The Raasay Restitution Competition is held this Saturday, September 5th in the Raasay House Hotel, Isle of Raasay. The competition was specifically designed by Hamish Moore to encourage pipers to reconnect with Highland piping’s Gaelic roots and to think about the rhythms of step-dancing when playing dance tunes (jigs and strathspeys & reels).
There is also a pìobaireachd competition with a difference – players should be guided by the traditions of Gaelic song and its links with the ceòl-mòr tradition, and as such only a ground, a ‘pìobaireachd song’ – or equivalent – is required.
Because of the basic premise of playing for step-dancing, both judges for the dance music are step-dancers, meaning that a good pipe sound and excellent solo piping technique are not enough to win the contest on their own.
The competitors and the judges are separated from each other by a screen, and this has proved to be effective in ensuring that a piper’s previous track record has less of an influence on the judges’ deliberations than might otherwise be the case.
The competition has been sponsored by the Raasay Distillery since its inception 2 years ago, and the distillery very generously provides a cask of The Raasay for the winner of the Dance Music competition. The winner of the ‘pìobaireachd song’ competition is presented with a set of Highland pipes in A, made for the occasion by Hamish Moore.
The judges panel contains step-dancers Sandra Robertson and Frank McConnell, piper Allan MacDonald and singer James Graham.
The 12 competitors are:
- Ailis Sutherland
- Hazel Whyte
- Rachel Gray
- Angus MacColl
- Fionnlagh MacVicar
- Decker Forest
- Gary West
- Cameron MacNeil
- Ciar Milne
- James MacKenzie
- Angus Nicolson
- Finlay Cameron
Finally, some basic timings and other information about the day:
- 8.25 – Boat from Sconser.
- 10.00 – 12.00 Morning session of competition
- 12.00 – 14.00 Lunch in the distillery. Soup and sandwiches and a pudding – £15.
- 14.00 – 16.00 Afternoon Session.
- 16.00 – 16.30/17.00 Announcement of winners/Prize Giving etc
- 16.30/17.00 onwards – Whisky tasting/tunes in The Distillery.
- Last ferry is at 19.30 although there is one at 18.30.
- Evening – Sligachan for bar meals, drinks and tunes.