Master Level Competition

After registering at 8:30 in the morning, tuning-up my harp, warming up and running through my pieces, I listened as the competitors in the Beginner and Novice categories played their pieces. Then at noon, the competition stopped for lunch.

After lunch, the remaining competitors re-tuned their harps for the hall had warmed up considerably since the morning. The Apprentice and Journeyman competitors played their airs, strathspeys, jigs, and reels.

Late into the afternoon, it was finally the time for those in the Master category to compete. After all points were tallied, I was fortunate enough to be awarded 1st place in the Master's Category at the National Scottish Harp Competition. This means that I am the 2010 National Scottish Harp Champion!

Mark

Mark plays his competition pieces as the judges watch and listen. They take copious notes and mark scores on the scoring sheet. This grueling task lasted for over six hours as the judges focused their full attention on the playing of each competitor.

After the tallying of the scores, Mark was awarded 1st place in the Journeyman category and was awarded "Best Strathspey".

Mike

Mike introduces the pieces he will be playing for the Journeyman Solo Harp Competition. I especially liked his air which had some stunning chords which heightened the emotional impact of the piece.

Mike was awarded the Herbert P. MacNeil Travel Scholarship. Congratulations Mike! I'm looking forward to reading your blog of your travel adventure. After all, being awarded that scholarship is what initiated this blog.

Highland Dancer

What a surprise. Kathleen was at the Meadow Highland Games to compete in the Highland Dance Competition. Between Kathleen and me is her mother from North Carolina.

Kathleen is a Highland Dancer whom I know from the Scottish Country Dance group in Columbus. When Kathleen finished her doctorate from The Ohio State University, she moved to teach at a university in New York City on Staten Island. Kathleen is a warm, friendly, gracious dancer. All of us in the Scottish Country Dance group miss her. Kathleen's gracefulness from the Highland Dance crosses over into the social dance of Scottish Country Dance. She is the best dance partner for quick time jigs and reels to the more stately strathspeys. I am especially appreciative of the embellishment Kathleen taught me circling eight hands round and back during a strathspey. Whenever I dance this move, I'm reminded of how much we miss her! I wonder how she did in her competition?

Waiting

The stage for the competition was set up in the corner of a large vendor hall of the Meadow Highland Games. There were four large 3-tier bleachers which provided a nice enclave for the stage. Dennis on the left has already competed. Mark waits for his competition category.

Mark was not planning on attending the competition, but on a whim I emailed Mark mentioning that I already had a room reserved. I suggested that he had already prepared a competition set that he could use again during the current competition year. If he changed his mind, we could ride together from Columbus. A few days later, Mark texted me saying, "Look at your darn email!" He had responded right away, quickly agreeing to go. I had not checked my email, but when I did I was glad for the opportunity to catch up with a good friend.

Multi Media Presentation

Last night at the Mid Ohio Scottish Heritage Association meeting (MOSHA), I presented a slide show of my trip to Scotland and played several tunes associated with various people and places that I visited. During the day, I had checked out all of the equipment to make sure the LCD projector and computer and cords were working. But last night, of course, the projector kept saying "no signal"! It took several minutes to trouble shoot. The thing that finally worked was to unplug the cords and start over. Thank goodness for arriving early.

You need to pack a lot of stuff when you are playing the harp somewhere: harp, stool, strings, tuner and clip, set list, as well as other emergency equipment. Doing this multimedia presentation meant having even more equipment: computer, LCD projector, AVG connection cords, extension cords, stool for projector, screen, etc.

I sang "Both Sides The Tweed" while showing the Tweed River flowing through the city of Peebles. Corrina Hewat sang this song several years ago at the Ohio Scottish Arts School. Then, I played "Jolly Band of Shearers" as an example of a Bothy Ballad. I learned this tune from Sharon Knowles. I sang "Will Ye Go Tae Flanders" while talking about my lesson with Corrina Hewat and showing a photo of her neighbor Karine Polwart who sings this song on one of her albums. Next, I played the pipe march "High Road To Gairloch" while showing photos of the town of Gairloch that I passed through on my way from Skye to Ullapool to catch a ferry. This catchy tune was taught to me by Jo Morrison at the Ligonier Highland Games. I showed photos of the white sandy beaches of Harris and played "Harris Dance" which I learned from the Captain Simon Fraser Collection. I played Corrina Hewats arrangement of "Isle of Aigas" as a precursor for my insistent pursuit of finding the Isle of Aigas. Finally, I played the strathspey "Cawdor Castle" I learned from Dominique Dodge and relayed the legend of the Hawthorne Tree which remains still in the keep of the castle.

iPhone iMage

Linda McNair is amused at Sue Richards, me, and Arthur McNair all trundling out our iPhones. Thanks for the photo, Linda.