The Glenfiddich Piping and Fiddle Championships are musical competitions for the bagpipes and fiddle. Both competitions take place annually in late autumn, at the ballroom of Blair Castle at Blair Atholl in Perthshire, Scotland.[1] Entry to each championship is by invitation only, to those who have won various recognised major UK solo competitions held throughout the year.
In 2016, the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship was discontinued.
The Glenfiddich Piping Championship
edit| Glenfiddich Piping Championship | |
|---|---|
 Ballroom at Blair Castle | |
| Genre | Piping competition |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Blair Castle, Blair Atholl |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Current Champion | Callum Beaumont |
| Sponsor | William Grant & Sons, The National Piping Centre |
| Website | https://www.glenfiddich.com/uk/explore/latest-events/glenfiddich-piping-championship/ |
The Glenfiddich Piping Championship was established in 1974, as the Grant's Piping Championship, to inspire and stimulate individual pipers, and to seek the best overall exponents of the Ceòl Mór or piobaireachd (the great music) and Ceòl Beag (the little music).[1]
The championship was founded and continues to be run by William Grant & Sons.,[2] 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 piobaireachds, and is required to play one of them. They also submit lists of six marches, strathspeys and reels, and play one of each, twice through.
Qualifying Events
editCompetitors gain an invitation to the Glenfiddich Championship by winning one of the following events:
- The previous year's Overall Glenfiddich Championship
- The Former Winner's Clasp at the Northern Meeting
- The Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering
- The Former Winner's MSR at the Northern Meeting
- The Former Winner's MSR at the Argyllshire Gathering
- The Master's Solo Piping Competition
- The Overall Winner at the Scottish Piping Society of London Annual Competition
- The Bratach Gorm at the Scottish Piping Society of London Annual Competition
- The Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting
- The Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering
In the event that an individual wins more than one of these events, 2nd or 3rd place prize-winners from the event are invited, with the exception of the Gold Medal competitions.[3]
There are prizes in each discipline, and an overall championship prize.
Previous championships
editPrevious Glenfiddich Piping Championship Winners from the last 50 years:
| Year | Winner | Location/Regiment | Notable Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Callum Beaumont | St Andrews | 2nd Win |
| 2023 | Callum Beaumont | Dollar | |
| 2022 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 9th Win, Record 11th MSR Win |
| 2021 | Jack Lee | Canada | 3rd Win, William McCallum 10th MSR Win |
| 2020 | Stuart Liddell | Inveraray | 3rd Win, William McCallum 9th MSR Win |
| 2019 | Finlay Johnston | 2nd Win | |
| 2018 | Finlay Johnston | Milngavie | |
| 2017 | Jack Lee | Canada | 2nd Win |
| 2016 | Roderick J. MacLeod | Glasgow | 5th Win, Record 10th Piobaireachd Win, William McCallum 8th MSR Win |
| 2015 | Angus MacColl | Benderloch | 4th Win |
| 2014 | Stuart Liddell | Inveraray | 2nd Win |
| 2013 | Iain Speirs | Edinburgh | 2nd Win |
| 2012 | Iain Speirs | Edinburgh | |
| 2011 | Roderick J. MacLeod | Glasgow | 4th Win |
| 2010 | Angus MacColl | Benderloch | 3rd Win |
| 2009 | Stuart Liddell | Inveraray | |
| 2008 | Gordon Walker | Galston | 2nd Win |
| 2007 | Gordon Walker | Galston | |
| 2006 | Angus MacColl | Benderloch | 2nd Win |
| 2005 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 8th Win (McCallum wins both individual events) |
| 2004 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 7th Win (McCallum wins both individual events) |
| 2003 | Jack Lee | Canada | 1st Piper from North America to win |
| 2002 | Roderick J. MacLeod | Cumbernauld | 3rd Win |
| 2001 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 6th Win |
| 2000 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 5th Win |
| 1999 | William McCallum | Bearsden | 4th Win |
| 1998 | Alasdair Gillies | Pittsburgh | 3rd Win |
| 1997 | Roderick J. MacLeod | Cumbernauld | 2nd Win |
| 1996 | Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies | Pittsburgh | 2nd Win |
| 1995 | Angus MacColl | Oban | |
| 1994 | William McCallum | Glasgow | 3rd Win |
| 1993 | William McCallum | Glasgow | 2nd Win |
| 1992 | Roderick J. MacLeod | Cumbernauld | |
| 1991 | Pipe Sergeant Alasdair Gillies | Queen's Own Highlanders | |
| 1990 | William McCallum | Glasgow | |
| 1989 | Murray Henderson | Eassie | 4th Win (Henderson wins both individual events) |
| 1988 | Pipe Major Gavin Stoddart | Royal Highland Fusiliers | 2nd Win |
| 1987 | Murray Henderson | Eassie | 3rd Win |
| 1986 | Iain MacFadyen | Kyle of Lochalsh | 4th Win |
| 1985 | Murray Henderson | Eassie | 2nd Win |
| 1984 | Iain MacFadyen | Kyle of Lochalsh | 3rd Win |
| 1983 | Pipe Major Gavin Stoddart | Royal Highland Fusiliers | (Stoddart wins both individual events) |
| 1982 | Pipe Major Angus MacDonald | Scots Guards | 2nd Win (MacDonald wins both individual events) |
| 1981 | Iain MacFadyen | Kyle of Lochalsh | 2nd Win |
| 1980 | Pipe Major Iain Morrison | Queens Own Highlanders | |
| 1979 | Murray Henderson | Eassie | |
| 1978 | Hugh MacCallum | Stirling | |
| 1977 | Iain MacFadyen | Kyle of Lochalsh | |
| 1976 | Pipe Major Angus MacDonald | Scots Guards | |
| 1975 | Pipe Major John D. Burgess | Alness | |
| 1974 | James McIntosh | Dundee | Inaugural competition |
The Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship
edit| Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship | |
|---|---|
 Blair Castle | |
| Genre | Fiddle competition |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Blair Castle, Blair Atholl |
| Years active | 1984–2016 |
| Sponsor | William Grant & Sons |
| Website | https://www.glenfiddich.com/uk/explore/latest-events/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.
In 2016, the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship was discontinued. A celebratory non-competitive event was held at Blair Castle in which all previous champions were invited to perform.
2015 Championship
editThe Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2015 was won by George Davidson of Tarves in Aberdeenshire.[4] Second place went to Maggie Adamson of Fladdabister, Shetland, and third place went to Mari Black of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
2014 Championship
editThe Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2014 was won by Mari Black of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.[5] 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
editThe Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship 2012 was won by Maggie Adamson from Shetland. Second place went to Erin Smith of Aberdeen, and third place went to Ronald Jappy of Findochty.
Previous championships
edit| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 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
edit- ^ a b Gilchrist, Jim (3 November 2009). "Music review: Glenfiddich Piping Championship". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ "Young fiddler is finalist in prestigious national championships". The Shetland Times. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ https://www.competingpipers.com/competition/references/ [bare URL]
- ^ "Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship". Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Glenfiddich piping and fiddle champions crowned". BBC News. 26 October 2014.