Bearsden musician in piping hot form for world-class championship

This year’s Glenfiddich Piping Championship returns to the spectacular Blair Castle on Saturday 30 October.

William will join defending champion Stuart Liddell, Dollar’s Callum Beaumont, British Columbia Canada piper Jack Lee and five-time champion Roderick Macleod MBE.

Also taking part is 2019 title holder Finlay Johnston, The Silver Chanter 2021 winner Angus MacColl, Edinburgh’s Iain Speirs, Glasgow-based Canadian piper Glenn Brown and Connor Sinclair of Crieff.

The participants were selected from the two qualifying events that took place and on previous achievements at the Glenfiddich Championship.

Musicians will play in both the Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey and Reel disciplines, with prizes awarded for each discipline, as well as an overall Championship winner.

The prestigious 48th annual event will welcome live audiences whilst also being livestreamed and the competition will be followed by the celebratory Pipers' Ceilidh at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry.

The National Piping Centre’s Director of Piping, Finlay MacDonald, said: “It’s wonderful to be able to bring The Glenfiddich Piping Championship back to a live audience this year.

"Blair Castle always makes for a magnificent venue for this prestigious event and the 48th edition will mark a welcome return to live competition, whilst also giving people at home and abroad the chance to tune in online.

"In-person tickets are limited so we would encourage all those keen to be at Blair Castle to get their tickets as soon as possible.”

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship was established in 1974 to inspire the world's finest exponents of Ceòl Mòr or Piobaireachd (the great music) and Ceòl Beag or light music (the little music).

The event is run by The National Piping Centre, the world centre for excellence in bagpipe music, and is funded through the William Grant Foundation.

Tickets are on sale for the championships now at www.thepipingcentre.co.uk/glenfiddich.