The 41st Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational
Piping Competition

St. Mark Presbyterian Church
10701 Old Georgetown Road
Rockville, Maryland 20852

 

View a pdf of the 2023 program and watch this space for the 2024 program.

Scroll down for 2024 competition details and watch this page for results.

 

The 2024 Judges:

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

Friday, October 11, 2024

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

Saturday, October 12, 2024

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:

Paula Glendinning, June Hanley,
and Thompson McConnell

Contest Stewards:

Luke Ashton, 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!

While you’re waiting, 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.

 

Overall Nicol-Brown Championship

1. TBA
   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. TBA
   Prize: $500 piping scholarship donated by Cathi Nixon (Tennessee) in memory of her father, Sandy Jones.
3. TBA
   Prize: $300 piping scholarship sponsored by Doreen Forney (Vermont) in memory of Pipe Major Angus Macdonald, 1st Battalion Scots Guards.
4. TBA
   Prize: $200 piping scholarship sponsored by Jane and Jim Spicer (Maryland).
5. TBA
   Prize: $100 piping scholarship sponsored by Bruce and Betsy Douglas (New York).

 

Robert Nicol-Robert Brown Chalice for Piobaireachd

1. TBA (9 points)
   “Tune”
   Prize: A bound Piobaireachd Society Collection, Volumes 1-16, donated by Jon Maffett from The Piper’s Hut (Pickerington, Ohio).
2. TBA (7 points)
   “Tune”
3. TBA (6 points)
   “Tune”
4. TBA (5 points)
   “Tune”
5. TBA (4 points)
   “Tune”

 

William Ross Challenge Targe MSR Competition

1. TBA (8 points)
   “Tune,” “Tune,” and “Tune”
   Prize: A long McCallum blackwood practice chanter with engraved sole, bowl, and presentation ferrule, donated by The Piper’s Dojo
   (Troy, New York).
2. TBA (6 points)
   “Tune,” “Tune,” and “Tune”
3. TBA (5 points)
   “Tune,” “Tune,” and “Tune”
4. TBA (4 points)
   “Tune,” “Tune,” and “Tune”
5. TBA (3 points)
   “Tune,” “Tune,” and “Tune”

 

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”
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: 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!

Jack Lee 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.

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.

Competitors for 2024 will be announced following the New Hampshire Highland Games on September 21.

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:

• Anonymous Friends of the Nicol-Brown
• Luke Ashton (Virginia)
• BagpipeMusic.com (British Columbia)
• John Bertino (Virginia)
• Kathleen Brown (Virginia)
• Joan Bull (Maryland)
• Tom Cangelosi (Virginia)
• Michael and Mary Jane Cole (Maryland)
• Thomas Cook (Michigan)
• Olivia Corcoran (Virginia)
• Betsy and Bruce Douglas (New York)
• Keith Earle (New York)
• Eastern United States Pipe Band Association
• Doreen Forney (Vermont)
• Jackson Galloway (Massachusetts)
• Charlie and Paula Glendinning (Maryland)
• June Hanley (North Carolina)
• Catriona Hill (Florida)
• Andrew Hutton (New York)
• The Hutton family (Ontario)
• Institute of Musical Traditions (Maryland)
• Todd Jacob (Ohio)
• James R. Johnson (Minnesota)
• Lee & Sons Bagpipes Ltd. (British Columbia)
• Donald F. Lindsay (New York)
• Daniel MacRae (Connecticut)
• McCallum Bagpipes (Kilmarnock, Scotland)
• Barbara McCarthy (New York)
• The McClamrock family (Maryland)
• Thompson McConnell (Pennsylvania)
• Charles and Christine McKee (Maryland)
• Robert Mitchell (Maryland)
• NHSCOT Fund (Concord, New Hampshire)
• Cathi Nixon (Tennessee)
• The Piobaireachd Society (Scotland)
• Piobaireachd Society of Central Pennsylvania
• The Piper’s Dojo (Troy, New York)
• The Piper’s Hut (Pickerington, Ohio)
• pipes|drums Magazine (Ontario)
• Steve Porter (Maryland)
• Reelpipes.com (Saskatchewan)
• Bonnie Rideout, Scottish Fiddler (Virginia)
• JoAnn Scott (Virginia)
• Chris Shepherd (New York)
• Ed and Holly Shropshire (Virginia)
• Sean Somers (Alberta)
• Jane and Jim Spicer (Maryland)
• Gregg C. Sylvester (Delaware)
• United States Piping Foundation
• Stephen Walker of Walker Metalsmiths (Andover, New York)
• Rick Woolard (Virginia)

2024 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 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.
• Daniel MacRae’s donation was given in honor of his father, Duncan MacRae.
• 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 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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