Glenfiddich Championship safe for now despite loss of Silver Chanter

The Silver Chanter reportedly will not be held in 2018, despite little apparent effort to find new sponsorship. The event has run every year at Dunvegan Castle since its organization in 1967 by Seumas MacNeill and John MacFadyen. The fifty-first edition of the event in 2017 could be the last, the winner being Cameron Drummond of Edinburgh.

+ Cameron Drummond wins Silver Chanter

The Silver Chanter was created to pay homage to the music of the MacCrimmon dynasty of pipers from Skye, with invited players assigned piobaireachds attributed to or strongly associated with the MacCrimmons.

The Glenfiddich is sponsored by the William Grant Foundation, the official charitable arm of William Grant & Sons Distillers, makers of the Glenfiddich and Balvenie whisky and other brands The Silver Chanter was a qualifying event for the Glenfiddich Championship, but that status was discontinued several years ago mainly because of the small exclusive group competing in the Dunvegan event.

According to sources, the remaining events have seen funding cut by as much 50 percent.

The Grant’s patriarch is Sandy Grant Gordon, who has a personal interest in Highland piping, and has committed his own funds to the events. He was a major contributor to the creation of the National Piping Centre, asking virtually nothing in return for his donation from his personal fortune. The donation was believed to be several million pounds.

+ Sandy Grant Gordon: the pipes|drums Interview

Pipers, drummers and enthusiasts who are concerned about the William Grant Foundation’s reduced support of piping events might want to send a message to the organization, encouraging it to continue Sandy Grant Gordon’s personal interest in the art. If you have purchased or have recommended a William Grant & Sons product as a result of their sponsorships, be sure to mention that, too.

The respectful piping and drumming community is unanimous in its gratitude to the William Grant Foundation for its unwavering support of events.