(Updated with full results)
It was a good day for Argyll lass Sarah Muir at this year’s Highland & Islands Music & Dance Festival which was held today at Oban High School in sunny Oban, Scotland.
Sarah was placed first in the A Grade Piobaireachd and third in the A Grade MSR. Pipe Major Ben Duncan won the B Grade Piobaireachd and also the A Grade MSR.
The Senior results are:
PIOBAIREACHD
Grade A and P – 1. Sarah Muir (Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay); 2. William Geddes; 3. Sandy Cameron; 4. Cameron MacDougall; 5. Darach Urquhart.
Judges: Archie MacLean and Dr. Jack Taylor.
Grade B – Pipe Major Ben Duncan (MacDougall’s Gathering); 2. William Rowe; 3. John Dew; 4. Finlay Cameron; 5. John MacDonald.
Judges: Alan Forbes and Murray Henderson.
Grade C – 1. Gavin Hardie (Desperate Battle); 2. Anna Smart (Old Men of the Shells); 3. Connor Kellet (Cabar Feidh Gu Brath); 4. Andrew Hutton (Lament for the Viscount of Dundee); 5. Robert Low (Melbank’s Salute).
Judges: Patricia Henderson and Willie Morrison.
MARCH, STRATHSPEY & REEL
Grade A and P – 1. Pipe Major Ben Duncan; 2. Steven Leask; 3. Sarah Muir; 4. Allan Russell; 5. Darach Urquhart.
Judges: Patricia Henderson and Willie Morrison.
Grade B – 1. John Dew; 2. Kris Coyle; 3. Callum Wynd; 4. Johnathon Simpson; 5. Eddie Gaul.
Judges: Barry Donaldson and Peter Hunt.
Grade C – 1. Connor Kellet; 2. Enora Morrice; 3. Ross Connor; 4. Andrew Hutton; 5. Scott MacLean.
Judges: Archie MacLean and Dr. Jack Taylor.
Juniors:
Piobaireachd
15–18 years – 1. Gregor MacDonald; 2. Emma Hill; 3. Ronnie MacIntosh; 4. Bobby Allen; 5. Eosaph Caimbeul.
Under 15 – 1. Ruaridh Drennan; 2. Hector Finlayson; 3. Finlay Peden; 4. Fraser Hamilton; 5. Calum Dunbar; 6. Thomas Wilson.
March
Under 15 – 1. Fraser Hamilton; 2. Calum Dunbar; 3. Dugald MacKenzie; 4. Ruaridh Drennan; 5. Andrew Russell; 6. Ewan Allan.
15-18 Hornpipe & Jig – 1. Bobby Allen; 2. Cameron May; 3. Hamish Drennan; 4. Gregor MacDonald; 5. Eosaph Caimbeul; 6. Archie MacLean.
Judge: Ronnie McShannon.
Chanter
Under 12 years (scale and two-part tune) – 1. Rio Arkell; 2. Arran John Brown; 3. Ciara Wallace; 4. Ruari Cottier; 5. Anna Forgrieve; 6. Barnaby Munns.
Under 12 years – 1. Zara MacLeod; 2. Flynn Porter.
12-14 years (march) – 1. Archie Munns; 2. Fergus France; 3. Nicola Duncan; 4. Robyn Main.
Most Promising Competitor (not necessarily a prize winner) – Matthew Lowe.
The refurbished Oban High School, established in 1890, opened a year ago. Many competitors and judges praised the venue today.
Next year’s festival takes place on May 3-5.
