Angus MacColl Snr. of Argyll, Scotland was awarded the overall Edinburgh Castle Silver Trophy in Premier grade solo events at the seventh annual Captain John A. MacLellan MBE Solo Piping Competition held today at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming at Inchdrewer House, Edinburgh.
MacColl won the Premier Grade Piobaireachd which gains him an invitation to next year’s Captain John MacLellan Memorial Recital Dinner. His wining tune was a MacLellan composition, The Phantom Pipe of the Corrieyairack .
The competition, organised by the Army School, featured a large entry of some of the best solo pipers in the United Kingdom. Major Gordon Rowan, the Director of Army Bagpipe Music, said: “This competition offers an opportunity for civilian and military enthusiasts to come together in celebration of the heritage and music that means so much to us all. We are delighted to be a part of the competition and hope that by opening our doors we can show that we continue to strive towards the standards,aims and vision that Captain John set over 60 years ago.”
Operating nine different events concurrently is no easy task, but as is customary, the Army School delivered an efficiently run event. The prizes being presented by Colin MacLellan (Captain John’s son), Liz Maxwell of the Glenfiddich Piping Championships, event sponsors David MacDonald of the International Highlanders, and Andrea Colombini, director of the Giacomo Puccini festival in Lucca, Italy.
Captain John MacLellan MBE was the first Director of Army Bagpipe Music. Warrant Officer Class 1 Ross McCrindle (Scots Guards), announced the prize winners as follows:
Results:
Premier Grade
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Angus MacColl, Captain John MacLellan Medal (The Phantom Piper of the Corrieyairack); 2. Finlay Johnston (Lament for the Union); 3. Alasdair Henderson (Bells of Perth); 4. Willie McCallum (The Edinburgh Piobaireachd); 5. Iain Speirs (Scarce of Fishing).
Judges: Colin MacLellan and Andrew Wright.
MSR (John MacLellan MSR Piper trophy) – 1. Sarah Muir; 2. Willie McCallum; 3. Alasdair Henderson; 4. Angus McColl; 5. Iain Spiers.
Judges: Ian Duncan and Robert Barnes.
A Grade
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Sarah Muir (Colin MacLellan Cup); 2. Jamie Forrester; 3. Gordon McCready; 4. Jonathan Greenlees; 5. Sandy Cameron
Three withdrew.
Judges: Willie Morrison and Ronnie McShannon.
MSR – 1. Angus J. MacColl (PM Angus MacDonald Trophy); 2. PMaj Peter MacGregor, SCOTS (Plummer’s Knowe Trophy); 3. Ashley McMichael; 4. Jenny Hazzard; 5. Jamie Forrester.
Two withdrew.
Judges: Walter Cowan and Jim Henderson.
B Grade
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Pipe Major Ben Duncan, Scots DG (Joe Rafferty Plate); 2. Michael Fitzhenry (The Ramsey Garden Cup); 3. Jamie Elder; 4. Kris Coyle; Jonathon Simpson.
Five withdrew.
Judges: Alan Forbes and Tom Speirs.
MSR – 1. Ross Miller (The John MacLellan Pipe Banner); 2. Andrew Ferguson (The Hugh MacDonald Cup); 3. Jonathon Simpson; 4. John Dew; 5. Andrew Wilson.
Judges: George Lumsden and Andrew Frater.
Open Hornpipe & Jig – 1. Willie McCallum (The Robert L. Kilgour Trophy); 2. Stephen Gray; 3. Angus J. McColl; 4. Finlay Johnston; 5. Alistair Henderson.
Judges: Robert Barnes, Walter Cowan and Jim Henderson.
C Grade
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Angus MacPhee (Delworth Quaich); 2. Scott Wallace (The Dean Park Eagle); 3. Archie Drennan; 4. Hamish Drennan; 5. Ross Conner.
Two withdrew.
Judges: Neil Mulvie and Tom Johnstone.
MSR – 1. Scott Wallace (The Fort Augustus Shield); 2. Brodie Watson-Massie; 3. Fraser Allison; 4. Finlay Frame; 5. Ben Mulhearn.
Judges: Euan Anderson and Logan Tannock.
P Aggregate (The Edinburgh Castle Monument): Angus MacColl Snr.
A Aggregate, ASBM&HD Memorial Trophy): Jamie Forrester
C Aggregate (Pipes from McCallum Bagpipes): Scott Wallace.
