Alberta Society of Pipers and Drummers
Rules for Solo Piping Competition

Created: October 22, 2001

Table of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION									2
1.1	Objectives								2
1.2 Geographical Areas and Registering						2
1.3 Integrity of the Rules							2

2 COMPETITION RULES								2
2.1 The Competition Committee, Chief Steward, and Chief Scorer			2
2.2 Steward's Responsibilities							2
2.3 Competitor's Responsibilities						3
2.4 Society Representative							3
2.5 Splitting and Event								3
2.6 Order of Play								3
2.7 Communication of Selected Music						3
2.8 Performing without the Aid of Music						4
2.9 Tuning Time									4
2.10 Acceptable Highland Dress							4
2.11 Local Competition Rules							4

3 MEMBERSHIP									4
3.1 General Requirement								4

4 GRADES AND GRADING								4
4.1 Grades									4
4.2 Grading									5

5 MUSIC REQUIREMENTS								5
5.1 Music									5

6 RULES FOR ADJUDICATORS							5
6.1 Authority									5
6.2 Selection of Adjudicators							5
6.3 Number of Adjudicators							6
6.4 Guidance for Adjudication							6
6.5 Determination of Final Result						6
6.6 Determination of Aggregate Winner						6

7 INTERPRETATION OF RULES AND PROTESTS						7
7.1 Interpretation of Rules							7
7.2 Protests and Grievances							7
Alberta Society of Pipers and Drummers
Rules for Piping Competitions

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Objectives
1.1.1 The objectives of the Alberta Society of Pipers and Drummers (the "Society") 
with respect to solo piping competitions are as follows:
(a) To devise and administer comprehensive rules governing solo piping 
competitions;
(b) To preserve, promote and encourage proficiency in pipe music; and
(c) To promote and encourage participation of solo pipers at Highland Games and 
Scottish Cultural events for the benefit of the Competition Committee and Games 
attendees.

1.2 Geographical area and Registering
1.2.1 The geographical area where the Society registers solo piping competitions 
is the province of Alberta. Registering is a cooperative agreement between the 
Society and the organization sponsoring solo piping competitions (Competition 
Committee) to ensure that the competitions are run according to the Society's rules 
for solo piping competitions, are fair and respected, and are of benefit to the 
competitors, the Competition Committee, and the Society.

1.3 Integrity of the Rules
1.3.1 Solo Piping members of the Society and members of the Society's Approved 
Adjudicators Panel should not take part in any competition which would cause the 
Society's rules to be compromised to the significant detriment of the Society, 
the Competition Committee or the competitors. It shall be the responsibility of 
the Society's Board of Directors (the "Executive") to inform members and 
adjudicators of any such competitions.

2 COMPETITION RULES

2.1 The Competition Committee, Chief Steward and Chief Scorer
2.1.1 The Games Sponsor shall designate a Competition Committee, which shall manage 
and run the competition activities on the Games day. The Competition Committee 
shall designate a Chief Steward and a Chief Scorer.

2.2 Stewards Responsibilities
2.2.1 A steward shall be assigned to each event. The Steward shall be responsible 
for ensuring a regular and orderly stream of competitors to the event's competition 
area.
 
2.3 Competitor's Responsibilities
2.3.1 Competitors shall be responsible for reporting to the Steward prior to the 
event, for obtaining their position in the order of play for the event, and for 
being ready to compete when their position in the order of play arrives.
2.3.2 Competitors shall signal the adjudicator when they are ready to commence 
their performance.
2.3.3 Any competitor who interferes with, threatens, or uses abusive language towards 
the adjudicators, officials, stewards or members of the Competition Committee 
shall cause themselves to be liable for suspension from further competitions for 
as long as the Executive deems is necessary in the circumstances.
2.3.4 The same penalty shall apply to situations involving the abuse of private 
property at the Games site.
2.3.5 The competitor shall be responsible for the submission of the tune lists, as 
requested by the Competition Committee, for their event(s).

2.4 Society Representative
2.4.1 A member of the Executive, or their designate, shall be in attendance as the 
Society's Representative at all of the registered competitions and shall be available 
to the Competition Committee for that day.
2.4.2 The Society Representative shall monitor the competitions for compliance and 
fairness, provide answers to questions on the competition rules, and provide advice 
(if requested) to the Competition Committee on complaints, disputes and protests 
relating to the competition.

2.5 Splitting and Event
2.5.1 If there are more than twenty (20) competitors in an event, that event may be 
divided into two or more sections and designated as such, and prizes shall be given 
to each section of the event as if it was a separate event.

2.6 Order of Play
2.6.1 All orders of play and the start time for each event shall be posted at the 
Competition Registration Area prior to the commencement of the competitions.
2.6.2 Competitors should be ready to play in the posted order.
2.6.3 If given, posted competitor times are always subject to change, at the 
iscretion of the Steward for the event.

2.7 Communication of the Selected Music
2.7.1 Prior to beginning their performance, competitors shall address the adjudicator 
and inform him/her of the tune(s) they will perform.
2.7.2 At that time, for events where submission of more than one tune/set is required, 
the adudicator shall select the tune/set from the competitors list.
2.7.3 Particular competitions may permit the competitor to receive their selected 
tune/set in the final tuning room only if stated so on the entry form and the 
tunes/sets are submitted with the competitors entry form.

2.8 Performing without the Aid of Music
2.8.1 All competitors shall perform their event without the aid of printed music.
2.8.2 Competitors should be prepared to supply music to the adjudicator for unusual 
or unconventional tunes or settings.

2.9 Tuning time
2.9.1 Tuning on the platform shall be limited to one (1) minute, except for 
piobaireachd which shall be five (5) minutes. For indoor competitions, three (3) 
minutes will be allowed for tuning except for piobaireachd which will be allowed 
five (5) minutes. Any piper tuning longer may be disqualified at the Steward's 
discretion.

2.10 Acceptable Highland Dress
2.10.1 Competitors may be prevented from competing and accepting trophies onstage 
due to not wearing acceptable and properly worn highland dress. Kilt (or trewes), 
shirt, hose and shoes are the minimum requirement. For beginners, dress pants, 
shirt and shoes (for boys or girls) or skirt, blouse and shoes (for girls) are 
acceptable.

2.11 Local Competition Rules
2.11.1 Local competition rules or requirements may take precedence over the above 
rules and regulations, but only upon submission to and approval by the Society.

3 MEMBERSHIP

3.1 General Requirement
3.1.1 All competitors residing in the registering area, and desiring to compete 
in registered competitions must be firstly, members of the Society, or secondly 
an officially recognized piping/pipe band association affiliated with the Society.
3.1.2 All competitors, who are not members of the Society or an officially 
recognized piping/pipe band association affiliated with the Society, shall pay to 
the Games Committee a fee of $10 per games.

4 GRADES AND GRADING

4.1 Grades
4.1.1 Piping grades shall be classified as Beginner (on practice chanter), Grade 5, 
Grade 4, Grade 3, Grade 2, Grade 1 and Professional. Pipers shall compete in one 
grade only. Piobaireachd shall be classified as: Novice, Junior, Senior and 
Professional. The Competition Committee shall offer competitions in at least the 
following grades: Grade 5, Grade 4, Grade 3, Grade 2, Grade 1 and Professional.
4.1.2 Grades shall be determined by ability and not by age, sex or affiliation, with 
the exception of confined or special events as defined by a Competition Committee.
4.1.3 The Beginner (on practice chanter) grade is limited to competitors who have 
not won a prize in the Beginner grade in the previous season, or who have not 
competed on the pipes.
4.1.4 The Adult grade is limited to competitors 18 years of age or older.
4.1.5 A Professional competitor is one who has competed in a professional competition 
at any time, or where cash prizes are offered, notwithstanding Clause 4.2.3.
4.1.6 Grade 5 is limited to competitors competing in their first year and is limited 
to one competition season.

4.2 Grading
4.2.1 Competitors shall compete in the grade appropriate for their ability, as 
determined by the Society. A list of competitors assigned to each grade shall be 
published by the Society in October of each year, to remain in effect until the 
following October.
4.2.2 Any competitor may choose to compete in a higher grade, but having done so 
forfeits his/her right to compete again in his/her previous grade, notwithstanding 
clause 4.2.3. Exceptions to this rule may be made where in a competition outside the 
Society's registering jurisdiction, a competitor may play in a higher class if 
there is no appropriate grade for him/her.
4.2.3 The Society shall have the authority to regrade a competitor at any time.
4.2.4 A competitor, who chooses to appeal his/her grading, shall make the appeal in 
writing to the Society.

5 MUSIC REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Music
5.1.1 Any piper in a particular grade shall be required to play any of the music 
listed for the grade as set out in the "2002 Music Requirements for Piping, Drumming 
and Pipe Band Competitions".

6 RULES FOR ADJUDICATORS
6.1 Authority
6.1.1 Within its registering jurisdiction, the Society shall have the responsibility 
and authority to determine people qualified to adjudicate solo piping in registered 
solo piping competitions and to maintain an Approved Adjudicators List of these 
qualified people.
6.1.2 The Society shall provide current copies of the Approved Adjudicators List 
to the Competition Committee's.

6.2 Selection of Adjudicators
6.2.1	The adjudicators for sanctioned competitions shall be drawn from:
(a)	the Approved Adjudicators List of the Society, or
(b) the Approved Adjudicators Lists of piping/pipe band associations officially 
recognized by and affiliated with the Society, or ANAPBA recognized organizations.
6.2.2 Games proposing to use an adjudicator who is not on an Approved Adjudicators 
List identified in Clause 6.2.1 shall obtain approval by the Society prior to 
engagement.
 
6.3 Numbers of Adjudicators
6.3.1 Only one adjudicator is required to adjudicate a solo piping competition.
6.3.2 Special individual competitions, when practical, should be adjudicated by two 
adjudicators, who may sit as a panel.

6.4 Guidance for Adjudication
6.4.1 Piping events shall be adjudicated under the categories of Execution, 
Expression, Quality and Variety, Tone and Tuning, and Tempo. Suggested weightings 
for the various categories may vary from grade to grade as determined by the 
Society's desire to emphasize the above aspects of piping in various grades.
6.4.2 On the adjudication sheets, adjudicators shall provide an accurate assessment 
of the competitor's performance and, where appropriate constructive criticism. 
Adjudicators shall not criticize the setting of a tune, but may make a comment 
regarding tunes, that in their opinion, are not musical. The adjudicators may comment 
on the appropriateness of the competitor playing in that grade.
6.4.3 Following commencement, any piper breaking down during his/her performance 
shall be disqualified. Other serious flaws, such as drone stopping or mistakes in 
the tune, shall be left to the discretion of the adjudicator.

6.5 Determination of the Final Result
6.5.1 Adjudicators shall be allotted a reasonable time at the end of each event to 
arrive at a decision. The number of placings awarded shall be based on the number 
of competitors who begin their performance, as shown in the following table:
Less than 3 competitors	One (1) placing
3 competitors	Two (2) placings
4 to 10 competitors	Three (3) placings
11-to 15 competitors	Four (4) placings
16 to 20 competitors	Five (5) placings
21 or more competitors	Six (6) placings

6.5.2 The adjudicator's decision shall prevail in determining the merits of each 
performance, and his/her decision shall be final.
6.5.3 No ties are permitted.

6.6 Determination of the Aggregate Winner
6.6.1 At all competitions, the aggregate award should be determined over a minimum 
of two events per grade (all grades).
6.6.2 The points to be awarded for the calculation of aggregates shall be as 
follows:
Placing	Aggregate Points
1st	8
2nd	5
3rd	3
4th	2
5th	1
6th	0.5

6.6.3 Ties in aggregate awards shall be broken in the following order:
(a) Winner of the Piobaireachd event,
(b) Winner of the March, Strathspey & Reel event,
(c) Winner of the 2/4 March event,
(d) Winner of the 6/8 March event.

7 INTERPRETATION OF RULES AND PROTESTS

7.1 Interpretation of Rules
7.1.1 In the event of any misunderstanding or ambiguity in these rules, the 
Executive reserves the right to supply it's own interpretation which shall be final 
and binding.
7.1.2 The Executive shall ensure that written records are maintained on every 
decision resulting from a protest or interpretation of the rules to create a list 
of precedents that can be available to assist in the future interpretation of the 
rules.
7.1.3 No Member of the Executive or their designate shall be allowed to rule on a 
protest in which his/her student is involved.

7.2 Protests and Grievances
7.2.1 Any protest shall be made in writing accompanied by a $20 deposit and lodged 
with the Competition Committee within one hour of the posting of the results, and 
a copy to the Society Representative by the end of the day. The deposit will be 
refunded should the grievance be upheld.
7.2.2 Where relevant, the complainant shall submit the original adjudication and 
adjudicator's result sheet, which will be verified by the adjudicators involved and 
the Chief Scorer as authentic.
7.2.3 Should the aggrieved competitor disagree with the findings of the Competition 
Committee, he/she shall have the right to appeal to the Association. Pending the 
result of the appeal, the findings of the Competition Committee shall be accepted 
by all the parties concerned.
7.2.4 The Competition Committee on the day of the competition and before the 
distribution of prizes, being satisfied that a competitor has willfully violated, or 
is willfully violating any of the rules, shall have the power to de-bar such 
competitor from the prize list, suspend the decision of the adjudicators for that 
competitor, and award the prizes to the respective competitors next in order of merit.
7.2.5 The Executive shall have the right to act similarly after the competition, if 
satisfied that a willful violation of the rules took place.
7.2.6 In the event of a prize being awarded to the wrong competitor because of an error, 
it shall be the responsibility of the Competition Committee to re-award such prizes to 
the deserving competitor as soon as possible after such discovery is made.
  
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