Dear list The bellows piping competitions at the Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival have declined in the past few years and the NPS was contacted by the organisers to try and drum up some support, as they don't want to stop the event altogether - they think it's important, as do members of the NPS committee.
The festival itself runs 6-8 July (see www.newcastleton.com for details) and the piping programme (all Sat 7 July) is: 13.30 nsp workshop with Adrian Schofield 14.30 Competitions - judge Adrian nsp: 1. Novice & non previous winners: 2 tunes, 1 slow, 1 faster 2. Intermediate: 2 tunes of contrasting rhythm 3. Open: 3 tunes, to include a key change. Variations are optional, but are likely to attract extra points. Emphasis on Northumbrian repertoire and style in all cases. Border pipes / Scottish small pipes 1. Novice & non previous winners: 2 tunes, 1 slow, 1 quick. 2. Open: 3 tunes, including one with variations Emphasis on Border repertoire and style, bellows blown instruments only. There is also a venue available for a Northumbrian smallpipes F pitch session after the competitions if there is sufficient interest, though due to the small number of available watering holes, this will be in a "bring your own beer" venue. Those with concert pitch pipes are of course welcome to join the usually rather manic, and fairly eclectic sessions in such pubs as still welcome musicians. For the exact venue for these events in the village, contact the festival office in the Main Street on the day - which is in the Buccleuch Centre (Unionist club to those who have been in times past!) As many pipers as possible to support this event would be most welcome - and the competitions are meant to be fun as well, the judge says! Hope to see some of you there Julia To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
