Soldier piper to play in Scotland

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 462, 17 November 1992, Page 1

Soldier piper to play in Scotland

BY

JAN

SAVELL

Waiouru' s Captain Greg Wilson cleaned up at the prestigious Silver Chanter Competition in Christchurch recently. His mastery of the bagpipes won the coveted clasp competition, for which entry is restricted to former winners of the silver chanter. He was also placed first in the strathspey and reel section, second in the march section and third in the hornpipe and jig. The Christchurch competition follows closely on his success at the New Zealand Championships where he won two events and came third in another. Capt Wilson has been playing the great highland bagpipe since he was nine years old. In July next year he will begin 18 months' leave of absence from the Army when he will travel to Scotland, competing at the Highland Games. "I've been to Scotland twice before. In 1990 I stayed for seven weeks during the competing season," said Capt Wilson. "It was pretty intensive. We'd practise for two to three hours each morning and then go down for lunch. After that we might practise on the problem areas we'd identified that morning." The 18-month break will enable Capt Wilson to participate in two

competing seasons. He has set his sights on the four premier competitions for which entry is only available to piper s graded by the Scottish Competing Pipers Association. Only 30 entries are accepted for each section of the competition. Capt Wilson already holds an A grading (the second highest) for light music and a professional grading for piobaireachd, the classical pipe music. "Half the battle is getting known. A tutor who is recognised by the Competing Pipers Association recommends your grading for a particular type of music,". Once a piper has achieved a grading they can apply to enter any of four premier competitions. In 1990 Capt Wilson competed at the prestigious Northern meeting in Inverness. He came first in the gold piobaireachd section (he won the silver medal in 1988). This year he hopes to continue his success in piobaireachd and improve his grading in light music. "Piping has a lot of different forms. You probably hear some of the best tunes in some grubby old pub. Competition intensifies everything to the nth degree. The technical asTurn to page 2

Piper

From page 1 pects are so important. Competitions are just one of .the formats for participating." He also plays in the Manawatu Scottish Society and the Palmerston North Pipe Band.