Thank you for your interest in participating in the Solo Piping & Drumming Competition at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival at Casey Jones Park in Elizabeth, CO. Below is the link to the PDF info sheet and the WUSPBA registration link:
Register at: https://www.r2sports.com/website/register.asp?eventUID=&TID=39086
Click here for PDF info sheet
PARKING: There is a daily charge for parking ($5 per car). Please pay for this at the entrance to the parking lot when you come.
If you have any questions regarding participation at the festival, please email our Piping Chairman, Neil Gillette, at piping@elizabethcelticfest.org. If you need any help with this website, please email webmaster@elizabethcelticfest.org.
Saturday and Sunday, July 16 & 17, 2022
Location: Casey Jones Park, Elizabeth, Colorado
The town of Elizabeth is around 35 miles southeast of Denver
(15 miles directly east of Castle Rock, CO on Colo. State Highway 86)
Parking Entrance at 34180 Road 17, on the east side of the town of
Elizabeth, 2/10ths of a mile north of Colorado Highway 86 on County
Road 17 (intersection has a traffic light) (There is a $5 per vehicle
charge for parking.)
WUSPBA Sanctioned: All applicable events are sanctioned by the Western United States Pipe Band Association (WUSPBA). The contest elevation is 6,500 feet, and is under the shade of 40-50 foot tall Ponderosa Pine Trees. Pipers are on a platform—you actually do “play on the boards.”
Judges: Our piping judges for this year’s competition are Pipe Major James (Jamie) Cuthill. He is a senior member (on the “A” List) of the WUSPBA judge’s panel for both Light Music and Piobaireachd, and for judging Piping and Ensemble in band contests; and Ryan Balchuck (“B” List for Light Music and Piobaireachd, and for Piping in Bands). Our drumming judge is Darren Marshall, also on the WUSPBA judge’s panel (“B” List for Solo Snare and for Solo Tenor and Solo Bass Drumming, and “B” List for Pipe Band Drumming).
Awards for Solo Events: Medals for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Judge’s decision is final. Competitors are responsible for keeping track of how the contest is moving, ready to play sooner in the event of another competitor “scratching” or “breaking-down.” The piping steward won’t seek you out…
Two-Day Competition, but… we will run all events for a given Grade on one day. For instance, on Saturday, the events will be for Solo Piping Grade V, Solo Piping Grade IV, and all Solo Drumming Events, followed by Pipe Bands. On Sunday, the events will be for Solo Piping in Grade III, Grade II, and Grade I.
Full Pipe Band Competition. Held Saturday (July 16) only.
This year, we are doing a “full” band competition (instead of a mini-band competition). Like last time (that was 2019!), we are giving attending competing pipe bands $200 appearance stipend, regardless of Grade. Our plan, regarding the “massed bands” requirement, is two-fold: First, we’ll be doing a parade or procession through the Festival grounds, at 12:00 Noon. Second, we are asking each band to perform a 10-15 minute set at the designated location near our pub (if the stage is cleared), or someplace that benefits the Festival that we suggest. We envision this happening after the contest, in a place with shade.
Pipe Bands (per WUSPBA guidelines) consist of a minimum of 5 pipers, 2 snares, and 1 bass. Tenor drummers are optional.
The band contest will start at 2:00 p.m., with Grade V Quick March Medley (QMM) first, followed by Grade IV Time Limit
Medley (TLM); then, Grade V March-Slow March-March (MSM), followed by Grade IV March-Strathspey-Reel (MSR).
Prize Money (per event): Grade V (“Five”): 1st–$200, 2nd–$150, 3rd–$100
Grade IV (“Four”): 1st–$300, 2nd–$200, 3rd–$150
Pipe Band Entry Fee: $25 per band event (so that’s $50 if your band is doing two events).
Solo Competitions– Saturday Events: (July 16)–
Check-in 8:15-8:45 a.m. Contest Events start at 9:00 a.m.
EVENT #1—SAT. Grade V Practice Chanter (play one 2-part tune by memory)
EVENT #2—SAT. Piping Grade IV 2/4 March (must be a minimum of four parts)
EVENT #3—SAT. Piping Grade IV Slow March (Slow Air) (must be a minimum of 32 measures)
EVENT #4—SAT. Piping Grade IV 6/8 March (must be a minimum of four parts)
EVENT #5—SAT. Piping Grade IV Piobaireachd (play the Ground + the next numbered variation)
EVENT #6—SAT. Grade V Drum Pad (play rudiments on a drum pad, as directed by the judge)
EVENT #7—SAT. Snare Drumming Grade IV 2/4 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #8—SAT. Snare Drumming Grade IV 6/8 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #9—SAT. Snare Drumming Grade III 2/4 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #10—SAT. Snare Drumming Grade III 6/8 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #11—SAT. Snare Drumming Grade III Strathspey and Reel (submit one (1) tune of each type) *
EVENT #12—SAT. Novice Tenor Drumming 2/4 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #13—SAT. Novice Tenor Drumming 6/8 March (submit one (1) tune)*
EVENT #14—SAT. Novice Bass Drumming – March, any time signature*
* The drummer must play four (4) different parts of music. However, the piper may either play a four-parted
tune, two (2) two-parted tunes, or one (1) two-parted tune (twice).
Solo Competitions– Sunday Events: (July 17)– (No solo drumming events on Sunday)
Check-in 8:15-8:45 a.m. Contest Events start at 9:00 a.m.
EVENT #15—SUNDAY Piping Grade III Piobaireachd (submit one)
EVENT #16—SUNDAY Piping Grade III 2/4 March *
EVENT #17—SUNDAY Piping Grade III Strathspey and Reel (each tune must be a minimum of four parts)
EVENT #18—SUNDAY Piping Grade III 6/8 March *
EVENT #19—SUNDAY Piping Grade III Jig * * (must be a minimum of four parts)
EVENT #20—SUNDAY Piping Grade II Piobaireachd (submit two)
EVENT #21—SUNDAY Piping Grade II 2/4 March, Strathspey, Reel (each tune must be a minimum of four parts, submit one of each type of tune)
EVENT #22—SUNDAY Piping Grade II Hornpipe & Jig (each tune must be a minimum of four parts, submit one of each type of tune)
EVENT #23—SUNDAY Piping Grade II 6/8 March (must be a min. of four parts)
EVENT #24—SUNDAY Piping Grade I Piobaireachd (submit three)
EVENT #25—SUNDAY Piping Grade I 2/4 March, Strathspey, Reel (each tune must be a minimum of four parts, submit two of each type of tune)
EVENT #26—SUNDAY Piping Grade I Hornpipe & Jig (each tune must be a minimum of four parts, submit two of each type of tune)
EVENT #27—SUNDAY Piping Grade I 6/8 March (min. of four parts—submit 2)
SOLO ENTRY FEE: For Grade V (Practice Chanter) and Grade V (Drum Pad) is $10.00. For Grades IV and above, the Entry Fee is $40,
which includes all events for your Grade. There is no “per event” rate for these grades. ENTRY DEADLINE: July 2, 2021. “First to enter, last
to compete.” Entries taken online only at: https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/login.asp?TID=39086
TICKETS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS—General Admission at the gate: Adults (age 18-64)–$15. Children ages 10 & under are free. If
anyone is a “First Responder” (Law Enforcement, Fire, EMT), or current/former Military, or a Senior (ages 65 and older), or a Teenager (ages 13-17 inclusive)–then your admission is only $10. We are not taking spectator admissions in advance this year. Please pay at the gate as you arrive. Please support this competition by having non-competitors pay at the gate.
PARKING: There is a daily charge for parking ($5 per car). Please pay this at the entrance to the parking lot when you come.
Questions: Send an email to Neil Gillette, event organizer: piping@elizabethcelticfest.org, or call 303-332-6133 (cell)
General Information—Festival Website: www.ElizabethCelticFest.org
Entries taken online only at: https://www.r2sports.com/tourney/login.asp?TID=39086