Eight on board for Livingstone Sr. Invitational Solo Piping

Now in its 33rd year, the William Livingstone Sr. Memorial Invitational Solo Piping Competition will see eight competitors participate in the 2010 version of the event on Saturday, May 8th, at James Street Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario. All eight of the competitors are from Canada, and four of them have won the overall title at the contest at least once.

The Officers’ Mess of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, a room that has over the years hosted myriad piping and drumming events, will again be the venue, complete with its dark wood paneling, historical medals (including a Victoria Cross) and even a painting liberated from Adolf Hitler’s bunker on display.

The event again comprises two events, the submit-four-play-one Piobaireachd starting at 1 pm, and an own-choice March, Strathspey, Reel, Hornpipe and Jig at 8 pm.

Order of play for this year’s Livingstone:  

• Michael Grey, Dundas, Ontario

• Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

• Andrew Rogers, Fredericton, New Brunswick  

• Sean McKeown, Toronto

• Roderick MacLean, Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Jamie Troy, Victoria, British Columbia

• Gordon Conn, Calgary

• Andrew Hayes, Ottawa

Troy was the overall winner of the 2009 competition, and Gandy, Hayes and Rogers have also won the award.

Judges for the competition are  Reay Mackay, Colin MacLellan and Ed Neigh. The event is put on by the Niagara-Hamilton Branch of the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario.