The National Piping Centre’s Junior Competition will be on Saturday, February 17, 2024. There are five categories split into 11 events, and each event is capped so please enter as soon as possible to guarantee your place.
After feedback from previous years there is a new category added for pipers aged Under 13, which has a Piobaireachd ground event and a 4part 2/4 March event.
The events in category A and B will take place at The National Piping Centre McPhater Street. The new Category C – U13 and Category D Chanter events will be held at TNPC Otago Street. The prizegiving for the chanters will take place on conclusion of the events at Otago Street, with Category C announced as part of the full prizegiving at McPhater Street.
The Freestyle competition will once again be an online video submission. Results for all categories will be announced at the end of the day of competition.
Please read all the information and event rules below, and enter using the link at the bottom of the page. The events will be:
Category A – U18 years – at McPhater Street
1. Piobaireachd
2. March, Strathspey and Reel
3. Jig
Category B – Under 15 years – at McPhater Street
4. Piobaireachd
5. March
6. Strathspey and Reel
Category C – Under 13 Years – at Otago Street
7. Piobaireachd Ground
8. March
Category D – Chanter – at Otago Street
9. March
10. Slow Air
Category E – Freestyle event
11. Online Freestyle event – video submission
The Freestyle event is open to all competitors across all age categories. Competitors in this event are encouraged to think creatively about the production and musical content of their submission. Pipes or practice chanter must be the main feature of the perfomance but the use of additional instrumentation, multiple pipe parts, video editing etc are all permitted. Videos will be judged with due consideration to the whole package. Video submissions in this category must be between 3-5mins in length. Go to the Category E information for below on how to send us your video.
Event Timetable
- Event Registration is now open – scroll down to the green Enter Here button – from Thursday 7th December 2023 and will close at the latest at 5pm on Friday 2nd February 2024. Events may close sooner if it reaches capacity in the event (25 piobaireachd and 30 light music events).
- Event Submissions for the Freestyle event must be recieved between 9am UK time on Saturday 3rd February until 5pm UK time on Friday 9th February 2024.
- Results Announcement will be at The National Piping Centre, McPhater Street around 6.30pm on Saturday 17th February, on conclusion of the day’s events. The results will be available to read in full on Bagpipe.News shortly after the announcement.
Please read all the entry and category guidelines before entering.
Entry Guidelines
Entry fees are £7.50 per event across all categories.
- Entries will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Competitors may enter in ONE category only from categories A, B, C and D. Category E can be entered by all players in any category alongside their category A, B, C or D entry.
- Entries will be limited to 25 in each piobaireachd event and 30 in each light music event. This may be relaxed to allow more competitors at the discretion of the organisers.
- All competitors in Event 2, Event 5 and Event 8 must play a 2/4 March tune with a minimum of 4 parts.
- Any event with too few competitors may be cancelled at the discretion of the organisers.
- Entry to events will only be made on receipt of payment with event day timings included with the draw.
- The draw will be emailed to competitors the week prior to the competition.
- Music for all events, including Chanter competitions, must be performed from memory.
- The Junior Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from Events 1, 2 and 3. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing.
- The Novice Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from Events 4, 5 and 6. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing.
- The U13 Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from Events 7 and 8. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing.
- The Chanter Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from Events 8 and 9.
- The Freestyle event will not count towards the overall championship in any age category.
- In Cat A, B, and C Highland Dress must be worn. In Cat D, Highland dress is encouraged but not required and School uniform/smart dress will suffice.
- There are no dress requrirements for Freestyle contest.
- If a competitor wins the overall Chanter Championship in a year, they cannot compete in the chanter competitions following and must move up a category.
- Please report to stewards on arrival at your venue. Running times may vary, so it is advisable that competitors arrive well in advance.
- It is the responsibility of competitors to maintain contact with their steward.
- Competitors should be ready to play when called upon to do so.
If you have any queries, please contact learn@thepipingcentre.co.uk or call 0141 353 0220
Category Information
Category A – Junior Championship
Open to all pipers aged U18 on the day of the competition
Event 1 – Piobaireachd
Event 2 – March, Strathspey & Reel
Event 3 – Jig
- For all events in this category, 1 of each type of tune should be submitted. In events 2 and 3, all tunes must have a minimum of four parts.
- The Junior Champion will be decided on the highest aggregate score from events 1, 2 and 3. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing.
- In Event 2, the March must be in 2/4 time and have at least 4 parts.
- In Event 2, the Strathspey and Reel must have at least 4 parts.
- Highland Dress is required for Category A events.
- Category A competitions to be held at The National Piping Centre, McPhater Street Venue
Category B – Novice Championship
Open to all pipers aged under 15 on the day of the competition
Event 4 – Piobaireachd
Event 5 – 2/4 March
Event 6 – Strathspey & Reel
- For all events in this category, only one of each type of tune should be submitted.
- In events 5 the March must be in 2/4 time and all tunes in Events 5 and 6 must have a minimum of four parts.
- The Novice Champion will be decided on the highest aggregate score from events 4, 5 and 6. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd placing.
- Highland Dress is required for Category B events.
- Category B competitions to be held at The National Piping Centre, McPhater Street Venue
Category C – U13 Championship
Open to all pipers aged under 13 on the day of the competition
Event 7 – Piobaireachd Ground
Event 8 – 2/4 March
- For all events in this category, only one of each type of tune should be submitted.
- In event 8, the tune must be in 2/4 time and have a minimum of four parts.
- The U13 Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from events 7 and 8. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest Piobaireachd Ground placing.
- For Category C, Highland Dress is recommended but not required, School Uniform/smart dress will suffice.
- Category C competitions to be held at The National Piping Centre, Otago Street Venue. The prizegiving for this category will be at McPhater Street as part of the overall prizegiving for the event.
Category D – Chanter Contest
Event 8 – 2/4 March, two parts only
Event 9 – Slow air,two parts only
- For events in this category only one type of each tune should be submitted.
- Competitors can enter one or both events. Competitors who have previously won the overall Chanter Champion cannot enter these events.
- The Chanter Championship will be decided on the highest aggregate score from events 8 and 9. In the event of a tie the overall award will be given to the competitor with the highest March placing.
- For both events, the tunes should have 2 parts only.
- For Category D, Highland Dress is recommended but not required, School Uniform/smart dress will suffice.
- Chanter competition to be held at The National Piping Centre, Otago Street Venue.
- The prizegiving will be held at Otago Street on direct conclusion of the events. The overall champion will be asked to attend the prizegiving at McPhater Street at the end of the day.
Category E – Freestyle Competition – Online submission
Event 10 – Online Freestyle event – Video submission
- This event is entered as a standalone event and can be entered in conjunction with one other category.
- Performance can be on pipes or practice chanter, but the recording must feature pipes/practice chanter.
- Will be open across all age categories.
- Videos must be 3-5 minutes in length and can be made in more than one take/edited to include any takes or video overlays etc.
- There are no rules in terms of tune styles to play. This is a creative event, where competitors can write, arrange, include other instruments. It must include bagpipes or practice chanter.
- Highland Dress is not required for this category
ENTER THE NPC JUNIOR COMPETITION 2024 HERE
