2025 Northern Meeting: a preview

One-hundred-eighty-four years ago the first Northern Meeting was held in Inverness, making it the longest-running solo piping competition in the world.

The 2025 edition will be held on Thursday, September 11th, and Friday, September 12th, at its familiar Eden Court Theatre venue on the west bank of the River Ness.

About 75 of the world’s top solo pipers will compete for some of the biggest prizes in non-invitational competition, with the marquee events being the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, the Clasp for previous winners of the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, and the Silver Star March Strathspey & Reel. The winner of each will earn an invitation to the 2025 Glenfiddich Championships on October 25th in Blair Atholl, Scotland.

Steven Leask, who won the other Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the 2025 Argyllshire Gathering, will go for the rare “double” – winning both in the same year – a feat accomplished only 12 times since the Argyllshire Gathering started in 1871.

Here are the lists in alphabetical order of those entered for each senior event.

Thursday

Highland Society of London Gold Medal (limited to 25 pipers as chosen by a committee)

• Calum Brown, Peterculter, Scotland
• Sandy Cameron, Roybridge, Scotland
• Andrew Donlon, Washington, DC
• Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
• Ben Duncan, Edinburgh
• Brendon Eade, Waikato, New Zealand
• Jamie Elder, Auchtermuchty, Scotland
• Jamie Forrester, Haddington, Scotland
• Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• Steven Leask, Glasgow
• Angus J. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Cameron MacDougall, South Orange, New Jersey
• Angus MacPhee, Inverness
• Cameron May, Lesmahagow, Scotland
• Ben McClamrock, Washington, DC
• John McDonald, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Ontario
• Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, New Jersey
• Sarah Muir, Glasgow
• John Mulhearn, Carluke, Scotland
• Matt Pantaleoni, St. Louis, Missouri
• Willie Rowe, Marton, New Zealand
• Darach Urquhart, Glasgow
• Calum Watson, Edinburgh
• Brodie Watson-Massey, Edinburgh

Judges: Robert Barnes, Ronnie McShannon, A. John Wilson

Silver Medal (limited to 25 pipers as chosen by a committee)

• Joe Biggs, Ajax, Ontario
• Cameron Bonar, Surrey, British Columbia
• Keith Bowes, Erskine, Scotland
• Ruairidh Brown, Dunblane, Scotland
• Kyle Cameron, Rosemarkie, Scotland
• Greig Canning, Kirkcaldy, Scotland
• John Dew, Glasgow
• Jacob Dicker, Maxville, Ontario
• Bobby Durning, Carrolton, Texas
• Andrew Ferguson, Dollar, Scotland
• Mike Fitzhenry, Paisley, Scotland
• Eddie Gaul, Dundee, Scotland
• Steven Gray, Lockerbie, Scotland
• Eireann Iannetta-MacKay, Burrelton, Scotland
• Luke Kennedy, Strathaven, Scotland
• Liam Kernaghan, Wellington, New Zealand
• Zephan Knickel, Lynwood, Washington
• Anna Kummerlöw, Kladrum, Germany
• Dan Lyden, Timonium, Maryland
• Ashley McMichael, Antrim, Northern Ireland
• James McPetrie, Aboyne, Scotland
• Ross Miller, Glasgow
• Jonathon Simpson, Bo’ness, Scotland
• Campbell Wilson, Czech Republic
• Callum Wynd, Dunblane, Scotland

Judges: Euan Anderson, Patricia Henderson, Bill Wotherspoon

Silver Star Former Winners’ MSR (for winners of the A-Grade MSR)

• Chris Armstrong, Glasgow
• Callum Beaumont, Guardbridge, Scotland
• Cameron Drummond, Edinburgh
• Ben Duncan
• Brendon Eade
• Alex Gandy
• Andrew Hayes, Ottawa
• Alasdair Henderson, Edinburgh
• Nick Hudson, Houston
• Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
• Angus D. MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
• Ian K. MacDonald, Whitby, Ontario
• Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow
• Jack Lee, Surrey, British Columbia
• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland
• Willie McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland
• Gordon McCready, Renfrew, Scotland
• Iain Speirs, Edinburgh
• Greg Wilson, Tai Tapu, New Zealand

Judges: Michael Grey, Bruce Hitchings, Iain MacFadyen

Friday

Clasp (for winners of at least one of the two Highland Society of London Gold Medals)

• Chris Armstrong
• Callum Beaumont
• Glenn Brown
• Cameron Drummond
• Jamie Forrester
• Andrew Hayes, Ottawa
• Alasdair Henderson
• Nick Hudson
• Finlay Johnston
• Jack Lee
• Stuart Liddell
• Angus D. MacColl
• Ian K MacDonald
• Colin MacLellan, Edinburgh
• Roddy MacLeod
• Willie McCallum
• Connor Sinclair
• Innes Smith, Glasgow
• Iain Speirs
• Greg Wilson

Judges: Alan Forbes, Murray Henderson, Dr. Angus MacDonald

A-Grade MSR (reserved for pipers with an A light music CPA grading)

• Cameron Bonar
• Calum Brown
• Glenn Brown
• Gordon Bruce, Kilwinning, Scotland
• Sandy Cameron
• Greig Canning
• Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh
• John Dew
• Andrew Donlon
• Mike Fitzhenry
• Jamie Forrester
• Bill Geddes, Dumfries, Scotland
• Steven Gray
• Jenny Hazzard, Edinburgh
• Liam Kernaghan
• Steven Leask
• Angus J. MacColl
• Cameron MacDougall
• Cameron May
• Ben McClamrock
• Peter McGregor, Dunfermline, Scotland
• James McHattie, Summerside, Prince Edward Island
• Sean McKeown
• Ashley McMichael
• Derek Midgley
• Sarah Muir
• Craig Muirhead, Stirling, Scotland
• John Mulhearn
• William Rowe
• Connor Sinclair
• Innes Smith
• Darach Urquhart
• Calum Watson
• Brodie Watson-Massey
• Campbell Wilson

Judges: Barry Donaldson, Iain MacFadyen, A. John Wilson

B-Grade MSR (reserved for pipers with a B light music CPA grading)

• Joe Biggs
• Keith Bowes
• Ruairidh Brown
• Alastair Brown, Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland
• Kyle Cameron
• Callum Carn
• Kristopher Coyle, Northern Ireland
• Jacob Dicker
• Piers Dover, New Zealand
• Bobby Durning
• Jamie Elder
• Andrew Ferguson
• Eddie Gaul
• Norman Gillies, Edinburgh
• Andrew Hall, Glasgow
• Eireann Iannetta-MacKay
• Luke Kennedy
• Zephan Knickel
• Anna Kummerlöw
• Dan Lyden
• Cameron MacLeod, Glasgow
• Angus MacPhee
• Scott McCaskill, Kelty, Scotland
• James McPetrie, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Ross Miller
• Dan Nevans, Barnhill, Scotland
• Liam Nicolson, Sydney
• Matt Pantaleoni
• Ryan Praskovich, Pittsburgh
• Jonathon Simpson
• Callum Wynd

Judges: Barry Donaldson, Peter Hunt, Roddy Livingstone

Premier/A-Grade Hornpipe & Jig (for pipers graded Premier or A by the CPA)

• Chris Armstrong
• Cameron Bonar
• Calum Brown
• Gordon Bruce
• Sandy Cameron
• Greig Canning
• Andrew Carlisle
• John Dew
• Andrew Donlon
• Cameron Drummond
• Ben Duncan
• Brendon Eade
• Mike Fitzhenry
• Jamie Forrester
• Alex Gandy
• Bill Geddes
• Steven Gray
• Andrew Hayes
• Jenny Hazzard
• Alasdair Henderson
• Nick Hudson
• Liam Kernaghan
• Steven Leask
• Stuart Liddell
• Angus D. MacColl
• Iain K. MacDonald
• Cameron MacDougall
• Peter MacGregor, Dunfermline
• Roddy MacLeod
• Cameron May
• Ben McClamrock
• James McHattie
• Sean McKeown
• Ashley McMichael
• Derek Midgley
• Sarah Muir
• Craig Muirhead
• John Mulhearn
• William Rowe
• Innes Smith
• Iain Speirs
• Darach Urquhart
• Calum Watson
• Brodie Watson-Massey
• Greg Wilson
• Campbell Wilson

Judges: Robert Barnes, Michael Grey, Patricia Henderson

B-Grade Hornpipe & Jig

• Joe Biggs
• Keith Bowes
• Alastair Brown
• Ruairidh Brown
• Kyle Cameron
• Callum Carn
• Kristopher Coyle
• Jacob Dicker
• Piers Dover
• Bobby Durning
• Jamie Elder
• Andrew Ferguson
• Edward Gaul
• Norman Gillies
• Andrew Hall
• Eireann Iannetta-MacKay
• Luke Kennedy
• Zephan Knickel
• Anna Kummerlöw
• Dan Lyden
• Cameron MacLeod
• Angus MacPhee
• Scott McCaskill
• James McPetrie
• Ross Miller
• Dan Nevans
• Liam Nicolson
• Matt Pantaleoni
• Ryan Praskovich
• Jonathon Simpson
• Callum Wynd

Judges: Euan Anderson, Bruce Hitchings

Stay tuned to pipes|drums for results from the 2025 Northern Meeting as they become available.