Applications for the Pipe Idol 2026 competition at Piping Live! are now open. The international Under-21 competition returns to Glasgow this summer, offering young solo pipers the chance to perform on a global stage and compete for a set of Fred Morrison Reelpipes.
The competition consists of four heats held from Monday, August 10 to Thursday, August 13, with the final taking place later in the day on Thursday. All qualifying heats will be held on Centre Stage of the Festival Site at McPhater Street with the final taking place in the NPC Auditorium. Tickets for the final will be available shortly.
The winner each day is chosen by a panel of judges hidden within the crowd. To enter, young pipers must submit an audition video. Those that are selected to take part will be asked to perform:
- A Hornpipe and Jig
- A March, Strathspey and Reel (MSR)
- A medley of tunes between five and seven minutes long
To participate in Pipe Idol 2026, competitors must be under the age of 21 on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
To apply, pipers must complete a short online form and submit a video recording of themselves playing a Hornpipe and Jig as well as an MSR.
The application deadline is Wednesday, May 1, at 5:00pm UK time. All applicants will then be notified the following week with further information about the event.
To apply, complete the application form here. Applicants must have recorded their audition video before completing the application form, and more details are available at the form link.
The Piping Live! team is also pleased to confirm that the event is once again sponsored by Fred Morrison Pipes, with the overall winner receiving a set of Fred Morrison Reelpipes.
For more information or for any questions, please contact contact@pipinglive.co.uk.
Piping Live! is the world’s biggest piping festival. Held annually in Glasgow, it features a week-long programme of concerts, workshops and competitions, celebrating the bagpipe in all its forms.
