Piping Live! 2018 opened with the Masters Solo Piping Competition yesterday, with Stuart Liddell being awarded the Overall Title. Stuart Liddell gains an invitation to the 2018 Glenfiddich Piping Championship in October. Jack Lee won the Piobaireachd, gaining an invitation to the 2019 Silver Chanter next August.

Full Results:

MSR

4th Angus MacColl – MacLean of Pennycross, Susan MacLeod, Pretty Marion
3rd Finlay Johnston – Inverlochy Castle, The Islay Ball, The Rejected Suitor
2nd Willie McCallum – John MacFadyen of Melfort, The Cameronian Rant, Roddy MacDonald’s Fancy
1st Stuart Liddell – Abercairney Highlanders, The Shepherd’s Crook, John Morrison of Assynt House

Piobaireachd

4th Alan Bevan – Salute to the Memorial Cairn at Borreraig
3rd Stuart Liddell – Mrs Smith’s Salute
2nd Iain Speirs – The Lament for MacLeod of Colbeck
1st Jack Lee – Colin Roy MacKenzie’s Lament

Overall Winner: Stuart Liddell

Here are the CLASP Grade 3 results from The World Solo Amateur Piping Competition at Piping Live! today. The grade 2 will be on tomorrow, from 9.30am, and Grade 1 on Wednesday, in the St. Aloysius Convent Chapel. 62 Hill Street, Glasgow.

Grade 3 CLASP results

Overall Winner and pictured above – James Piccione (New York) with judge Cameron Drummond.

Piobaireachd Ground

1st Stephen Ross Pack
2nd Dorothy Moodie
3rd Joris Panis

Full Piobaireachd

1st James Piccione
2nd Stephen Ross Pack
3rd Dorothy Moodie

2/4 March
1st James Piccione
2nd Megan Kenney
3rd Bill Copland

Strathspey and Reel
1st James Piccione
2nd Bill Copland
3rd Megan Kenney

Jig
1st James Piccione
2nd Bill Copland
3rd Lachlan MacDonald

Piping Live! 2018 will kick off in style tomorrow morning with the Piping Live! Big Band in aid of SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health). If you’d like to follow the parade, the Big Band will set off from Blythswood Square at 12noon, along West George Street, arriving in front of the City Chambers in George Square at approximately 12.30pm for a salute to the Cheiftain. Bring your capes and join us!

We are going green for Piping Live! this year, so when you get to the bar, be sure to pick up your reusable eco-cup for just 50p! Each time you go back to the bar to purchase another pint, you can refill your glass! These are in conjunction with R.G. Hardie & Co., McCallum Bagpipes Ltd, MG Reeds and Wallace Bagpipes

#greenartsinitiative

Hear from top players and pick up a new collection at this year’s festival!
We’re delighted to be hosting a number of book launches at this year’s festival! These events give you the chance to hear performances from top players; ask questions of the tunesmiths; and pick up a copy of the latest collections so you can expand your own repertoire.

The South West Scotland Collection
Monday 13th August at the Street Cafe
A collection of over 300 tunes with historical notes and folklore with each tune, these books are the regeneration of a lost tradition, heritage and culture, and ensure the music of South West Scotland continues into the next generation and beyond. Karen McCrindle Warren, John Mulhearn, Callum Moffat, Ross Cowan and Chris Gray are all set to perform.

From Scots Borderer to Ulster Scot and Fronteirs Beyond
Monday 13th August at TNPC Otago Street
Join us at Otago Street for the launch of Iain Bell’s fantastic new collection From Scots Borderer to Ulster Scot.  Performances come from outstanding young players Bobby Allen, Alastair Donaghy, John Dew, Stuart Currie and Kyle Currie.

Indigenous by Scott Wallace
Tuesday 14th August at The National Piping Centre, McPhater Street
Scott Wallace introduces Indigenous, his first collection of contemporary music, with a special launch event at this year’s Piping Live! Listeners will be treated to a selection of Scott’s tunes performed by Ali Henderson & Gareth McLees, and a quintet from Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band.

More Music for Everyone by Michael Grey
Wednesday 15th August at The National Piping Centre
Join Michael Grey and a controversy of pipers for a celebration launch of his 7th book: More Music for Everyone. The book features a huge cross selection of big-talent contributors – come along and hear the tunes, just as the tunesmiths imagined them!

A MacCrimmon Collection
Thursday 16th August at The National Piping Centre, McPhater Street
Iain and Calum MacCrimmon, in collaboration with The Big Music Society, are launching ‘A MacCrimmon Collection’ at Piping Live 2018. The book contains many of Iain and Calum’s new work but also delivers a wide range of tunes from various contemporary composers. The centrepiece of the collection is Iain’s Ceòl Mòr composition for his father ‘Salute to Malcolm R. MacCrimmon’.

It’s been one hundred years since the end of the First World War, and we present a number of events at this year’s festival to help commemorate the occasion.

Tuesday 14th August, 1pm
Piobaireachd of the Day – Roddy MacLeod
The National Piping Centre Otago Street

Part of our Piobaireachd of the Day series, these recitals give audiences the opportunity to see a prize-winning performer present a Piobaireachd of their choice, and give a short talk about the tune, its history and how they play it. On Tuesday, Roddy MacLeod will perform the Lament for the Iolaire. Roddy recently spoke to The Sunday Post about why the performance will be particularly poignant for him, and you can read the interview here: Piper’s Lament for an Island of Tears [article]

Monday 13th – Thursday 16th August, All Day
Pipers of the Great War: A Lasting Legacy
The National Piping Centre Otago Street

Head along to The National Piping Centre Otago Street for this exhibition and musical display, in tribute to the pipers of the Great War. Download a QR scanner onto your mobile device, then you can scan the codes next to each display and hear compositions from some of the pipers who fought in the war, including GS MacLennan, John MacLennan and Willie Lawrie.

Monday 13th – Friday 17th August, All Day
Salute to our Fathers
The Blue Room at The National Piping Centre McPhater Street

This exhibition comes from the friendship of four families who share having fathers who served in both world wars. The drawings are executed as if a diary / sketch book had survived with recollections of people, prose and poetry annotated. The sound and inspiration of the pipes were and still are an integral part of these shared emotions and also lament the often painful journeys of those who endured this last most bloody, conflict laden century.

Monday 13th – Friday 17th August, All Day
Pipers of the Great War Exhibition
The Blue Room at The National Piping Centre McPhater Street

Wherever Scottish troops have fought, the sound of the pipes has been heard, speaking to us of our beloved native land, bringing back to our memories the proud traditions of our race, and stimulating our spirits to fresh efforts in the cause of freedom.” Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, December 6, 1918. This exhibition brings together many original photos and artwork showing the role of pipers and the Great Highland Bagpipes in WWI.

Wednesday 15th August

4pm: Come and Try Session
Drop in to experience learning to play the bagpipes in the middle of the city.

Thursday 16th August

4pm: Come and Try Session
Drop in to experience learning to play the bagpipes in the middle of the city

6pm: Music Session with the Armagh Pipers Club
Hear from the newest crop of talented musicians from the Armagh Pipers Club in this fantastic Irish atmosphere.

One of Glasgow’s most unique venues, Waxy O’Connor’s is ideally situated within the heart of the city. It just a stone’s through from Buchanan Street, making it the ideal place to pop in for a pint between pipe band performances!

We’ve enjoyed a long relationship with Waxy O’Connors, with Piping Live! attendees able to claim 20% off their food bill on presentation of their programme for the past few years. Now we’re delighted to be teaming up with Waxy’s to offer some special events during this year’s festival. Come along for a Come and Try session, a pint, and a performance from the Armagh Pipers Club.

Tuesday 14th August 2018 at 17:00
Book tickets

Thursday 16th August 2018 at 16:00
Book tickets

Test your tastebuds at one of two exclusive Whisky Tastings at this year’s Piping Live! John Laurie, the General Manager at Glenturret Distillery, will talk you through finer points of their famous whiskies, and give you a masterclass in how to really taste your malt. You’ll also sample three different malt whiskies: Glenturret Triple Wood, Glenturret Sherry Cask and Glenturret 10 Year Old. This event is for over 18s only – advance booking essential.

With just one week to go until this year’s Piping Live! gets underway, here is the draw for the International Quartet Competition 2018.

Order of Play