The Dallas Solos this year offered piping and drumming workshops, solo piping and drumming competition, and quartet competitions. Not bad from a handful of pipers in a couple grades. Well done Nancy, Eddie, Stew and everyone who had a hand in organizing the event.
I had a blast. Wish I could have stayed longer, but the clock ran up on us. We got back home a touch after 1 am. However, we began the weekend with Seth's drum lesson with Jon Quigg. He got Seth straightened out and set on track. Then Jon, Jimmy Bell, and Chris Apps gave a concert
Saturday afternoon, after the workshops, is when the solos began. Jimmy adjudicated grade 2, 4jr., and pc. Chris had grade 1, 3, and 4 sr.
The competition was held indoors and outdoors - my events were indoors - but space was limited. I began warming up outdoors and tried to find a place inside. A bit before hitting the boards I was able to slip into the exercise room. The chanter sounded good , but by the time I was in front of Chris a few notes were out again. So I played a wee tune to try and bring it back and hoped for the best.
Chris likes to start with the 6/8 which is a nice change up. The 6/8 came out well, though the chanter wasn't really settled. The other tunes went well. I changed my jig and played "The Curlew" for the first time in competition - I was really happy with how I played it too. Oh, and the chanter finally settled for the jig!
The results:
6/8 March - Salute to Mr. Winston Churchill - 2nd
2/4 March - Siege of Delhi – 2nd
Strath/Reel - Ewe with the Crooked Horn/Bessie McIntyre – 2nd
Jig - The Curlew – 2nd
The setup:
Dunbar Poly P-2 drones, Kron ABW chanter, drone reeds are Apps/Naill, bag is the older Ross ex-small zipper without the guts, moose valve.
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