The Glenfiddich Piping and Fiddle Championships are musical competitions for the

bagpipes Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, No ...

and

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

. Both competitions take place annually in late autumn, at the ballroom of

Blair Castle Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: Caisteil Bhlàir) stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl, ...

at Blair Atholl in

Perthshire Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. Entry to each championship is by invitation only, to those who have won various recognised major UK solo competitions held throughout the year.

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship was established in 1974 to inspire and stimulate individual pipers, and to seek the best overall exponents of the Ceòl Mór or

piobaireachd Pibroch, or is an art music genre associated primarily with the Scottish Highlands that is characterised by extended compositions with a melodic theme and elaborate formal variations. Strictly meaning "piping" in Scottish Gaelic, has for some f ...

(the great music) and

Ceòl Beag Ceòl beag is the Gaelic-language term for "light music", which in bagpiping includes such forms as marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs, polkas, slow airs, and hornpipe The hornpipe is any of several dance forms played and danced in Britain an ...

(the little music). The championship was founded and continues to be run by

William Grant & Sons William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the ...

., distillers of Glenfiddich and other whiskies. Ten of the leading pipers in the world, all of whom will have won important awards since the previous October, are invited. Each of them submits a list of six piobaireachd, and is required to play one of them. They also submit lists of six marches,

strathspeys A strathspey () is a type of dance tune in time, featuring dotted rhythms (both long-short and short-long "Scotch snaps"), which in traditional playing are generally somewhat exaggerated rhythmically. Examples of strathspeys are the songs "The ...

and reels, and play one of each, twice through. There are prizes in each discipline, and an overall championship prize.

2012 Championship

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship 2012 was won by Iain Speirs of

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. Other 2012 finalists included returning champion Roddy MacLeod M.B.E. of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Callum Beaumont of Bo'ness, Murray Henderson from Kirriemuir, Finlay Johnston from

, William McCallum from

Bearsden Bearsden () is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow. Approximately from Glasgow city centre, Glasgow City Centre, the town is effectively a suburb, and its housing development coincided with t ...

, Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Euan MacCrimmon of

Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated ...

, Gordon Walker of

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

and Canadian-based piper Jack Lee from Surrey, a suburb of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

Previous championships

Previous Glenfiddich Piping Championship Winners from the last 49 years: *2022

Willie McCallum Willie McCallum is Scottish Highland bagpipe player. Life He was born in Campbeltown, Kintyre. He was mainly taught by his uncles Ronald and Hugh A. McCallum, but also by Ronald McCallum, , Piper to The Duke of Argyll. The family is directly rel ...

, Bearsden - 9th Win, Willie McCallum sets record 11th MSR win *2021 Jack Lee, Canada - 3rd Win, Willie McCallum 10th MSR win *2020

Stuart Liddell Stuart Liddell MBE (born 12 January 1973) is a Scottish bagpipe player. As well as competing in solo competitions, he is the Pipe major of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band. Early life He was born in Oban on 12 January 1973 and spent his ear ...

, Inveraray- 3rd Win, Willie McCallum 9th MSR win *2019 Finlay Johnston - 2nd Win *2018 Finlay Johnston *2017 Jack Lee, Canada - 2nd Win *2016 Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow - 5th Win, record-breaking 10th Piobaireachd win, Willie McCallum 8th MSR win *2015

Angus MacColl Angus MacColl is a Scottish bagpipe player. Life He was born in Benderloch, near Oban, and initially learnt the pipes from his father. MacColl is descended from a number of famous pipers, including John MacColl. His son Angus J. MacColl is al ...

, Benderloch - 4th Win *2014

, Inveraray- 2nd Win *2013 Iain Speirs, Edinburgh - 2nd Win *2012 Iain Speirs, Edinburgh *2011 Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow - 4th Win *2010

, Benderloch - 3rd Win *2009

, Inveraray *2008 Gordon Walker, Galston - 2nd Win *2007 Gordon Walker, Galston *2006

, Benderloch - 2nd Win *2005

, Bearsden - 8th Win (Willie McCallum wins both individual events) *2004

, Bearsden - 7th Win (Willie McCallum wins both individual events) *2003 Jack Lee, Canada - 1st piper from North America to win *2002 Roderick J. MacLeod, Cumbernauld - 3rd Win *2001

, Bearsden - 6th Win *2000

, Bearsden - 5th Win *1999

, Bearsden - 4th Win *1998 PM Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh - 3rd Win *1997 Roderick J. MacLeod, Cumbernauld - 2nd Win *1996 PM Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh - 2nd Win *1995

, Oban *1994

, Glasgow - 3rd Win *1993

, Glasgow - 2nd Win *1992 Roderick J. MacLeod, Cumbernauld *1991 PS Alasdair Gillies, Queen's Own Highlanders *1990

, Glasgow *1989 Murray Henderson - 4th Win (Murray Henderson wins both individual events) *1988 P/M Gavin Stoddart - 2nd Win *1987 Murray Henderson - 3rd Win *1986 Iain MacFadyen - 4th Win *1985 Murray Henderson - 2nd Win *1984 Iain MacFadyen - 3rd Win *1983 P/M Gavin Stoddart (P/M Gavin Stoddart wins both individual events) *1982 P/M Angus MacDonald - 2nd Win (P/M Angus MacDonald wins both individual events) *1981 Iain MacFadyen - 2nd Win *1980 P/M Iain Morrison *1979 Murray Henderson *1978 Hugh MacCallum *1977 Iain MacFadyen *1976 P/M Angus MacDonald *1975 P/M

John D. Burgess John Davie Burgess (11 March 1934 – 29 June 2005) was an eminent Scottish bagpipe player. Life He was born in Aberdeen on 11 March 1934, and first learned to play the practice chanter at the age of four from his father John, who was also a ...

*1974 James McIntosh *

The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship

The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship was added in 1989 to the existing Glenfiddich Piping Championships – to reward, encourage and perpetuate the art of fiddle playing throughout the world. Eight finalists are hand selected to compete following successes throughout the year, with each finalist giving a recital incorporating all the various styles of composition including a set of tunes by a specific composer – a new composer is chosen annually.

2015 Championship

The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2015 was won by George Davidson of Tarves in Aberdeenshire. Second place went to Maggie Adamson of Fladdabister, Shetland, and third place went to Mari Black of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

2014 Championship

The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2014 was won by Mari Black of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Second place went to George Davidson of Tarves in Aberdeenshire, and third place went to Maura Shawn Scanlin of Boone, North Carolina, USA.

2012 Championship

The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2012 was won by Maggie Adamson from Shetland. Second place went to Erin Smith of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, and third place went to Ronald Jappy of Findochty.

Previous championships

Glenfiddich Fiddle Championships winners: *2015 George Davidson *2014 Mari Black *2013 Maura Shawn Scanlin *2012 Maggie Adamson *2011 Maggie Adamson *2010 Nicola Auchnie *2009 Rebecca Lomnicky *2008 Raemond Jappy *2007 Calum Pasqua *2006 Gemma Donald *2005 Sarah Naylor *2004 Ross Thomson *2003 Stephen Cordiner *2002 Ruaridh Campbell *2001 Gillian Risi *2000 Gillian Risi *1999 Patsy Reid *1998 Patsy Reid *1997 Russell Kostulin *1996 Russell Kostulin *1995 Paul Anderson *1994 Keith Anderson *1993 Kathryn Nicoll *1992 Maureen Turnbull *1991 Maureen Turnbull *1990 Maureen Turnbull

References

{{reflist

External links

Glenfiddich Piping ChampionshipsGlenfiddich Fiddle Championships
Music competitions in the United Kingdom Folk festivals in Scotland Piping events