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The 2026 Competitors

The 43rd Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational
Piping Competition

Saturday, October 10, 2026
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
10701 Old Georgetown Road
Rockville, Maryland 20852

 

Admission is free at the Nicol-Brown, thanks to the EUSPBA,
The Piobaireachd Society, and our other generous donors.
Your donations are always welcome!

The 2026 Judges:

Craig Sutherland (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Skip Cleavinger (Bowling Green, Kentucky)

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Tentative 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:

Jim Feeney, Paula Glendinning,
June Hanley, Ben McClamrock, and Steve Porter

Contest Stewards and Volunteers:

Luke Ashton, John Bertino, Kathleen Brown,
Peter Kent, Thompson McConnell, JoAnn Scott,
Chris Shepherd, and Will Shropshire

View the 2025 program.

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

Scroll down for 2026 competition details and results as they become available.

 

The 2025 Prize McCallum Chanter

The 2026 Overall Nicol-Brown Championship

  1. TBA
    Prizes: The 2026 Nicol-Brown Champion’s Chanter — a Duncan MacRae blackwood pipe chanter with a custom-designed sole — donated by McCallum Bagpipes (Kilmarnock, Scotland); 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 2027 to be approved by the Nicol-Brown committee.
  2. TBA
    Prize: $500 piping scholarship sponsored by Cathi Nixon (Tennessee) in memory of her father, Sandy Jones.
  3. TBA
    Prize: $400 piping scholarship sponsored by Doreen Forney (Vermont) in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald, 1st Battalion Scots Guards.
  4. TBA
    Prize: $300 piping scholarship sponsored by Jane and Jim Spicer (Maryland).
  5. TBA
    Prize: $250 piping scholarship sponsored by Tom Finnell (Virginia).

 

The Nicol-Brown Chalice

The Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice for Piobaireachd

  1. TBA (9 points)
    “Tune”
    Prizes: A 150th Anniversary Edition Peter Henderson Heritage model bagpipe, all blackwood with boxwood mounts and hand-engraved celtic silver, donated by The Phyllis and Martin Dow Memorial Education Trust; plus a bound Piobaireachd Society Collection, Volumes 1-16, donated by Jon Maffett from The Piper’s Hut (Pickerington, Ohio).
  2. TBA (7 points)
    “Tune”
    Prize: A vintage Peter Henderson bagpipe, refurbished by Dunbar Bagpipes with holly mounts and engraved nickel, donated by The Phyllis and Martin Dow Memorial Education Trust.
  3. TBA (6 points)
    “Tune”
  4. TBA (5 points)
    “Tune”
  5. TBA (4 points)
    “Tune”

 

The Wm Ross Challenge Targe

William Ross Challenge Targe MSR Competition

  1. TBA (8 points)
    “March,” “Strathspey,” and “Reel”
    Prize: A McCallum Kintyre practice chanter with engraved presentation ferrule, donated by Andrew Douglas of The Piper’s Dojo.
  2. TBA (6 points)
    “March,” “Strathspey,” and “Reel”
    Prize: A Peter Henderson Heritage model blackwood practice chanter, with hand-engraved celtic silver ferrule and a boxwood sole, donated by The Phyllis and Martin Dow Memorial Education Trust.
  3. TBA (5 points)
    “March,” “Strathspey,” and “Reel”
  4. TBA (4 points)
    “March,” “Strathspey,” and “Reel”
  5. TBA (3 points)
    “March,” “Strathspey,” and “Reel”

 

The Donald MacLeod Silver Buckle

Donald MacLeod Memorial 6/8 March Competition

  1. TBA (6 points)
    “Tune” and “Tune”
    Prize: The Donald MacLeod Memorial Silver Buckle (above), created and donated by Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths (Andover, New York).
  2. TBA (4 points)
    “Tune” and “Tune”
    Prize: An ES Session Chanter donated by Henderson Imports, Ltd. (Traverse City, Michigan).
  3. TBA (3 points)
    “Tune” and “Tune”
  4. TBA (2 points)
    “Tune” and “Tune”
  5. TBA (1 point)
    “Tune” and “Tune”

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. TBA
    Prize: $100 gift card donated by Henderson Imports, Ltd. (Traverse City, Michigan).

Congratulations!

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

Nicol-Brown Lapel Pin

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 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.

2026 Competitors

 

THANK YOU!

The 2026 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:

2026 Dedications

  • Doreen Forney’s donation was given in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald.
  • Charlie and Paula Glendinning’s donation was given in memory of Susan Walker, one of the founders of Walker Metalsmiths Celtic Jewelry.
  • Catriona Hill’s donation was given in memory of her friend, Connie Powell.
  • 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.

Please contact Paula Glendinning or speak to one of the other committee members if you would like to donate a prize for 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. Let us know if you would like us to add a link or a dedication to your donation listing.
Email: nicolbrownchalice@gmail.com

The 2026 Nicol-Brown Chalice Committee

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

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