Tom Peterkin won the 27th Archie Kenneth Quaich, the annual amateur pìobaireachd competition run by The Pìobaireachd Society. Peterkin, who has now won this competition four times, played Melbank’s Salute. 26 competed.
The competition took place on February 23 in the historic rooms of The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society in Edinburgh. Competitors had travelled from a wide variety of places, including Singapore, North America, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and England.
Results:
1. Tom Peterkin (Melbank’s Salute); 2. Andrew Park (Battle of Auldearn No. 2); 3. John Forbes (Lament for Sir James MacDonald of the Isles); 4. Gill Cairns (Cabar Feidh Gu Brath); 5. Stuart Letford (The Desperate Battle of the Birds).
Judges: Patricia Henderson and Donald MacPhee.
Archie Kenneth served on the Music Committee of The Piobaireachd Society for many years. From 1963 he was the Convenor of the committee and almost single-handedly compiled the tunes for Books 11, 12, 13 and 14.
He lived at Stronachullin in Argyll. When he died in July 1989, his obituary in the Piping Times stated: “Nobody can over-estimate Archie’s contribution to pìobaireachd knowledge. As a researcher and analyst he was quite supreme. As a composer he was outstandingly successful in all branches of music.”
The competition held in his name was first held in February 1993 and was won by L/Cpl Kamal Keshar Limbu playing Catherine’s Lament. Interestingly, Mr. Peterkin took part in that first contest and was placed fifth with Battle of Auldearn No. 1.
