The CLASP ‘Live Online’ competition

•Pierrick Monnier was the CLASP ‘Live Online’ Grade 3 overall winner in February 2022

The Grade 1 overall winner will qualify for The Champion of Champions CLASP competition in April 2024

This CLASP competition will run on Saturday 11th November 2023 via the platform, Zoom. The closing date for this competition is Sunday 22nd October 2023  at midnight (UK Time). Events will be offered to adult amateur pipers graded 1, 2, 3, 4/5 and both Light Music and Piobaireachd events will be offered for all four grades. Please note that pipers graded 5 can play up in grade 4 events.

Competitors will play ‘Live’, but will use a video recording to capture their live performance and should send this unedited video recording later that day to clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk. When you enter the Zoom meeting, there will be assigned breakout rooms for the different events. There will be a steward to help competitors navigate Zoom on the day. CLASP members can click into any of the named breakout rooms to listen to the competitions or if you are competing in that event. Each competitor will be given a time slot to compete in their Piobaireachd event and a separate time slot to compete in their Light Music event. (We will work around different time zones).

The order of play, performance times and the selected tunes (for Grade 1 and Grade 2) will be published one week prior to the competition date on The CLASP website. Please email tune submissions by Sunday 22nd October 2023 to clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk

Once you enter a breakout room (for example ‘Grade 2 – Piobaireachd’ breakout room) you will be asked, at your designated performance time slot, to start your video recording device and a steward will then introduce you and that will verify the recording. For example, ‘This is Mary MacLeod playing The Little Spree for The CLASP ‘Live online’ November 2023 competition’ and away you go, with a bit of tuning if you need to (but not too much). If using a mobile phone to video your recording, please put it on flight mode.

Later that day, you should upload your video to you tube as an unlisted video. A video link for Piobaireachd and a separate video link for Light Music (Including all Light Music events) should be emailed by midnight on the 11th November 2023 to clasp@thepipingcentre.co.uk

Events:
Piobaireachd – Grades 1,2,3&4/5 – Please note that Grade 4 pipers can opt to play a full Piobaireachd in Grade 3 if they wish (no points will be allocated for this) as well as Ground and next variation (which carry league points for grade 4).
2/4 March Event – Grades 1, 2,3,4/5
Strathspey & Reel Event – Grades 1,2,3,4/5
Jig Event- Grade 1,2.3, 4/5

Please click on the link to see tune requirements for each grade/event- https://theclasp.co.uk/set-tunes/#requirements

Some rules to read:

CLASP Rules apply for all CLASP competitions https://theclasp.co.uk/rules-sanctioning/
Please wear Highland dress. Jacket optional
CLASP members will be emailed the Zoom link prior to the competition date and this link should not be shared outside of the membership.
In case your video recording device does not catch the stewards intro, you will be asked to repeat what the steward says for example, Mary would say “yes, I’m Mary MacLeod playing The Little Spree” … then start playing without a break. This speech will also help the judges.
You must not edit your recording afterwards.

Upload your recording to YouTube (unlisted) and send the link to clasp@thepipingcente.co.uk by 23.59 hrs (Scottish time) that day. When uploading your video link to You Tube, you get a chance to give the video a name. Adding your name again (and the tune names in the description box) will also help the judges.
You’ll get a Crit sheet from the judges, so carry on playing even if you make an error – the Crit can be very helpful for your learning/development as a piper.
Prize winners will be announced two/three weeks after the competition date. You can arrive early, and stay as late as you like, but be on the screen with pipes up, in the correct room, at your performance time. Please keep your microphone muted, and video turned off when entering breakout rooms. When Spectating it is best to keep your microphone muted also.