•Bede Paterson from Australia was the winner of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Piping Competition at Piping Live! 2026, and Ian Duncan presented the trophy. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com
Piping Live! is busy, busy, busy with people kicking back, relaxing, chillin’, sipping cool drinks, eating gourmet burgers and pizzas and taking in top quality piping and drumming and Scottish trad music. And if they are not listening to the music, they are listening to top musicians speak about their musical craft and their traditions. It’s a music festival and a fringe all wrapped up in one perfect package.
On Wednesday, August 12, the Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge took place in the NPC Auditorium. The four competitors were Beth Preston from Ireland, Bede Paterson from Australia, Pierre Thebault from Brittany, and Scotland’s own Eala McElhinney. Bede was the overall winner of the event, with Beth Preston winning the Irish section and Pierre Thebault winning the Breton section.
•The Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge competitors with Ian Duncan, from left: Bede Paterson, Eala McElhinney, Ian Duncan, Beth Preston and Pierre Thebault. Photo: John Slavin @ designfolk.com•Beth Preston competing in the Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ designfolk.com•Eala McElhinney competing in the Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ designfolk.com•Pierre Thebault competing in the Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ designfolk.com•Bede Paterson was the overall winner of the Gordon Duncan Memorial Recital Challenge at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ designfolk.com
The photos below are just a small selection from the many events happening across the festival venues yesterday, August 12, 2026. Check out the Piping Live! website here for the programme details for the rest of the week.
•Murray Henderson played the Lunchtime Recital to a ‘sold out’ audience. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•Barnaby Brown taught the piobaireachd Lament for the Laird of Annapool in The Piobroch Network’s Big Sing event. Barnaby has such an impressive singing voice and he is so watchable when in full flow of teaching mode. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•Bagad Cap Caval drew a very large crowd for their performance on the Centre Stage at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•Alexis Meunier gave a solo as part of Bagad Cap Caval’s performance on the Centre Stage at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•FRAS gave the final Centre Stage performance of the day at Piping Live! 2026. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•Angus Binnie is the piper with FRAS. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com•Gary West and Annie Grace explored the connections between pipe tunes and songs in the Scottish tradition. Accompanied by guitarist Anna Massie. Photo: John Slavin @ Designfolk.com
