Since 1788 The Northern Meeting has been held each year in Inverness, Scotland. The annual gathering has always featured piping as a central part of the schedule of events. The Northern Meeting, or “Inverness”, as it is known today to competing pipers, describes one of its central purposes “is to support and encourage the traditional music of The Highlands”.
This year two of the premier events of Inverness will be live-streamed, both on Thursday, September 1, 2022: The Gold Medal piobaireachd competition, beginning at 8:30 AM (BST) [3:30 AM (EDT)], live from the auditorium of The Eden Court theatre and, following the Gold Medal on the same stage at approximately 5:00 PM (BST) [12:00 PM (EDT)], the Former Winners, March, Strathspey & Reel event.
Entry to the competition is restricted to those of the highest calibre and the bar is set high with only around 100 competitors selected to take part in the various events. These include the classic Piobaireachd, March, Strathspey and Reel and Hornpipe & Jig events.
As has been the case for every year since the early 1970s there are members of The Pipers’ & Pipe Band Society of Ontario participating in piping contests at Inverness. This year member participants include Jacob Dicker, Andrew Hayes, Sean McKeown, Ian K MacDonald and Alistair Murray.
This year Jim McGillivray, Chair of the PPBSO Music Committee, will join Bruce Hitchings, MBE and Ronnie McShannon to judge the Gold Medal contest. Michael Grey, PPBSO president will sit on the bench judging the Former Winners March, Strathspey & Reel event alongside Ian Duncan and Stuart Samson, MBE.
Independent of the NM Society, the Northern Meeting Piping Trust is responsible for the NM Piping Competition which is run by the NM Piping Committee whose members include distinguished pipers, members of the Inverness Committee of the Highland Council and members of the Northern Meeting Society.
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