PIPING and drumming will again be a central focus of the 15th running of the Gig'n the Bann cross community music and dance festival, which continues today and tomorrow in Portglenone.
It has become one of the major events on the summer festival calendar in Co Antrim, having built a reputation for offering a most impressive line-up of top performers spanning traditional, Scottish and folk music circles.
The ethos of the festival is to bring together musical traditions across all cultural divides and the direction pursued in recent years has been to incorporate the Ulster-Scots tradition alongside traditional Irish music.
This year's programme has included another eclectic mix of concerts, traditional music sessions and the Bard'n the Bann competition - and the opportunity to hear world-class pipe bands this afternoon at Bank Square from 1pm to 5pm (admission is free). And from 5pm the Celtic Thistle solo piping competition takes place at the Men's Shed at the rear of MC's takeaway, which is the chance to hear many of the solo starlets who have an All-Ireland title on their minds a week later.
Around 200 are in the entry for the All-Ireland, which take place at Monks-town Community School and see Ashley McMichael (Field Marshal Montgomery) and Chris McNicholl (Greater Glasgow Police) return to defend their respective piping and drumming senior titles.
The draw was made earlier this week - as it was for the new Northern Ireland branch solo tenor drumming championships.
Over the past decade or so tenor drumming has become a more significant part of the pipe band mix and it's about time this division of percussionists have been recognised with their own specific competition.
Due to the demand for classroom space in Monkstown School, the competition will take place in the nearby community centre at Cashel Drive, running from noon to 4pm. The full draw is: * Juvenile section one - Abbey Watson (Portavogie), Sophie Thompson (Cleland Memorial), David Millar (Cullybackey), Sarah Jane McBurney (Ballyboley), Jodie Halliday (Cleland Memorial), Jamie Blair (Portavogie), Leah Magee (Raphoe). * Juvenile section two - Mitchell Goudie (Raphoe), Remy Jess (Cleland Memorial), Leah Magee (Raphoe).
* Junior section one - Hannah Hunter (Manorcunningham), Rachael McCullough (Aughintober), Sophie McFaul (Manorcunningham). * Junior section two - Morgan Millar (Marlacoo), Calum Smyth (Ballybriest), Emma Frazer (Bleary & District), Hannah Hunter (Manorcunningham), Anna Moore (Marlacoo), Samantha Duffy (St Laurence O'Toole), Rachael McCullough (Aughintober). * Intermediate section - Rachael McCullough (Aughintober), Samantha Duffy (St Laurence O'Toole), Shannon McAteer (Colmcille), Danielle Hamilton (Tullylagan), Jordan Bailie (Inveraray & District), Laura Paynter (Killeen), Craig Rogers (Ravara), Emma Frazer (Bleary & District). * Adult section - Seana McAteer (Colmcille), Craig Rogers (Ravara), Danielle McCartney (Colmcille).
* SOLO STAR: Emma Frazer, a tenor drummer in Bleary, will be among the competitors in next week's All-Ireland solos in Monkstown