The annual recital competition for the Silver Chanter will be held at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Gaelic College, Sleat, Skye, on August 7th at 7.30pm.
The Piobaireachd Society is promoting and sponsoring the gala event in association with Torabhaig Single Malt Whisky and Sabhal Mòr.
The historic picture below features pipers from one of the first Silver Chanters held in the drawing room of Dunvegan Castle in the late 1960s.
Left to right we see Willie MacDonald (Benbecula), Duncan MacFadyen, Iain MacFadyen, Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, Clan Chieftain, Hector MacFadyen (Pennyghael) the first winner of the ‘Chanter’ in 1968, adjudicator DR MacLennan and John MacDougall.
The original aim of ‘the Chanter’ was to attract the best players to Skye Gathering to compete. For this reason the Society has decided that invites should be prioritised for the previous year’s winners in the Dunvegan Medal and Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp at Portree.
The other places are reserved for the previous year’s Gold Medallists and senior piobaireachd champions at Oban and Inverness. Those playing this year are Innes Smith (Inverness Gold Medallist), Alasdair Henderson (Oban Gold Medallist), Sarah Muir (3rd place Col. Jock Clasp), Angus MacColl (Senior Piob., Oban), Fred Morrison (Dunvegan Medal) and Derek Midgley (Col. Jock Clasp).
Each piper submits four piobaireachd from the Col. Jock list of MacCrimmon tunes. Those submitted are: Lament for the Earl of Antrim, Lament for the Children, MacLeod of Colbeck’s Lament, Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute, I Gave a Kiss to the King’s Hand, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay, the Earl of Ross’s March, the Battle of Waternish, Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon, Lament for Mary MacLeod.
The pipers will be given their selected piece on the night. The Society plan to record the evening so that its members who cannot manage to Skye get a chance to hear these classic tunes.
Entry £10/ £5 at the door. The adjudicator is Robert Wallace, President of the Piobaireachd Society. Fear an Tighe is Dr J Decker Forrest of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Stewards are Iain T Cameron and Darach Urquhart, members of the Society’s General Committee. Skye Gathering is in Portree on August 6/7th immediately before the Silver Chanter.
