The Lewis and Harris Piping Society have announced a recital evening featuring Angus MacColl and his son Angus jnr.
Katie Laing reports: ‘The next recital in this winter’s programme will be held on Friday 17th November in the Caladh Hotel in Stornoway at 7.30pm. The guest artists will be Angus D MacColl from Benderloch near Oban, and his son Angus J MacColl.
‘Angus Senior has been a world class piper for over 30 years, and has won all the top awards, many of them several times over.
‘He won the ‘Young Piper of the Year’ at Blair Castle in 1984, and his senior prizes include the Gold Medal at Inverness in 1992, and the Gold Medal at Oban in 1996. He has won the Clasp five times, the Senior Piobaireachd six times, the Former Winners MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering four times and the Former Winners MSR at the Northern Meetings three times. Other significant achievements include the Hornpipe and Jig at Inverness 11 times, two Silver Chanters and the Donald MacLeod Memorial four times.
‘He has the reputation of being the ‘king’ of the 2/4 competition march, and in the course of his last recital in Stornoway he played a set of seven 2/4s one after the other, impeccably, and seemingly effortlessly.
‘Accompanying him on this occasion will be his son Angus John, who, in addition to sharing the renowned MacColl pedigree, is an accomplished piper in his own right. He has won several Junior competitions, and now competes at Gold Medal level, so it is only a matter of time until he too will have top awards under his belt.’
Balmoral Classic
The Seventeenth Annual Balmoral Classic produced by the Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming was held on November 4, 2023 with the US Junior Solo Junior Championship contests in University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, writes Leslie Clark.
Piobaireachd
1 Liam Horne, Bristol, Virginia, Too Long in This Condition
2 Magnus Stone, Natick, Massachusetts, Rory MacLeod’s Lament
3 Flora Stone, Natick, Massachusetts, MacLeod’s Controversy
4 Duncan Winters, Grand Junction, Colorado, Lament for the Little Supper
5 Abby Long, Houston, Texas, The Battle of Waternish
March, Strathspey & Reel
1 Duncan Winters, Grand Junction, Colorado, Murdo MacLeod, Shepherds Crook, The Sheepwife
2 Abby Long, Houston, Texas: Bonnie Ann, Andrew Wright, The Man from Glengarry
3 Magnus Stone, Natick, Massachusetts, Hugh Alexander Low of Tiree, Tulloch Castle, Bessie McIntyre
4 Liam Horne, Bristol, Virginia, Invergordon’s Welcome to HM Queen Elizabeth II, Cabar Feidh, Broadford Bay
5 Alex Knox, Woodbine, Maryland, Stirlingshire Militia, John Roy Stewart, Lt. Col. D.J.S Murray
Overall
1 Liam Horne, age 18
2 Magnus Stone, age 15
3 Duncan Winters, age 18
4 Abby Long, age 14
5 Flora Stone, age 16
Pipers submitted two MSRs and two Piobaireachd, one of each to be selected by the judges. Ten pipers were invited to compete, with a final field of nine pipers from six states plus Ontario province. Judges were John Cairns and Glenna Mackay-Johnstone, both from Canada, and Scott Walker from the United States.
Liam Horne was presented with the Ralph and Patricia Murray Overall prize, and a set of blackwood MacRae Bagpipes donated by McCallum Bagpipes.
There was a three way tie for the overall, with the piobaireachd placings breaking the ties. Piobaireachd winner, Liam also won the Balmoral Award and a Murray Blair Digital Chanter donated by The Pipers Hut.
March, Strathspey, Reel winner Duncan Winters took the E.W. Littlefield, Jr. Award and a set of smallpipes donated by Henderson Imports.
Prizes for 2nd to 5th place pipers included a handcrafted blackwood cocobolo practice chanter donated by MacLellan Bagpipes, Targe hardcase donated by Henderson Imports, Gift Certificate of 100 tune credits for pipetunes.ca donated by McGillivray Piping Inc., downloadable piobaireachd lessons donated by Bruce Gandy Music, Leather Hunting Sporran donated by Patrick Regan, and additional prizes donated by Bagpipe Lessons.com. First prize winners also received summer school placements donated by Balmoral School.
Special thanks to our outgoing Marketing Director, Elaine Lee, Patrick Regan, Master of Ceremonies, and Photographer, Suzie Silver.
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