Glenfiddich 2011 line-up confirmed

The 10 pipers who have accepted invitations to the 2011 Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championships have been confirmed and this year’s contest features eight returning players and two newcomers to the event.

Because of unprecedented repetition of prizewinners in the qualifying contests, Ian K. MacDonald of Whitby, Ontario, gained an invitation based on his third-prize in the Former Winners MSR at the Northern Meeting. The rest of the competitors gained first-prizes at events and several also finished second or third in other qualifying contests.

Competitors and their qualifying successes are:  

• Chris Armstrong, Airth, Scotland – Winner of the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering

• Callum Beaumont, Bo’ness, Scotland – Winner of the Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering

• Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia – First prize, Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting

• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland – 2011 Masters Invitational Winner

• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland – Second prize in the Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting

• Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland – 2010 Glenfiddich winner; Winner of the Clasp at the Northern Meeting; Second prize in the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering; Second prize at the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering

• Ian K. MacDonald – Third prize, Silver Star MSR at the Northern Meeting

• Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow – Third prize in the Clasp at the Northern Meeting; winner of the Bratach Gorm

• Iain Speirs, Edinburgh – Winner of the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering; third prize in the Silver Star MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering; overall champion at the Scottish Pipers Society of London competitions

• Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland – Winner of the Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting

Judges for the contests will be Colin MacLellan, John McDougall and Iain Morrison in the Piobaireachd, and Gavin Stoddart, John Wilson and Bob Worrall in the MSR.

Organizer Liz Maxwell of sponsors Glenfiddich said, “The qualifying list is in tablets of stone and this year the duplication of names meant that we had to go to third placings in the qualifying events list. Ian MacDonald’s third place in the Former Winners MSR at Inverness is a deserving qualification.”

It will be the first time competing at the Glenfiddich for MacDonald and Beaumont.

The competition will be on October 29th at the Great Hall of Blair Castle in Blair Atholl, Scotland. Stay tuned to pipes|drums for more news on the 2011 Glenfiddich.