Angus MacColl from Benderloch, Scotland was awarded the 2021 Silver Chanter tonight. This was the 55th year of the iconic competition.

Angus was assigned the classic MacCrimmon tune, Lament for Mary MacLeod to play. He was last on.

Held tonight at the National Piping Centre’s headquarters in McPhater Street, Glasgow, the recital/contest took place in front of a black-tie physical audience as well as being broadcast live over the internet. Also competing were Stuart Liddell (Lament for the Only Son), Iain Speirs (Lament for MacLeod of Colbecks), Finlay Johnston (Lament for the Children), Callum Beaumont (Lament for the Earl of Antrim) and Glenn Brown (Rory MacLeod’s Lament).

Dr. Jack Taylor adjudicated and Colin MacLellan was the fear an tighe (the man of the house, i.e. emcee).

The trophy was presented by Liz Maxwell, reprenting the William Grant Foundation, who continue to support this competition.

The Silver Chanter is the annual invitational piobaireachd competition established in 1967 by Seumas MacNeill, John MacFadyen and Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod. It was the first invitational event in piping and paved the way for the many invitational competitions we enjoy today. The background to the competition can be found HERE.

Piping Live! continues tomorrow with an afternoon show by students on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Traditional Music – Piping Degree course. This is followed in the evening with a concert by the Lowland & Border Pipers’ Society (LBPS). Entitled ‘More Power to Your Elbow’ this will be a celebration of pipe music and song from the lowlands of Scotland in this the 250th anniversary of the birth of Walter Scott. The LBPS is credited with reviving the lowland bapgipe.