By Paula Glendinning
The 43rd Nicol-Brown Amateur Invitational Contest will be held at St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville, Maryland, hosted in partnership again with our friends at the Institute of Musical Traditions. The Nicol-Brown weekend will begin with a judges’ recital on Friday evening, October 9, followed by the contest and award ceremony on Saturday, October 10.
We will be delighted to host our judging panel for 2026: Alan Bevan (Abbotsford, British Columbia) and Skip Cleavinger (Bowling Green, Kentucky).
In August and September, ten Amateur Grade 1 competitors will be selected for invitations, based on their results at major amateur solo events held in 2026 (Winter Storm, the B.C. Indoor, the Chicago Scottish Festival, the US Piping Foundation, Maxville, etc.) as well as the season standings compiled by the EUSPBA and other piping associations throughout North America. All competitors must be ranked at the highest level of amateur piping in both Piobaireachd and Light Music by their home associations.
The Nicol-Brown has a long history of strengthening bonds within the piping community in the US, Canada, and Scotland, through connections made before, during, and after the contest. Long may that priority continue.
Watch our Web site and Facebook page for more details. http://nicol-brown.org
www.facebook.com/nicolbrowninvitational/
PRIZES AND DONATIONS
We welcome advertisements and dedications for our printed and online program. Please reply to Paula Glendinning if you’re interested in running an ad in the 2026 Nicol-Brown program. If you’ve been an advertiser before, please let us know if you would like to repeat your ad, and if you have any questions or changes.
Cash donations are especially welcome, to help with scholarships, prizes, and the expenses of running an elite amateur competition. We’d love to continue expanding our scholarship awards to encourage our competitors to prioritize learning.
https://nicol-brown.org/donations.html
The Nicol-Brown is a 501c3 organization, so many donations are tax-deductible. (Ask your accountant.) If you’d like to sponsor or donate a prize or a scholarship for our prize list, please reply by email or speak to any of our committee members with whom you may be in contact.
Memorial gifts are certainly welcome, and we’d be glad to publish your dedication in our program.
Cash donations may be sent online using our Paypal button: paypal.me/nicolbrownchalice
or even better: Zelle does not charge transaction fees. You may send Zelle payments to nicolbrownchalice@gmail.com
The Institute of Musical Traditions