This week the focus of world piping switches to Scotland’s northernmost city, Inverness and our own Theatre of Dreams, Eden Court. Anyone who has ever been to the Northern Meeting piping competitions knows of the tension, the excitement and special atmosphere that surrounds the place and its precincts over the two days of the Meeting.
The best pipers in the world are there to do battle for honours they know will change their piping lives and will live with them for the rest of their days; that is not putting it too strongly. Check out the list of previous winners of the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting using our search facility. Every good piper wants to be on it. Whose name will be added this year?
Any reader who enjoys pipe music but has never been to Inverness should make every effort to attend. You will sit in comfort listening to Highland music played by masters. You will be able to form your own opinions about the judging and the results. And more than anything you will enjoy the fraternal atmosphere that envelopes this particular corner of Scotland during the meeting.
So if you are thinking of attending then please do – you won’t be disappointed. If piobaireachd is your bag then in the Clasp competition you will hear some of the best pieces ever written for our instrument – all classics from the MacCrimmon canon. Light music fans should make a point of attending the Former Winners’ MSR on the Thursday evening. There is nothing quite like hearing the master players negotiate their way through six pieces of competition ceol beag knowing that one slip will be fatal, but knowing too that safe, pedestrian playing is unlikely to earn a prize.
Please do all you can to support this great event. Tickets are available on the day for only £25 for the two days and under 18s go free. Here are the lists of pipers who will be performing (in order of play) and those who will be judging them.:
Senior Competitions – Piobaireachd
Highland Society of London Gold Medal
Thursday 3 September, 8.30am, Empire Theatre
1 Jamie Forrester, London
2 William Geddes, Glasgow
3 Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
4 Allan Russell, Kelty
5 Alasdair Henderson, Glasgow
6 Fiona Manson, Australia
7 James Murray, Australia
8 Faye Henderson, Edinburgh
9 Angus J McColl, Oban
10 James MacHattie, Canada
11 Jori Chisholm, USA
12 John Mulhearn, Glasgow
13 Decker Forrest, Isle of Skye
14 Andrea Boyd, Canada
15 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
16 Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
17 Peter McCalister, Dunblane
18 Jonathan Greenlees, Glasgow
19 Alastair Lee, Canada
20 John-Angus Smith, London
21 Gordon McCready, Renfrew
22 Innes Smith, Glasgow
23 Ian K MacDonald, Canada
24 James Troy, Canada
25 Derek Midgley, USA
Judges: W Livingstone, J MacDougall, W Wotherspoon
Silver Medal
Thursday 3 September, 9.00am, MacLean Room
1 Ben McClamrock, USA
2 Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
3 Greig Canning, Edinburgh
4 Ed Bush, Canada
5 Andrew Lee, Canada
6 Ashley McMichael, Northern Ireland
7 Eric Ouellette, USA
8 Alex Gandy, Canada
9 Michael Fitzhenry, Paisley
10 Matt Pantaleoni, USA
11 Ursa Beckford, USA
12 George Stewart, Perth
13 Sarah Muir, Glasgow
14 Craig Sutherland, Crieff
15 Michael Elder, Auchtermuchty
16 Mael Sicard-Cras, Glasgow
17 Nicholas Hudson, USA
18 Matt Fraser, New Zealand
19 Colin Campbell, Inverness
20 Ed McIlwaine, Canada
21 Connor Sinclair, Crieff
22 Sandy Campbell, Roy Bridge
23 Gordon Barclay, Inverness
24 Steven Gray, Lockerbie
25 Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
26 Cameron MacDougall, Nigg
27 Sean McKeown, Canada
28 Steven Leask, Irvine
Judges: JD MacKenzie, M McRae, J Wilson
Senior Competitions – Light Music
March, Strathspey & Reel ‘A’
Thursday 3 September, 9.00am, One Touch Theatre
1 Sean McKeown, Canada
2 Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness
3 John Mulhearn, Glasgow
4 Glenn Brown, Glasgow
5 Jori Chisholm, USA
6 Jonathan Greenlees, Glasgow
7 Andrea Boyd, Canada
8 Craig Muirhead, Stirling
9 Alasdair Henderson, Glasgow
10 Michael Fitzhenry, Paisley
11 Ashley McMichael, Northern Ireland
12 Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning
13 Derek Midgley, USA
14 Callum Beaumont, Linlithgow
15 Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
16 Neil Walker, Australia
17 Alastair Lee, Canada
18 Steven Gray, Lockerbie
19 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
20 Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
21 Jamie Forrester, London
22 William Geddes, Glasgow
23 Ben McClamrock, USA
24 John Angus Smith, London
25 Gordon McCready, Renfrew
26 James Troy, Canada
27 Innes Smith, Glasgow
28 Eric Ouellette, USA
29 Craig Sutherland, Crieff
30 Graham Drummond, Bathgate
31 Colin Campbell, Inverness
Judges: W Cowan, P/M IM Morrison, R Worrall
Former Winners’ March, Strathspey & Reel
Thursday 4 September, 6.00pm, Empire Theatre
1 Ian K MacDonald, Canada
2 Donald MacPhee, Alexandria
3 Douglas Murray, Cupar
4 Peter Hunt, Stevenston
5 Bruce Gandy, Canada
6 Greg Wilson, New Zealand
7 Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
8 Niall Matheson, Invergordon
9 Chris Armstrong, Airth
10 Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
11 Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh
12 Gordon Walker, Galston
13 Alastair Dunn, Glasgow
14 William McCallum, Glasgow
15 Andrew Hayes, Canada
16 James Murray, Australia
17 Stuart Liddell, Inveraray
18 Roderick MacLeod, Glasgow
19 Allan Russell, Kelty
20 Angus D. McColl, Oban
21 Jack Lee, Canada
22 John Patrick, Denny
23 Alex Gandy, Canada
24 Fred Morrison, Bishopton
Judges: I Duncan, I MacFadyen, W Morrison[wds id=”8″]
Clasp
Friday 4 September, 9.00am, Empire Theatre
1 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
2 Douglas Murray, Cupar
3 Roderick MacLeod, Glasgow
4 Gordon Walker, Galston
5 Stuart Liddell, Inveraray
6 Niall Matheson, Invergordon
7 William McCallum, Glasgow
8 Bruce Gandy, Canada
9 Andrew Hayes, Canada
10 Angus D. MacColl, Oban
11 Faye Henderson, Edinburgh
12 Glenn Brown, Glasgow
13 Jack Lee, Canada
14 Donald MacPhee, Alexandria
15 Chris Armstrong, Airth
16 Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh
17 Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
18 Fred Morrison, Bishopton
19 Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness
20 Callum Beaumont, Linlithgow
21 Greg Wilson, New Zealand
Judges: P/M IM Morrison. Dr J Taylor, R Wallace[wds id=”14″]
March, Strathspey & Reel ‘B’
Friday 4 September, 10.00am, La Scala Cinema
1 Connor Sinclair, Crieff
2 Keith Bowes, Inchinnan
3 Cameron MacDougall, Nigg
4 Andrew Hall, London
5 Steven Leask, Irvine
6 Decker Forrest, Isle of Skye
7 Andrew Lee, Canada
8 Callum Moffat, Lockerbie
9 Kristopher Coyle, Northern Ireland
10 Liam Kernaghan, New Zealand
11 Glenn Ross, Northern Ireland
12 Ross Miller, Linlithgow
13 Matt Pantaleoni, USA
14 Greig Wilson, Cardenden
15 Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
16 Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge
17 Ursa Beckford, USA
18 Alan Clark, Bridge of Don
19 Fiona Manson, Australia
20 Angus J MacColl, Oban
21 Donald MacLeod, Glasgow
22 David Wilton, Glasgow
23 James MacHattie, Canada
24 George Stewart, Perth
25 Andrew Wilson, Ireland
26 Dan Lyden, USA
27 Sarah Muir, Glasgow
28 David Shedden, Glasgow
29 Nicholas Hudson, USA
30 Euan Dewar, Oban
31 Greig Canning, Edinburgh
32 Callum Watson, Edinburgh
33 Faye Henderson, Edinburgh
34 Michael Elder, Auchtermuchty
Judges: W Livingstone, M McRae, W Morrison
Hornpipe & Jig
Friday 4 September, 10.00am, One Touch Theatre
1 Gordon Walker, Galston
2 Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
3 James Murray, Australia
4 Angus D. MacColl, Oban
5 Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
6 Jori Chisholm, USA
7 Donald MacPhee, Alexandria
8 Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
9 Chris Armstrong, Airth
10 Derek Midgley, USA
11 Craig Muirhead, Stirling
12 Alastair Lee, Canada
13 Jonathan Greenlees, Glasgow
14 Roderick MacLeod, Glasgow
15 Callum Beaumont, Bo’ness
16 Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning
17 William Geddes, Glasgow
18 Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh
19 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
20 Ian K. MacDonald, Canada
21 Ben McClamrock, USA
22 Neil Walker, Australia
23 Alasdair Henderson, Glasgow
24 Fred Morrison, Bishopton
25 Sean McKeown, Canada
26 Jamie Forrester, London
27 Innes Smith, Bridge of Allan
28 Colin Campbell, Inverness
29 John Patrick, Denny
30 James Troy, Canada
31 John Angus Smith, London
32 Stuart Liddell, Inveraray
33 Andrea Boyd, Canada
34 Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
35 Michael Fitzhenry, Paisley
36 Greg Wilson, New Zealand
37 Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness
38 Graham Drummond, Bathgate
39 Steven Gray, Lockerbie
40 Ashley McMichael, Northern Ireland
41 Andrew Hayes, Canada
42 Alex Gandy, Canada
43 Douglas Murray, Cupar
44 Eric Ouellette, USA
Judges: W Cowan, I MacFadyen, J Wilson[wds id=”9″]
Hornpipe & Jig ‘B’
Friday 4 September, 11.00am Playhouse Cinema
1 Callum Moffat, Lockerbie
2 Fiona Manson, Australia
3 Alan Clark, Bridge of Don
4 Greig Canning, Edinburgh
5 Liam Kernaghan, New Zealand
6 David Wilton, Glasgow
7 David Shedden, Glasgow
8 Euan Dewar, Oban
9 Ross Miller, Linlithgow
10 Matt Pantaleoni, USA
11 Nicholas Hudson, USA
12 Andrew Lee, Canada
13 Decker Forrest, Isle of Skye
14 James MacHattie, Canada
15 Steven Leask, Irvine
16 Angus J. MacColl, Oban
17 Donald MacLeod, Glasgow
18 Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
19 Dan Lyden, USA
20 Cameron MacDougall, Nigg
21 Sarah Muir, Glasgow
22 Calum Watson, Edinburgh
23 Andrew Hall, London
24 Keith Bowes, Inchinnan
25 Glenn Ross, Northern Ireland
26 Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge
27 Greig Wilson, Cardenden
28 Ursa Beckford, USA
29 Michael Elder, Auchtermuchty
30 George Stewart, Perth
31 Andrew Wilson, Ireland
32 Kristopher Coyle, Northern Ireland
Judges: JD MacKenzie, W Wotherspoon
Junior Competitions
Under 18 Piobaireachd
Friday 4 September, 9.00 am, MacLean Room
1 Eoghainn Peutan, Kilmuir
2 Archie Drennan, Drumnadrochit
3 Frieda McKiggan, Portree
4 Harry McLachlan, Aberfeldy
5 John Campbell, Glasgow
6 Anndra MacIsaac, South Uist
7 Ally Weir, Fort William
8 Brighde Chaimbeul, An Caol
9 Seamus O’Baoighill, Isle of Skye
10 Harris Maclennan, Lasswade
11 Rona Nicolson, Ardgour
12 Holly Fredlander, Edinburgh
13 Cameron Sharp, Plockton
14 Connor Kellet, Kyle of Lochalsh
15 Connor Jardine, Airdrie
16 Calum Craib, South Uist
17 Calum Brown, Peterculter
Judges: I Duncan, R Livingstone
Under 15 Piobaireachd
Friday 4 September, 9.00 am, SGL Board Room
1 Angus MacPhee, Inverness
2 Robbie MacIsaac, Falkirk
3 Nicola Rattray, Inverness
4 Jordan Ednie, Monifieth
5 Finlay Cameron, Roy Bridge
6 Martin Macrae, Conchra
7 Dougal McKiggan, Portree
8 Eosaph Caimbeul, An Caol
9 John McLaren, Invergordon
10 Gavin MacKay, Canada
11 Katrina Martin, Portree
12 Archie MacLean, Isle of Skye
13 Andrew Ferguson, Dollar
14 Hamish Drennan, Drumnadrochit
Judges: J Jackson, R Worrall
Under 18 March, Strathspey and Reel
Friday 4 September, 2.00 pm, MacLean Room
1 John Campbell, Glasgow
2 Rona Nicolson, Ardgour
3 Anndra MacIsaac, South Uist
4 Cameron Sharp, Plockton
5 Seamus O’Baoighill, Isle of Skye
6 Archie Drennan, Drumnadrochit
7 Connor Kellett, Kyle of Lochalsh
8 Eoghainn Peutan, Kilmuir
9 Holly Fredlander, Edinburgh
10 Brighde Chaimbeul, An Caol
11 Calum Craib , South Uist
12 Ally Weir, Fort William
13 Frieda McKiggan, Portree
14 Harry McLachlan, Aberfeldy
15 Chloe Steele, South Uist
16 Harris Maclennan, Lasswade
17 Calum Brown, Peterculter
18 Connor Jardine, Airdrie
Judges: J Jackson, R Worrall
Under 15 March, Strathspey & Reel
Friday 4 September, 2.00 pm, SGL Board Room
1 Archie MacLean, Isle of Skye
2 John McLaren, Invergordon
3 Nicola Rattray, Inverness
4 Andrew Ferguson, Dollar
5 Katrina Martin, Portree
6 Thomas Maclean, Glenurquhart
7 Dougal McKiggan, Portree
8 Kyle Cameron, Rosemarkie
9 Gavin Mackay, Canada
10 Angus MacPhee, Inverness
11 Finlay Cameron, Roy Bridge
12 Ciaran Kellett, Kyle of Lochalsh
13 Martin Macrae, Conchra
14 Jordan Ednie, Monifieth
15 Hamish Drennan, Drumnadrochit
16 Robbie MacIsaac, Falkirk
17 Eosaph Caimbeul, An Caol
Judges: I Duncan, R Livingstone[wds id=”16″]
good luck to all