The Bratach Gorm (or Blue Banner) is the highest prize given by the Scottish Piping Society of London and was introduced in 1938.
In 1994 the competition pool was further reduced in protest at the selection of judges. [1]
The competition has been held in a number of locations in central London, most recently at the Caledonian Club in 2019. [2] [3]
It can only be won by those who have won the; Highland Society of London Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering or Northern Meeting or the first prize at the William Gillies Memorial Cup. [4] [5] The monetary value as a primary Pibroch is £500. [6] In order to win the annual London Piping Championship an entrant must have won this and another award. [7]
Scotland is internationally known for its traditional music, which remained vibrant throughout the 20th century and into the 21st when many traditional forms worldwide lost popularity to pop music. Despite emigration and a well-developed connection to music imported from the rest of Europe and the United States, the music of Scotland has kept many of its traditional aspects and influenced many other forms of music.
The Northern Meeting is a gathering held in Inverness, Scotland, best known for its solo bagpiping competition in September.
Pibroch, piobaireachd or ceòl mòr is an art music genre associated primarily with the Scottish Highlands that is characterised by extended compositions with a melodic theme and elaborate formal variations. Strictly meaning 'piping' in Scottish Gaelic, piobaireachd has for some four centuries been music of the great Highland bagpipe.
Jori Lance Chisholm is an American professional bagpipe player and teacher who lives in Seattle, Washington. Chisholm is a successful solo competitor winning the United States Gold Medal four times and has placed in the top three in Scotland's Argyllshire Gathering Gold Medal competition. He played with the six-time Grade One World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and was a featured solo performer for the band on multiple occasions. Chisholm has performed in front of sold-out audiences with The Chieftains and with ex-Grateful Dead rocker Bob Weir and his band Ratdog, and has been featured as a soloist or band member on over 20 recordings. His debut solo album Bagpipe Revolution was nominated for Album of the Year by Pipes|Drums magazine. He writes the "Sound Technique" column for the National Piping Centre’s bi-monthly Piping Today Magazine. The New York Times featured Chisholm's online teaching program, BagpipeLessons.com, and described him as a "top-tier teacher" in a front-page story about the growth of Skype music lessons. A cover story in American Profile Magazine named Chisholm one of the "world's elite pipers."
Fred Morrison is a Scottish musician and composer. He has performed professionally on the Great Highland Bagpipes, Scottish smallpipes, Border pipes, low whistle, Northumbrian Smallpipes and uilleann pipes.
Stuart Liddell MBE is a Scottish bagpipe player. As well as competing in solo competitions, he is the Pipe major of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
The Glenfiddich Piping and Fiddle Championships are musical competitions for the bagpipes and fiddle. Both competitions take place annually in late autumn, at the ballroom of Blair Castle at Blair Atholl in Perthshire, Scotland. Entry to each championship is by invitation only, to those who have won various recognised major UK solo competitions held throughout the year.
Richard Mowat or Mowatt (1865–1936) was an award-winning player of the Northumbrian smallpipes.
Chris Apps is a bagpiper and reed-maker.
The Scottish Piping Society of London is a Society of bagpipers, formed in 1932. The Society aims to support and promote the heritage of Scottish Highland bagpiping.
Alasdair Gillies was a Scottish bagpiper and tutor, and one of the most successful competitive solo players of all time.
Faye Henderson is a bagpipe player from Scotland. In 2010, she became one of the youngest ever winners of a Highland Society of London Gold Medal, as well as the first ever female winner.
Rona Lightfoot is a Scottish bagpiper and singer.
Angus MacColl is a Scottish bagpipe player.
Willie McCallum is Scottish Highland bagpipe player.
The Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band is a pipe band formed from top-class solo players.
The Argyllshire Gathering is a Highland games held in Oban, Scotland.
In competitive solo bagpiping, a Gold Medal is awarded at the Northern Meeting and Argyllshire Gathering for pibroch playing. The prize is one of the most prestigious awards a solo player can receive, and by winning it a player qualifies for a number of restricted competitions.
Angus MacKay was a Scottish bagpipe player and the first Piper to the Sovereign. He wrote collections of pibroch and ceol beag written in staff notation, which became the basis for standardised settings of music which had previously been shared by singing of canntaireachd.