Pipe Idol contestants announced for Piping Live! ’16

The sixteen competitors in the 2016 rendition of Pipe Idol at Piping Live! have been announced by the Glasgow-based August festival, comprising the usual array of top young international talent with players from Scotland, Germany, Canada, the United States and Australia vying for the title.

Heat 1 – Monday, August 8th (3:30 pm)

• Callum Craib, Scotland, age 15
• Connor Jardine, Scotland, age 18
• Rebecca Tierney, Scotland, age 19
• Jack Williamson, USA, age 19

Heat 2 – Tuesday, August 9th (3:30 pm)

• Austin Diepenhorst, USA, age 18
• Scott Figgins, Scotland, age 20
• Danny Hutcheson, Scotland, age 18
• Robbie MacIsaac, Scotland, age 15

Heat 3 – Wednesday, August 10th (3:30 pm)

• John Campbell, Scotland, age 18
• James Dyson, Canada, age 19
• Kian Johnson, Germany, age 15
• Douglas Mair, Scotland, age 17

Heat 4 – Thursday, August  11th (noon)

• Craig Davidson, Scotland, age 18
• Josh Fraser, Scotland, age 20
• Harry McLachlan, Scotland, age 16
• William Sincock, Australia, age 18

Each heat is held at the Street Café in front of the National Piping Centre, and the winner of each round will meet in a four-piper final on Thursday, August 12th, at 5 pm, this year held at the Strathclyde Suite at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall due to demand for tickets exceeding the capacity of the National Piping Centre’s Auditorium.

The heats and the final are judged by prominent pipers scattered throughout the audience, not divulged to contestants or spectators.

The 2015 Pipe Idol champion was 20-year-old Scott Barrie of Scotland, and other winners have included Calum Ian Brown (2014) and Connor Sinclair (2012).

“Each year we see the very best young pipers battle it out to be crowned the Pipe Idol winner and this year we’re thrilled to be able to welcome such a mix of international performers,” said Roddy MacLeod, Festival Director of Piping Live! “There’s an incredible amount of talent on this line-up, so our judges definitely have their work cut out for them.  It will be interesting to see who will walk away with the title at this year’s Piping Live! festival.”

As in previous years, the winner of Pipe Idol will receive a set of Fred Morrison Reelpipes, who sponsors the event, and other assorted non-monetary prizes.

Tickets are priced at £11 (£8.95 concession) and are available in advance.