Lucky 13 in line for 2016 Metro Cup

The annual Metro Cup Solo Invitational Piping Competition, organized by the Metro New York Branch of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, is set for Saturday, February 20th, at the Ramada Plaza Newark Liberty International Airport Hotel, with an impressive lineup of 13 contestants that include seven Highland Society of London Gold Medalists.

The professional contest comprises Piobaireachd and Medley events, each with a first-prize of US$1,000. There’s also the Pipe-Major George M. Bell Amateur Championship for the top six amateur pipers from each of the branches of the EUSPBA, and pipers from the Midwest Pipe Band Association, the Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario, and the overall winner of the CLASP competition in the UK.

Professional pipers and the piobaireachd chosen for each of them to play:

• Callum Beaumont, Linlithgow, Scotland, “Lament for the Earl of Antrim”
• Glenn Brown, Glasgow, ” Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”
• Brian Donaldson, Delafield, Wisconsin, “The Old Men of the Shells” No.1
• Alex Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “The Kings Taxes”
• Bruce Gandy, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, “The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute”
• Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, Scotland, “I Got a Kiss of the King’s Hand “
• Nick Hudson, Pittsburgh, “Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay”
• Andrew Lee, Vancouver, “The Big Spree”
• Stuart Liddell, Inveraray, Scotland, “In Praise of Morag”
• William McCallum, Bearsden, Scotland, “MacNeil of Barra’s March”
• John Patrick, Kilsyth, Scotland, “The MacDougalls’ Gathering”
• James Troy, Victoria, British Columbia, “Lament for Laird of Anapool”
• Gordon Walker, Galston, Scotland, “Scarce of Fishing”

The popular event features a silent auction, with funds returned to the event, which is also supported by regional pipe bands that organize workshops and recitals for many of the professional players.

Judges for the professional events are James Bell, Andrew Berthoff and Jim McGillivray.

The 2015 Metro Cup was won by Willie McCallum.