gathering,” “The Doune of Invernochty,” and “Cecily Ross”)
Prize: a dress sporran donated by R.G. Hardie & Co. - Elizabeth Sheridan
(“The Knightswood Ceilidh,” “MacBeth’s Strathspey,” and “Major Manson”)
Prize: Pipe case donated by Scott’s Highland Services, Ltd. - Ursa Beckford
(“The Lochaber Gathering,” “The Shepherd’s Crook,” and “Thomson’s Dirk”)
Prize: William Ross’s Collection, Volumes 1-5. - Bobby Durning
(“Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band,” “Cabar Feidh,” and “Broadford Bay”)
Prize: The Gordon Highlanders Collection, Vol. 2 donated by Henderson Imports. - Avens Ridgeway
(“Bonnie Ann,” “Delvinside,” and “Traditional”)
Prize: “Bagpipe Classics” CD donated by John Bottomley.
Donald MacLeod Memorial 6/8 March Competition
- Richard Gillies (“Cameron MacFadyen” and “The Heights of Cassino”)
Prizes: The Donald MacLeod Memorial Silver Buckle created by Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths and a copy of Along the Road donated by Iain MacDonald. - Bobby Durning (“Frank Thompson” and “Duncan McGillivray, Chief Steward”)
Prizes: A $50 gift certificate donated by Celtic Outfitters LLC, and a copy of Along the Road donated by Iain MacDonald. - Patrick Downing (“Mrs. Lily Christie” and “Duncan McGillivray, Chief Steward”)
Prizes: A $25 gift certificate donated by Celtic Outfitters LLC, and copy of Along the Road donated by Iain MacDonald. - Ursa Beckford (“Kenneth J. MacLeod” and “The Trees of North Uist”)
Prizes: The Edcath Collection on CD-ROM donated by Ceol Sean CDs and a copy of Along the Road donated by Iain MacDonald. - Thomas Harrington (“Miss Ishabel T. MacDonald” and “Jean Mauchline”)
Prize: A copy of Along the Road donated by Iain MacDonald.
Dress and Deportment
(judged by Eric MacNeill)
- Daniel Pisowloski
Prize: a $50 gift certificate donated by Henderson Imports.
2009 Competitors
Pipers from the top Amateur levels for both Piobaireachd and Light Music were invited in late August and early September to compete at the Nicol-Brown Contest. Invitations were based on competitive results and rankings in the pipers’ home associations, as well as in national and international contests that show the highest standards of amateur piping.
- URSA BECKFORD (Clifton, Maine)
Winner of the 2009 Robert Gilchrist Challenge in Maryland; Piobaireachd winner at 2009 Sandy Jones Invitational in South Carolina; Grade 1 Piobaireachd winner at 2009 Queen Mary Games in California. - LIZ CHERRY (Greensburg, Pennsylvania)
1st in EUSPBA Grade 1 Piobaireachd standings with results through September 30, 2009; Piobaireachd winner at 2009 New Hampshire Highland Games. - PATRICK DOWNING (Bellingham, Washington and Harwich, Massachusetts)
2nd in 2009 BC Pipers' Society Grade 1 Grand Aggregate; Overall Champion at 2009 US Piping Foundation Amateur Championships in Delaware. - BOBBY DURNING (Milltown, New Jersey)
2008 EUSPBA Grade 1 Champion; 2008 Overall Champion at the George Sherriff Memorial Contest in Ontario; 1st in 2009 EUSPBA Grade 1 Season Standings with results through September 30. - RICHARD GILLIES (Beaverton, Oregon)
2008 & 2009 BC Pipers’ Society Grade 1 Grand Aggregate Champion. - THOMAS HARRINGTON (Debert, Nova Scotia)
2008 & 2009 Atlantic Canada Grade 1 Champion Supreme. - ANTHONY MASTERSON (Houston, Texas)
2009 US Piping Foundation MSR winner; Overall winner at 2009 Metro Cup Amateur contests. - DANIEL PISOWLOSKI (Canterbury, Connecticut)
2nd overall in 2009 EUSPBA Grade 1 Season Standings with results through September 30, 2009; 3 prizes at Maxville; Piper of the Day at the 2009 New Hampshire Highland Games. - AVENS RIDGEWAY (Union, Maine)
2009 US Piping Foundation Piobaireachd winner; 2009 Maxville Piobaireachd winner, plus 2 Light Music prizes at Maxville. - ELIZABETH SHERIDAN (Oakville, Ontario)
2008 & 2009 PPBSO Grade 1 Champion Supreme in Light Music and Piobaireachd.
Also invited, but unable to attend until 2010:
- CHRIS LEE (Halifax, Nova Scotia and Hong Kong)
2nd in 2009 Atlantic Canada Grade 1 Champion Supreme standings; 3 prizes at Maxville, Ontario.
THANK YOU
The 2009 Nicol-Brown Contest is indebted to the following individual volunteers, donors and sponsors for their generosity and for their support of Amateur piping:
- Marsha Bell
- John Bottomley
- Celtic Outfitters LLC
- Ceol Sean CDs
- Bruce and Betsy Douglas
- EUSPBA
- Thomas Finnell
- Charlie and Paula Glendinning
- Jeffrey, Cindy and Adam Green
- Chris Hamilton
- Scott and Donna Hanks
- R.G. Hardie & Co., Ltd.
- Henderson Imports
- Invermark College of Piping and Drumming
- Iain MacDonald
- MacMillan Pipe Band
- Dugald MacNeill
- Eric MacNeill
- Erin and Barb McCarthy
- Bobby Minnear
- The New Hampshire Highland Games
- Eric Ouellette
- The Piper’s Hut
- Steve Porter
- The Prout Printers, Inc.
- Stephanie Richter
- St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
- Sandy St. James
- Michael Schoppe
- Scotia-Glenville Pipe Band
- Scott’s Highland Services, Ltd.
- Kegan Sheehan
- Simon Fraser University Pipe Band
- Jane, Jim, Calum and Graham Spicer
- Frank Strauss
- Donald-Gordon’s Tartantown, Ltd.
- Nancy Tunnicliffe
- Brian Turner
- United States Piping Foundation
- Stephen Walker
- Rick Woolard
Memorial Gifts
- Fairlie M. Sharp’s donation was given in memory of her parents, Bob and Annie Brown.
- Peter Kent’s donation was given in memory of Henry G. Hood.
- Doreen Forney’s donation was given in memory of P/M Angus Macdonald.
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, or click here if you would like to donate cash to support a scholarship or to help with the expenses of the Nicol-Brown.
The 2009 Nicol-Brown Chalice Committee
- Maureen Connor
- Betsy Douglas
- Paula Glendinning
- Donna Hanks
- Donald F. Lindsay
- Barbara McCarthy
- Erin McCarthy
- Eric Ouellette
- Heather Scott
- JoAnn Scott
- Mary White