Piping Competitions
The Middle Tennessee Highland Games offers a full slate of solo piping, drumming and pipe band competitions. Spectators are strongly encouraged to watch any of these competitions.
Competitions take place in the designated Piping & Drumming area of the park.
Piper of the day 2018
Professional Solo Piping Competition
The Middle Tennessee Highland Games is pleased to announce the first-ever professionals-only solo bagpiping competition to take place in Nashville. It is called the ‘Music City Quaich’. This inaugural event will take place on Friday evening September 6, in Nashville TN. World-class professional pipers from around the country will compete for prizes in both Ceol Beg, the light music of the bagpipe (March, Strathspey and Reel) and Ceol Mor, the classical music of the bagpipe called Piobaireachd.
The overall winner will be awarded the ‘Music City Quaich’!
Solo Piping Competition
Solo Pipers will compete in piobaireachd (pronounced pea-brook) competitions. Piobaireachd is the original classical form of bagpipe music. The tune begins with a simple melody called the ground. The tune then builds from there to more complex musical movements through each variation to culminate in a flourish of very technical movements. Pipers also perform what is called the light music or Ceol Beg in Gaelic. This consists of Marches and Strathspeys and Reels (the latter of which are dance tunes). Competitors are judged on the ability to stay in tune, play with precision and expression and keep proper timing.
Solo Drumming Competition
Drummers compete with sets of March and Strathspey and Reel along with Hornpipes and Jigs. What tunes they perform is determined by which grad the compete in. They are normally accompanied by a solo piper to help provide musical contest. Drummers are judge by their musicality, dynamics, precision, and time keeping.
Pipe Band Competition
The Middle Tennessee Highland Games offers three levels of Band Competition. Grade V (the entry level), Grade IV and Grade III. Bands will compete in a marked circle on the competition field and will play a medley of Marches, Strathspeys and Reels, as well as standard March sets. Bands are judged on musicality proper starts and stops the ability to stay in tune unison and ability to keep correct time.