A new competition for solo piping, unlike any other, was held at the Raasay Community Hall on Saturday, September 7, 2024. It was entitled ‘The Raasay Piping Competition’ and was described as the inaugural event.
It was sponsored by the Isle of Raasay Distillery and devised by Hamish Moore who wrote that its inspiration came from his belief that “Piping has, over time, consistently been losing connections with its Gaelic roots. This connection was once central to, and at the heart of, how our music was interpreted and played. It is hoped that this competition will significantly contribute to reconnecting piping with its Gaelic roots and grow in popularity and significance year by year.”
Pipers were allocated 15 minutes each to perform: A selection of step dance style jigs, a piobaireachd song/Gaelic air and a selection of Strathspeys and Reels to be played with a tempo and rhythm suitable to be danced to by a hard shoe percussive Scottish step dancer.
10 pipers competed: James Mackenzie, Angus Nicolson, Michael Grey, Decker Forrest, Lorne Cousin, Duncan Nicholson, Ben Duncan, Micheal Steele, Ailis Sutherland and Ciar Milne.
Four judges invigilated: Dr Angus MacDonald and Anna Murray for the piobaireachd song/Gaelic air and Angus MacKenzie and Frank McConnel for the ceòl beag.
The judges were kept behind a partition to protect the identities of those playing. At the end of the competition, the judges presented the numbers of those who played in the order of 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The identities of the prize winners were then revealed to all at the prize giving.
An information sheet was handed to members of the audience at the start of the event with the names, photos and biographies of the pipers. A steward held up the name of each competitor to the audience prior to them performing.
The results were: 1st, Angus Nicolson who received a small cask of Raasay Whisky worth £3,000; 2nd, Ailis Sutherland, winning a selection of bottles of Raasay Whisky worth several hundred pounds; 3rd Decker Forrest – a limited edition print by the renowned Irish Colourist, John B. Vallely depicting the MacDonald brothers of Glenuig, entitled ‘Homage to Glenuig’. It may be that the first prize, in terms of cash value, is the highest in solo competitive piping.
There were in excess of 100 spectators, most of whom took the first and last ferry over from Skye to attend.