At a recent committee meeting, regrettably we have had to make a few changes to the competitions and have combined the Open and B Grade Light Music due to lack of entries in the Open.
The SPA will keep the Open and the B grade March and the Open and B Grade S&R prizes, so in theory the winner of the B grade could also win the Open.
There will be three monetary prizes for both events but in the B grade competitions there will be five places.
Previous winners of the Open Light Music events cannot compete for the Open prizes but are still able to play in the B grade competitions if graded B by the CPA (this at present only applies to two competitors).
The winner of the March and the winner of the S&R in the Open category will be eligible for the former winner’s competition later that same day, unless they have already qualified.
If the winners were not already pre-qualified, then they will play the tunes that they have not already played in the Open competition
(ie: 2 Marches, 2 Strathspeys and 2 Reels).
The National Piping Centre (McPhater Street) will open at 07:45hrs on the 22nd of April and the first competitions will start at 08:30 hrs.
We have a total of 168 competitive performances to get through on the day and this will require efficient stewarding and strict adherence to tuning times, which have been set at:
Open Piobaireachd 5 minutes which is to include the 6/8 March, with a warning at 4 minutes.
Former Winners MSR 2 of each 4 Minutes, with a warning at 3 minutes.
All other Competitions
3 minutes, with a warning at 2 minutes.
We would ask all competitors to be very aware of tuning times.
We would also ask all Open, B and C graded competitors to keep tuning between the March and the Strathspey and Reel to a Minimum.
Competitors who do not start by the end of the countdown may be disqualified.
(countdown timers will be used and will be started as drones are struck in)
Venues :
Auditorium : B Piobaireachd followed by the Former Winners MSR
Collinson Room : Open and B Light Music followed by C Light Music
Robertson Room : Open Piobaireachd and 6/8 March followed by C Piobaireachd
The committee reserve the right to change venues depending upon circumstances
