Stuart Liddell wins 2023 Ghillies Memorial Recital-Challenge

This year the competition was won by Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, who performed against Callum Beaumont, Linlithgow, Scotland; Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland; Matt MacIsaac, Aurora, Ontario; and Sarah Muir, Glasgow.

It was the umpteenth time Liddell has won the award, which is considered on of solo piping’s most technically and creatively challenging.

The competition-recital was originally held since its inception for 16 years at the Lord Todd Bar at the University of Strathclyde as the brainchild of Willie McCallum, taking advantage of a large and often bored influx of international pipers and drummers staying at the university looking for something more to do than go to the pub every night. The event moved to become part of Piping Live! in 2016 and adopted its current name in homage to the great Alasdair Gillies, who competed in the contest many times.

A ticket to the Gillies Recital-Challenge is always one of the most sought-after during the Piping Live! festival and this year’s event was another standing-room-only sell-out.

The competition was sponsored once again by McCallum Bagpipes.