Diverging Paths
On Saturday, I went to the Livingstone. For the non-pipers, that's a pretty major invitational solo piping contest held each spring in Hamilton. Likely one of the more prestigious contests in Ontario, and quite possibly Canada.
Anyway, I note one of the competitors. One of the same guys that I competed against when we were both coming up in the grades. We played against each other almost every weekend every summer from 1994 until 1999, at which point I went to university, and he moved to Open (the "Professional" grade). I even have proof in the form of the program of the amateur invitational contest we both played at in the fall of '98. The craziest part? For all intents and purposes up until the point we parted ways, if you compared all our prizes, it was likely just about a wash.
Now? He's placing at prestigious Canadian invitational contests, winning Open prizes in Scotland, and is a two-time Grade 1 World Champion with Shotts.
Me? I'm just some guy in a band in Ontario who used to win prizes in Grade 1 when he was a teenager.
I'm not suggesting by any means that I'd trade places with him. I'm quite pleased with my education to date, and proud that I'm a mere 13 months (all things going as expected) from becoming a P.Eng and getting to sign passports, and all.
But it does just make one wonder, doesn't it? What could have been.... ?
Anyway, I note one of the competitors. One of the same guys that I competed against when we were both coming up in the grades. We played against each other almost every weekend every summer from 1994 until 1999, at which point I went to university, and he moved to Open (the "Professional" grade). I even have proof in the form of the program of the amateur invitational contest we both played at in the fall of '98. The craziest part? For all intents and purposes up until the point we parted ways, if you compared all our prizes, it was likely just about a wash.
Now? He's placing at prestigious Canadian invitational contests, winning Open prizes in Scotland, and is a two-time Grade 1 World Champion with Shotts.
Me? I'm just some guy in a band in Ontario who used to win prizes in Grade 1 when he was a teenager.
I'm not suggesting by any means that I'd trade places with him. I'm quite pleased with my education to date, and proud that I'm a mere 13 months (all things going as expected) from becoming a P.Eng and getting to sign passports, and all.
But it does just make one wonder, doesn't it? What could have been.... ?
posted by Iain @ 2:42 AM
1 Comments:
At 10:15 AM,
Iain said…
No. Not even close. "Professional" in this case refers more to the level you compete at, but you do get a nominal cash prize, unlike the "amateur" grades.
You usually have to have a "real" job, too.
It might be worth noting that teaching, what with its summers off, is a predominant profession among top pipers.
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