Wow. I just got back in town from the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, my first trip to the grandaddy of all Highland games. I camped there from Friday night to Monday morning, and got to hang out with a great group of folks.

First, the vista:



On Friday, I arrived at the campsite, and after some initial confusion, was placed with some of the old-time attendants of the games, who had formed their own little community into which I was quickly accepted. I did a little pipe warm-up practice, but mostly spent my time on fiddle, first just practicing, then playing for a group of campers. I got to explore a little bit; there's an overlook on a nearby hill that allows one to see the entire games site, and it was really spectacular at night. I saw a bit of Off Kilter at their jam that night as well.

On Saturday, I spent most of my day preparing for the pipe competition, waiting around to compete, unwinding, and getting the results. On the Grade IV Sr (Group B) Piobaireachd contest, I did very poorly - possibly even last - but that appears to have not been a reflection of my playing, but that I had seriously annoyed the judge. I had already begun playing when I noticed the judge still frantically looking up the tune in a book; I had not heard of judges following along in the book. This certainly soured him against me, and he didn't have a good thing to say about my playing, or my instrument. But this judge has a reputation for unreasonableness, docking people for having soles on their chanter (they're obsolete, he thinks), or having a low-pitched chanter (which he confuses with being dull). So though in the future, I will look closely at the judge's table so as not to repeat the unintended insult, I'm taking this judge's comments with a big grain of salt. In the Grade IV Sr (Group B) 2/4 March contest, I took 1st place in a field of 16, with very favorable comments from the judge. The worst thing, again, was my blowing, which he thought was slightly unsteady, and he thought my drones were slightly out of tune. But this judge thought I had a bright chanter, and bright and well-balanced drones, and had excellent technique and expression. I then went to a fiddle workshop held by Barbara McOwen, where we learned some pipe marches in B dorian. That was a lot of fun, and I really needed the practice on the ear-learning. That night, a group of us went to go see Off Kilter and The Rogues, and then came back for the annual camp ceilidh. The pipers played, some girls sang, other girls danced, and some kids fiddled. I was called out to fiddle as well, and I had a 79 year-old Appalachian step-dancer doing his steps while I reeled, an utter blast.

On Sunday, I spent the morning warming up for the fiddle contest. There was a jam session at the fiddle tent an hour before the contest, and then the contest itself, which kept me until 2:30, almost until the games were over. I thought I had done very poorly after I competed. In the first repeat of the b-part of my march, I completely forgot the tune towards the end, so I had to make up about 7 beats of improvisation with a march rhythm in the key of D until I got the last measure, which I played without a hitch, then picked up where I left off. I doubt anyone who didn't know the tune even caught my mistake, but though I recovered, I didn't recover from my recovery. I grew increasingly nervous, my bow arm grew increasingly unsteady, and though I finished my march well, and my strathspey was okay, by the reel it was all I could do not to fall apart. I forgot the tune again in the repeat of the first part, and thought I didn't get much off the beat, I had to go back and restart the part from the beginning. I was convinced that I'd bombed it, and this was reinforced as I listened to the other competitors, who were pretty fantastic. Of a field of 9, two should have been in novice, so I was pretty sure I'd come in 7th. Imagine my shock when I actually placed! It must have sounded better to everyone else than it did to me. The judge (Barbara McOwen) said that we were all very close, and that there was effectively a tie for 1st, and that I had tied with someone else for 2nd. But since SFIRE rules don't allow ties, she had to break it down, and I officially took 4th place, and also earned the Best March award (the irony is not lost on me). Also, I (along with the girls who took 1st through 3rd) all were qualified for Nationals. I am very grateful for that showing, but humbled at the same time. The people who took 5th through 7th were great players, and I feel that considering my mistakes, one of them should have deserved my spot.

After the contest, I did some window-shopping, then went back to the campground. After an afternoon downpour cleared up, I did a little fiddle practice. One woman in our camp wanted to hear me play Are You Sleeping Maggie?, and she had a song-book with music, so I promptly learned it. Another guy, a great grade 1 piper, brought his tenor banjo and let me play around on it - that was a lot of fun. I got to give some encouragement to a nice young girl who is also aspiring to play pipes and fiddle. Sunday night was a lot more subdued, but still a blast. I got a good night's sleep, and in the morning packed up my gear early and headed home.

What a great weekend, all the better because I got to spend it with great people.