The pipers who have qualified for this year’s Silver Chanter competition are as follows: Derek Midgley (Skye Clasp runner-up), Steven Leask (Oban Gold Medal), Brodie Watson-Massey (Inverness Gold Medal), Stuart Liddell (Argyllshire Gathering Senior Piobaireachd, Inverness Clasp), Alistair Brown (Dunvegan Medal), Sandy Cameron, (Skye Clasp).
The competition will be held at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Gaelic College, Sleat, Skye, on August 5. The adjudicator is Dr Jack Taylor.
Each piper has to submit four MacCrimmon tunes from the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp list used at the Skye Gathering. The tune chosen by the judge is given in the final tuning room.
All pipers receive the same fee, and the winner a replica of the coveted Silver Chanter trophy. The competition is a showpiece, black tie event (for participants), and is an ideal opportunity to hear the best MacCrimmon tunes played by top level pipers.
There will be a small reception at the event where the audience can mingle with the pipers and discuss the tunes. Entry is at the door and is free to under 16s.
The Silver Chanter is sponsored by Torabhaig Malt Whisky and the Piobaireachd Society. Pictured is last year’s winner, Sandy Cameron.
The competition is one of the showpiece events in the solo piping calendar and was begun in 1968 by Dame Flora MacLeod, Chief of Clan MacLeod, Seumas MacNeill and John MacFadyen, its aim being to encourage the top players to compete on Skye, the home of the legendary MacCrimmons.
CLASP
Margaret Houlihan reports: The competition took place via the internet on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May. The format of this competition allows adult amateur pipers from anywhere in the world to compete ‘live’ at a time that suits their time zone.
Special thanks to the judges and stewards, John Nevans, Emma Hill, Derek Doyle, Stephen McCusker, Anna Binder, Gill Cairns, Gordon Cairns and Maureen Moore, John Dew, Darach Urquhart, Sarah Muir, Connor Sinclair and Steven Leask.
The Grade 1 pipers were playing for a trip to Florida to compete at the Sunbelt amateur competition. The flights and accommodation for this prize are kindly sponsored by Eric Stein. All first prize winners will also receive a live stream pass to the Glenfiddich championships in October 2026.
Grade 1 Overall: Brady Webb (piob. pref.); Grade 2 Overall: Alister Robinson; Grade 3 Overall: Michael Braunsky; Grade 4 Overall: Jurgen Schrall
G4 March: 1 J Schrall 2 CK Yenng 3 SY Wong 4 S Gallant 5 R Johnson 6 S McGuire; S&R: l J Schrall 2 SY Wong 3 R Johnson 4 J Bonner 5 S McGuire 6 H Wood; Jig:1 CK Yenng 2 J Schrall 3 R Johnson 4 S Kelly 5 S mcGuire 6 SY Wong; Piob 1 S McGuire 2 D Gavin 3 CK Yeung 4 G cairns 5 J Schrall 6 M Harper
G3 March: 1 B Heywood 2 M Braunsky 3 G Von Severs 4 M Scinto 5 P Sweeny 6 M Bregent; S&R: 1 M Braunsky 2 C Davison 3 M Bregent 4 B Heywood 5 M O’Donnell 6 M Scinto; Jig: 1 M Scinto 2 C Davison 3 M Braunsky 4 M Bregent 5 M O’Donnell 6 A Atkins; Piob: 1 M Braunsky 2 M Bregent 3 A Bass 4 B Hunter 5 A Wardrop 6 T Schroeder
G2 March: 1 G Hurley 2 C Couperwaite 3 A Robinson 4 A Binder 5 R Rogers 6 A Kelly; S&R: 1 A Robinson 2 B Curtin 3 S Thiessen 4 G Hurley 5 B Beck 6 C Couperwaite; Jig: 1 B Curtin 2 S Thiessen 3 B Beck 4 L McEwan 5 R Pienardo 6 A Robinson; Piob: 1 A Kelly 2 D Small 3 C Couperwaite 4 S Burgess 5 A Robinson 6 R Peinardo
G1 March: 1 B Webb 2 H Herzog 3 J Ong 4 B Evans 5 L Gorsuch 6 D Small: S&R: 1 H Herzog 2 B Webb 3 C Wilson 4 B Evans 5 D Samll 6 C McNamara; Jig: 1 CD Mitchell 2 H Herzog 3 B Evans 4 DC McIntosh 5 L Gorsuch 6 C McNamara; Piob: 1 L Gorsuch 2 B Webb 3 A Aitchison 4 CD Mitchell 5 J Nevans 6 C McNamara
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