The Argyllshire Gathering have launched a new composing competition for a tune to commemorate their 150th Anniversary in 2021, offering a £1,000 prize for the winner.
The tune is to be a ‘competition’ 2/4 march of at least four parts.
The competition will be co-ordinated in conjunction with Piping Press.
The judges will be P/M Jimmy Banks MBE, Piping Press Editor and AG Piping Committee member Robert Wallace and John Wilson formerly of Strathclyde Police and also an AG Piping Committee member.
Tunes are to be submitted to the Gathering’s Piping Convenor Torquil Telfer by email in PDF format. They will then be forwarded under anonymous cover to the judges for their decision.
The winner will be announced at the 2020 Argyllshire Gathering in Oban. It is hoped the tune will be played by the competing pipers on the march to the games in 2021 though it will not replace the tune traditionally played as the pipers and stewards enter the games field, the Argyllshire Gathering by John MacColl. The Stewards of the gathering reserve the right to name the winning tune as they deem appropriate.
Entry to the competition is free and the judges decision is final. Closing date for entries is May 31, 2020. Manuscript copies of tunes cannot be returned. Submissions must include the composer’s contact details: name, address, email and telephone number. Composers are restricted to one entry each. The competition is open to all composers of pipe music worldwide.
Mr Telfer said: ‘The Argyllshire Gathering began in 1871 and the stewards felt it would be fitting to have a pipe march written to commemorate this special milestone. There are other events associated with the Anniversary which we are planning and these will be announced later. The closing date is in just over six months so we hope that is sufficient time for composers to do their work.’
Submit all entries to: torquiltelfer@gmail.com
