Andy May, Pauline Cato and I were discussing competitions at the Whitley Bay residential course last year, and we concluded that judging - a thankless task in the best of circumstances - had become something of a poisoned chalice at Bellingham, for the reasons already stated. If it is unfair to criticise a child on this forum, maybe attention should focus instead on those who put her in this position - relatives, her tutor.
As a competition judge one strives to be supportive while maintaining the standards of piping one would expect in open competitions. Constant hassle from individuals accompanying a particular entrant will not affect the outcome of the competition and is not acceptable. What might influence the outcome of future competitions, though, would be for the entrant to take heed of the judge's advice. One finger off at a time would be a good start. I look forward to the next broadcast of "Britain's Got Talent" with even more trepidation than usual :-( Chris -----Original Message----- From: lisa ridley [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 13 April 2009 10:45 To: [email protected]; pipers list Subject: [NSP] Re: Re: Apologies, I was under the impression that the pipers list was a forum for self expression and discussion. I was not aware there was a required censorship in case "the truth" about these pretenders reaches the "public" domain. The Newcastle Journal is a publication with a weekly circulation of 289 000, and hence a VERY public forum, and I doubt this reporter stumbled upon this story herself but rather that it was fed to her. The Bellingham show is also a public event and I have witnessed first hand the attempts by the child's family to compromise the integrity of the competition by niggling at the judges and making loud stage whispers from the audience "you were the best - you would have won if it he (Chris Ormston) hadn't been judging". I'm told that Adrian Schofield was given an even more torrid time the previous year. Such behaviour is not worthy of our support. LR > Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:48:33 +1200 > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Subject: [NSP] Re: > > I have often been misquoted in the press, to my embarrassment. I think we > need to be very careful not to be seen to be unsupportive in the public eye, > and this is after all a relatively public list. > Helen > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "lisa ridley" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 6:59 AM > > > > > > I'd like to share with you all some quotes from an article in the > > Newcastle Journal newspaper about Jessica Lamb. The paper has an > > article entitled "school girl piper Jessica a star in the making" > > > > I picked them up and within no time at all I was playing a tune." > > I could play by ear and I just took to them straight away. From there I > > got better and better and now Im so proud of myself. Im brilliant and > > Kathryn Tickell has high hopes for me." > > > > Some of you may be aware of this 14 year old precocious nay > > dillousional child. This is the child who has been repeatedly given > > feedback by pipers who ARE brilliant and has ignored it; year on year > > she has had the same feedback yet listening to the video attached to > > the article is still ignoring it. Chris Ormston & Adrian Schofield have > > both given this girl advice but clearly she feels she knows better than > > those who are recognised by us all as true masters of the pipes. This > > girl has a long,long way to go before she can claim to be "brilliant". > > > > > > The comments of her mother (the typical pushy mother) show where the > > girl gets it from - "Jessicas mum Catherine Lamb, 42, a nursery nurse, > > said: As soon as Jessica picked up the Northumbrian pipes she was a > > little genius. She could play a tune straight away. We just knew she > > was going to be fantastic at it, she was a natural."" > > > > > > The absurdity of the whole article is summed up by the papers > > suggestion that the northumbrian pipes were an unknown instrument until > > K Tickell came on the scene..................sums up their naiivety > > really! > > > > [1]http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/04/11/ > > schoolgirl-piper-jessica-a-star-in-the-making-61634-23362451/ > > > > > > > > > > LR > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > > Share your photos with Windows Live Photos Free. [2]Try it Now! -- > > > > References > > > > 1. > > http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/04/11/sch oolgirl-piper-jessica-a-star-in-the-making-61634-23362451/ > > 2. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665338/direct/01/ > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > __________________________________________________________________ Windows Live Messenger just got better. [1]Find out more! -- References 1. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/134665230/direct/01/
