Awesome Pipers

Recorded live at the Lord Todd in Glasgow in 2004 , four top pipers demonstrate their skill and style. Bruce Gandy and Jack Lee from Canada, and Stuart Liddell and Angus McColl from Scotland play reels, jigs, marches and piobaireachd at world-class standard.

The Lord Todd venue in Strathclyde University was bursting to capacity with an audience eagerly anticipating performances from four of the world's master of the Great Highland Bagpipe. Bruce Gandy, Jack Lee, Stuart Liddell and Angus MacColl present their music intheir different and distinctive musical styles.

What the audience heard was stunning - the music was magnetic, drawing us back in again and again as the masters got into their stride. Listen for yourselves - these are four 'Awesome Pipers'.

Bruce Gandy
A growing list of brilliant competitive successes have established Bruce Gandy as one of the worlds foremost players of both light music and piobaireachd. a Gold Medal, a Bratach Gorm, a North American Solo Championship, the Vancouver Piobaireachd and aggregate, and the Metro Cup has ensured that Bruce was  named “Solo Competition Piper of the Year” in Piper & Drummer Magazine 2003 New Years Honours. Since the late 1990’s Bruce has made piping his full time career and performs, lectures, teaches and competes internationally from his home base in Halifax, Canada.

Angus MacColl
A scion of the famous MacColl family of Oban, which includes the legendary John MacColl, Angus began piping as a young boy, initially taught by his father. During his extremely successful career, Angus has captured the great solo prizes: both Gold Medals, multiple Clasps at Inverness, the Former Winner’s march, Strathspey and Reel at Oban and the Glenfiddich Championship. His musical finesse and ability to entertain are legendary. With years of piping still ahead, Angus’s contribution to the MacColl dynasty is certain to rival that of his forebears.

Jack Lee
Jack won a gold medal at Oban, in 2001 where 30 of the world’s best pipers competed against each other in solo performances featuring classical music. Only gold medal winners are allowed to advance to the senior Piobaireachd competition, which carries the world’s second highest piping award (the performance is comprised of a set of solo pipe variations on a theme). Lee, one of 15 performers, took first place, marking the first time since 1948 that both competitions were won on the same day by the same performer. He is also a past winner at Inverness of the Gold Medal and Gold Clasp.

Stuart Liddell
Following in the footsteps of grandfather Ronald McCallum (1951), Uncle Hugh (1967), and cousin Willie (1989), Stuart Liddell of Scottish Power PB won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in Inverness on Sept. 7. 2000 Known locally as the 'Margaritaville Piper' of the DRM two years back, Stuart shows great promise for the future with this important win. Stuart, from Inveraray has continued to gather honours and wow audiences with his fantastic musicianship.