Senior piping competitions at this year’s Royal National Mòd will be graded for the first time, replacing the former competition format at the prestigious event.
The Royal National Mòd, Gaeldom’s premiere musical and cultural event, returns to the fair city of Perth this year, between the 14th - 22nd October, for the first time in 18 years.
Mòd organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach have partnered with The Competing Pipers Association, who will manage the entries through their website this year. The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming, based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, will organise and manage the competitions on the day.
The senior piping event will take place at Perth Theatre on Saturday 15th October and will feature A & Premier and B Grade competitions. Both grades will have a Pìobaireachd, and March, Strathspey and Reel event and will require the standard four tunes for each competition. Junior piping competitions will also take place on Saturday 15th October at Perth’s North Inch Community Campus.
Support for all of the Royal National Mòd 2022 piping competitions comes from the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust, who will also award prizes to the winners of the junior piping competitions.
James Graham, Chief Executive Officer of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “It’s wonderful to be partnering with organisations from across the world of piping for this year’s Royal National Mòd, bringing even greater distinction and occasion to these world-class competitions. We’re also very grateful to Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust for their generous sponsorship. We have no doubt this year’s competitions will attract fantastic junior and senior pipers from across the Gaeldom and inspire many more.”
Derek Midgley of President The Competing Pipers Association said: “The Competing Pipers Association is excited to work with the Royal National Mòd to bring an additional graded piping event to the solo competition calendar. Because of Perth's central location, it is our hope that we will see strong support from our membership from every region of the country to take advantage of this opportunity. With robust attendance this year, it is our hope that we can add additional grades and events for subsequent Royal National Mòds.
"The Competing Pipers Association's mission is to help further piping in Scotland, and it is an honour to work with the Royal National Mòd to help create a graded piping contest there for the first time. I want to celebrate adding another graded contest on the calendar considering the many that have been cancelled, and wish the Royal National Mòd the best of luck for their event. I look forward to a great contest this year and many more in the future."
Chris Duncan, Secretary of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust said: “The Trust is delighted to support the piping competitions at the Royal National Mòd being held in Perth this year. Gordon himself always supported and competed at our local Perthshire Mòd and the Royal National Mòd when he could so it was only fitting we showed our support.
“We see the aims of the Trust as very music aligned with that of An Comunn Gàidhealach - we want to promote the education of our young people by encouraging participation in and study of our traditional music, and advance the arts and culture of Scotland by promoting the performance, study and innovative composition of all forms of traditional music, and in particular the music of the Great Highland Bagpipe.”
Entries for junior competitions must be submitted by Friday 15th July at enter.ancomunn.co.uk.
For senior competitors, entry must be made via the members’ area of the Competing Pipers Association website: www.competingpipers.com. Competitors must be a member to play in CPA graded contests. Entries for senior competitors open on 25th July and will close on 9th September.
Full details of the Mòd 2022 entry system and syllabuses are available at www.ancomunn.co.uk/nationalmod/syllabus and for prescribed pieces for Mòd 2022, visit ancomunn.co.uk/store.
Bidh farpaisean pìobaireachd nan inbheach aig Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail na bliadhna seo air an rangachadh airson a’ chiad uair, a’ gabhail àite cruth nam farpaisean a bh’ ann roimhe.
Tha am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail, prìomh thachartas chultarach is chiùil na Gàidhealtachd, a’ tilleadh gu baile brèagha Pheairt am-bliadhna eadar 14 - 22 Dàmhair 2022 airson a’ chiad uair ann an 18 bliadhna.
Tha luchd-eagrachaidh a’ Mhòid, An Comunn Gàidhealach, air a dhol ann an com-pàirteachas le Comann nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach, a bhios a’ stiùireadh nan innteartan tro an làraich-lìn aca am-bliadhna. Bidh Sgoil Airm Ceòl na Pìoba is Drumaireachd Ghàidhealach, stèidhichte ann an Taigh-feachd Redford ann an Dùn Èideann, ag eagrachadh agus a’ stiùireadh nam farpaisean air an latha.
Bidh an tachartas pìobaireachd airson inbhich a’ gabhail àite ann an Taigh-cluiche Pheairt air Disathairne 15 Dàmhair, a’ taisbeanadh fharpaisean aig Ìre A is Prìomh agus Ire B. Bidh Pìobaireachd, Caismeachd agus Srath-spè is Ruidhle san tachartas agus bidh feum air na ceithir fhuinn àbhaisteach sin anns gach farpais. Bidh farpaisean pìobaireachd òigridh a’ gabhail àite cuideachd air Disathairne 15 Dàmhair ann an Àrainn Coimhearsnachd Innis a Tuath Pheairt.
Tha taic do na farpaisean pìobaireachd uile aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail 2022 a’ tighinn bho Urras Cuimhneachaidh Ghòrdain Duncan, a bheir seachad duaisean cuideachd do bhuannaichean farpais phìobaireachd na h-òigridh.
Thuirt Seumas Greumach, Àrd-Oifigear a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich: “Tha e mìorbhaileach a bhith mar chom-pàirtichean le buidhnean bho air feadh saoghal na pìobaireachd airson Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail na bliadhna seo, a’ tarraing fiù barrachd urraim agus brìgh gu na farpaisean seo aig ìre chruinneil. Tha sinn cuideachd glè thaingeil do dh’Urras Cuimhneachaidh Ghòrdain Duncan airson an cuid urrasachd fhialaidh. Chan eil teagamh againn gun tarraing farpaisean na bliadhna seo pìobairean iongantach sean is òg bho air feadh na Gàidhealtachd agus gum brosnaich iad mòran a bharrachd.”
Thuirt Derek Midgley, Ceann-suidhe Comann nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach: “Tha Comann nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach air an dòigh a bhith ag obair leis a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail gus tachartas pìobaireachd rangaichte a bharrachd a tharraing gu suidheachadh nam farpaisean aon-neach. Air sgàth suidheachadh meadhanaichte Pheairt, is e ar dòchas gum faic sinn taic làidir bho ar ballrachd anns gach roinn den dùthaich a thaobh brath a ghabhail air a’ chothrom seo. Le làthaireachd làidir am-bliadhna, is e ar dòchas gun urrainn dhuinn rangan agus tachartasan a bharrachd a chur ris às leth Mhòdan Nàiseanta Rìoghail ri teachd.
"Is e rùn Comann nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach cuideachadh le pìobaireachd adhartachadh ann an Alba, agus ’s e urram a th’ ann a bhith ag obrachadh leis a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail gus cuideachadh le farpais phìobaireachd rangaichte a chruthachadh an sin airson a’ chiad uair. Tha mi airson a chomharrachadh gu bheil sinn a’ cuideachadh le farpais rangaichte eile a chur ris a’ chlàr-bliadhna, a’ beachdachadh gu bheil mòran dhiubh air an cur dheth, agus tha sinn a’ guidhe ar deagh dhùrachdan don Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail airson an tachartais aca. Tha mi a’ coimhead air adhart ri farpais fhìor mhath am-bliadhna agus mòran eile san àm ri teachd.”
Thuirt Chris Duncan, Rùnaire Urras Cuimhneachaidh Ghòrdain Duncan: “Tha an t-Urras air leth toilichte taic a chur ris na farpaisean pìobaireachd aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail a bhios air a chumail ann am Peairt am-bliadhna. Bhiodh Gòrdan fhèin an-còmhnaidh a’ cur taic ri agus a’ farpais aig ar Mòd ionadail ann an Siorrachd Pheairt agus aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail nuair a b’ urrainn dha sin a dhèanamh, agus tha e dìreach iomchaidh gun seall sinne ar taic cuideachd.
“Tha sinn a’ tuigsinn amasan an Urrais a bhith fìor cho-thaobhach ann an ceòl ris a’ Chomunn Ghàidhealach – tha sinn airson oideachadh ar n-òigridh adhartachadh le bhith a’ brosnachadh com-pàirteachadh ann an agus sgrùdadh air ar ceòl traidiseanta, agus ealain is cultar na h-Alba adhartachadh le bhith a’ brosnachadh gnìomhadh, sgrùdadh agus cumaidhean ùr-ghnàthach gach seòrsa de cheòl traidiseanta, agus gu h-àraid ceòl na Pìoba Mòire.”
Feumaidh innteartan do fharpaisean na h-òigridh a bhith air an cur a-steach ro Dhihaoine 15mh Iuchar aig enter.ancomunn.co.uk .
A thaobh farpaisean nan inbheach, feumar innteartan a chur a-steach tro raon nam ball de làrach-lìn Comunn nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach: www.competingpipers.com. Feumaidh farpaisich a bhith nam buill airson cluiche ann am farpaisean rangaichte leis an CPA. Bidh innteartan gu farpaisean nan inbheach a’ fosgladh air 25 Iuchar agus a’ dùnadh air 9 Sultain.
Tha làn fhiosrachadh mu shiostam inntrigidh agus prògram Mòd 2022 rim faotainn air www.ancomunn.co.uk/nationalmod/syllabus agus airson pìosan ainmichte do Mhòd 2022, tadhailibh air ancomunn.co.uk/store.