The Glenfiddich Champion for 2020 is Stuart Liddell, Inveraray. He is pictured above with the trophy in this study by D Maxwell. Stuart was placed second in ceol mor and in MSR to take the overall title. Runner-up overall was Jack Lee.
The annual competition, this was the 47th, was held as usual in the Great Hall at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Perthshire, but without an audience. The livestream was considered a success and was watched by piping enthusiasts around the world.
Piobaireachd placings:
1 Jack Lee, Lament for Colin Roy MacKenzie
2 Stuart Liddell, In Praise of Morag
3 Finlay Johnston, Rory MacLoude’s Lament
4 Roderick MacLeod, Battle of Auldearn No.2
5 Angus MacColl, Unjust Incarceration
MSR placings:
1 William McCallum, Angus Campbell’s Farewell to Stirling, Shepherd’s Crook, Bessie MacIntyre
2 Stuart Liddell, Duke of Roxburgh’s Farewell to] Blackmount Forest, Cat Lodge, Drumlithie
3 Roderick MacLeod, Marchioness of Tullibardine, Piper’s Bonnet, Grey Bob
4 Bruce Gandy, Leaving Lunga, Ewe wi’ the Crookit Horn, Stornoway Castle
5 Iain Speirs, Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society, Tulloch Gorm, John MacKechnie
Invited pipers were: Finlay Johnston, Callum Beaumont, Jack Lee,
Roderick MacLeod, Angus MacColl, Stuart Liddell, Iain Speirs, William McCallum, Connor Sinclair and Bruce Gandy. Bruce and Jack had to isolate for two weeks after arriving from Canada.
The invitees list was compiled commencing with the defending Glenfiddich Champion and the winner of the Bratach Gorm and Overall Champion from the 2019 Scottish Piping Society of London Annual Competition – the only qualifying event to take place.
To bring the total to 10, invitations were extended to still competing past Glenfiddich Champions and, because of duplications, to second overall placings.
The judges were: Piobaireachd – I MacFadyen, W Morrison, J Taylor; March, Strathspey and Reel – W Cowan, C MacLellan, I McLellan.
Points are awarded in each discipline and the piper with most declared champion. Pipers had to submit six piobaireachd and six marches strathspeys and reels of their own choice. The competition is sponsored by the William Grant Foundation.
There was no Balvenie Medal for Services to Piping presented this year.
It was fantastic to be able to see and hear the excellent performances via the internet. I’ve never been to the Glenfiddich, but this was the next best thing. Two performances stick out for me, Jack Lee’s “Colin Roy” and Angus MacColl’s MMSSRR. Of course, every tune played was a joy to hear, and the bagpipes were all magnificent. Thanks so much to the organizers for putting this on so that we punters in the hinterlands can be part of the day. It was very inspiring. Even though I’d been up since the wee hours, as soon as the prizes were announced I got my pipes out for a tune.
Could you perhaps write a short crit on each performance (along the lines previously done in Piping Times). Always interesting and informative to read the assessment of each performance by someone such as yourself. Also, do you perhaps have the minor placings? I stopped viewing after the last performance: Dont know if these were perhaps announced in the live feed.
Thanks, Andrew
I think there are only five prizes in each discipline Andrew. A number of readers have asked for the review you mention but the truth is to hear the minutiae you have to be there in person, and at Blair Castle sitting near the front. RW
Thanks for the feedback
Why did you not borrow McStig facemask? The thing to go for in these corona days.
Hjertelig tillykke godt flot opsætning
I thoroughly enjoyed the day’s piping and well done not only to the competitors but to the organisers as well. I lost the sound on the feed for a while but other than that it all worked really well and with surprisingly good sound quality.