THE COMPETITORS
Alasdair Gillies
Alasdair is one of the most successful solo competitors on the circuit today. He has won both Highland Society of London’s Gold medals. [Argyllshire Gathering 1989, Northern Meeting 2004], the Senior Piobaireachd at the Argyllshire Gathering and the Gold Clasp at the Northern Meeting. He has won the Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel event at the Northern Meeting a record 11 times, has won the overall at the Glenfiddich Championship 3 times, with 6 wins in the MSR event.
He was a military piper in the British Army for 17 years. [1980-1997] He was the last Pipe Major of the Queen’s Own Highlanders and first Pipe Major of The Highlanders. He gained a distinguished pass on the Pipe Majors course in 1986, and is holder of the Graduate certificate and Senior Teachers certificate from the Institute of Piping.
Now based in Pittsburgh, PA, he teaches the Carnegie Mellon University Pipe Band. The university offers a performance degree in bagpiping. In the summer months, Alasdair teaches at the Balmoral Summer Schools. He is a long serving member of the Winter Storm and Mastery of Scottish Arts faculty.
Pipe Major Gordon Walker
From Cumnock in Ayrshire, the eldest of two sons to Graham and Sheena Walker, a coal miner and seemstress. Gordon received his first lessons on the practice chanter from the late Pipe Major David Kay (also from Cumnock) at the tender age of 4 years and 6 months.
Indeed so young as he was, had to learn by ear to begin with as he was not yet started school to understand the alphabet in relation to staff notation!
He continued to study under the guidance and watch full eye of David Kay for the next 12 years and with this made his assault in amateur and juvenile solo piping competitions, winning all the events there were to be had at that time.
On the 10th of January ,1984 Gordon enlisted into The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) and reported for training to the Scottish Division Depot , Bridge of Don Aberdeen.
This was also the year he won his first major solo prize (Edinburgh Police Pipe Band professional Jig Competition). The same year he won the Silver Medal for Piobaireachd at The Argyllshire Gathering in Oban, the youngest ever at age 16. Now professional, Gordon received further tuition during this time from Pipe Major Iain M. Morrison (Queen's Own Highlanders).
Steady progress through the ranks followed when he was to receive an invitation by the then Director of Army Bagpipe Music, Major John M. Allan (Queen's Own Highlanders) to sit his Pipe Major's certificate at Edinburgh Castle.
At the end of the 7 month course, Gordon passed with distinguished honours (He subsequently holds all the necessary teaching certificates from The Institute of Piping).
A posting and a promotion saw Gordon back in Edinburgh this time as an Army Piping Instructor with the Army school, and continued to refine his art. He took private instruction in piobaireachd from the late Captain Andrew Pitkeathly (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) a Former Director of Army Bagpipe Music and personal piper to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
He saw active service in the first Gulf War, and operational tours of duty to Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Sarajevo.
During his appointment as personal piper to The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Gordon piped at the opening of Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall in the presence of his colonel in chief Princess Margaret in (1994? check date)
He decided on a change of career, and went into civilian life concentrating solely on teaching, and so left regular service in 1999 but not before finishing as the loan piper at The Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
He joined the staff of The College of Piping as the senior instructor, then transfered to The National Piping Centre as senior instructor there. (enjoying happy memories and good times at both establishments)
At present, Gordon is a full time piping instructor, and directs The Piping Programme at St. Columba's School, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire. He was invited to step back into uniform by The Commanding Officer of The 52nd Lowland Regiment T.A. to re-build and structure The Regimental Pipes & Drums, which was to become the best Pipe Band in The Army at the time.
Gordon is enjoying a new venture as Pipe Major in a civilian role, located in his native Ayrshire. The band is called '' Mauchline & District Caledonia'' and is a leading grade two competition band.Through out all his competing years, Gordon has equally enjoyed countless success in all major competitions as a seasoned competitor. There's been the gold medals, clasps, silver stars, Bratach Gorms, Glenfiddich's the list goes on.
The 2008 competition season in particular had seen him excell, winning the piob at The Donald MacLeod Memorial in Stornoway, 1st in piob, runner up in M/S/R and overall winner at The Highlands & Islands festival in Oban, The clasp, 1st placings in the light music & overall winner at The Skye Gathering in Portree, 1st in The Hornpipe & Jig at The Northern Meeting in Inverness (a record 9 times), Another record of 15 wins in The M/S/R at The Braemar Royal Highland Gathering, 1st in piob, 1st in Hornpipe & Jig, runner up M/S/R, and overall winner at The Royal National Mod in Falkirk and for the second year running ''Glenfiddich Piping Champion'' at Blair Castle. He finished off the year as overall winner at the Scottish Piping Society of London and was voted ''competition solo Piper of the year'' in the New years honours list by the on-line magazine ''Pipes and Drums'' from Canada.
To his credit, Gordon has made many recordings on album, DVD and on national radio and has just released his latest album entitled ''The Homecoming'' this year.
Willie McCallum
Willie McCallum is one of the foremost competing pipers in the world today. A native of Campbeltown, Kintyre, Willie has won almost every prize in solo piping and several times over.
He received his main tuition from his uncles Ronald McCallum and Hugh A. McCallum and also came under the guidance of Ronald McCallum, MBE, Piper to The Duke of Argyll. Willie’s development as a youngster included not only these formal family influences, but the less tangible, equally important impressions made by countless visits to the Kintyre Piping Society. Here he heard all the experts of the era, including legends such as Donald MacLeod, Donald MacPherson and John Burgess.
Willie is in demand as a recitalist, adjudicator and teacher and has five solo recordings to his credit, in addition to his appearance on a number of compilation albums recorded live at recitals and competitions.
In recent years, several of his students have gained high placings at the major piping gatherings at Oban, Inverness and London.
In August 2007, Willie launched a new venture, Willie McCallum Piping, which coincided with the launch of the McCallum Solo Chanter (McC²) designed by Willie and Stuart McCallum of McCallum Bagpipes. This new chanter has been successfully played by Willie since that date, along with a number of other prominent pipers, who have also won major prizes using the chanter.
He also has long and successful pipe band experience and was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band winning 3 major championships.
Willie lives in Bearsden with his wife Christine and children Hailey and Scott and works in Glasgow as an accountant.
His list of achievements in the competitive field is extensive and include the following highlights:
Glenfiddich World Championship 8 times. Gold Medal, Northern Meeting, Inverness. Gold Medal, Argyllshire Gathering, Oban. Former Winners MSR, Northern Meeting, Inverness twice. Former Winners MSR, Argyllshire Gathering, Oban 4 times. The Bratach Gorm, London, 3 times. The Silver Chanter, Dunvegan, 3 times. Donald Macleod Memorial, Stornoway, 7 times. Dr Dan Reid Memorial, San Francisco, 7 times. The Cowal Championship (with ScottishPower). Scottish Pipe Band Championship (with ScottishPower) twice. Runner-up World Pipe band Championship (with ScottishPower) twice.
Niall Stewart
Niall is originally from Alness, where he received his piping tuition from John Burgess but now stays in Kyle of Lochalsh, where he receives lessons from Iain MacFadyen. He is currently the Schools Piping Instructor for South Skye and Lochalsh. He formerly played in the ScottishPower Pipe Band under Roddy MacLeod.
Solo Prizes include the Dunvegan Medal at Skye, the Donald MacDonald Quaich, the ‘A’ Marches at Argyllshire Gathering. In 2007 he won the ‘A’ MSR at the Northern Meeting and was also placed 2nd in the Gold Medal at both the Northern Meeting and Argyllshire Gathering. In 2008 he won the Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering.
Glenn Brown
Glenn Brown is 25 years old and originally from Milton, Ontario Canada. He is currently living in Glasgow Scotland where he is playing with the Scottish Power Pipe Band. His instructors are his mother Gail Brown and Mr. Willie McCallum. Over the past few years he has won such prizes as The Canadian Gold Medal, The American Gold Medals for Ceol Mor and Ceol Beag at the Winter Storm competition in Kansas City. The A grade Piobaireachd and A grade MSR at the London Championships, The Dunvegan Medal for Piobaireachd as well as placing 3rd in the London Medallion Former Winners MSR contest at the London Championships. Glenn spent 6 years with the Shott's and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band and won 2 World Championships with them. He was also the Pipe Major of the Grade 1 Peel Regional Police Pipe Band for the 2008 Season.
Iain Speirs
Iain Speirs hails from Edinburgh where he lives with his wife Susanne and children, Annie and John.
Iain was taught to play by Jack D. Crichton, his father Tom Speirs, a Gold Medallist and Clasp winner, and by his grandfather Jock Speirs, Pipe Major of the London Scottish and Johnnie Walker Pipe Bands. Iain now receives tuition from the legendary Donald MacPherson.
Iain is a double gold medallist having won the Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal in 2002 and the Northern Meeting Gold Medal in 2007. His other major prizes include the Bratach Gorm, the Open Piobaireachd and overall championship at the Piping Society of London, the Piobaireachd and Former Winners MSR at the SPA, the Dunvegan Medal, the Piobaireachd at the Springbank invitational and the MSR at the Masters invitational. Iain has also won the Silver Chanter on 3 consecutive occasions, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and is a six time competitor at the Glenfiddich Piping Championship.
Competitor must:
Wear a uniform consisting of Ghillies, Hose, Flashes, Kilt, Sporran, Belt optional if wearing vest, Shirt, Tie, Glengarry. Submit all tunes to be played. Agree to allow SC (Silver Cap) to use recordings and sheet music for promotions, CDs, and books. Have Entrance-Fee-Tune in to SC 2 months prior to competition. Sign "contract" stating that entrance-fee-tune is of their own composition or the person whom composed it authorizes the use of the tune for the competitor. Adhere to posted start times and allotted tuning times.