Royal Celtic Society
Evaluation Form
Organisation
Northern Meeting Charitable Piping Trust
Project Name
Northern Meeting Solo Piping Competition 2026
Project Description
Adult solo piping competition, recognised Worldwide as one of the pre-eminent open piping events, and staged in Inverness since 1841.
Around 100 of the top senior competitors from Scotland, Canada, Australia, USA, New Zealand, the rest of the UK and other countries participated.
In addition a Junior solo piping competition is run attracting the best young pipers in Scotland and further afield.
The competitions were held in The Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on 3rd and 4th September.
Numbers Attended
193 paying attendees plus circa 150 pipers.
All under 18s admitted free of charge.
Assessment of Event
The excellent location and experienced team running the event ensured that it ran smoothly in practically every respect.
Stewarding was carried out by members of The Army School of Piping, The Eagle Pipers’ Society and Inverness RBL Pipe Band. This was much praised by the competitors.
The standard of competition was exceptionally high.
Eden Court Theatre is probably the best venue anywhere for major piping competitions and the associated social activities. The staff of the Theatre are hugely experienced and efficient.
Prizes
Three of the most celebrated senior prizes are for piobaireachd playing: namely The Clasp, The Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal, and Silver Medal. Winning any of these has the capacity to change a piper’s career. The Junior pipers are afforded the opportunity to rub shoulders with and hear some of the finest proponents of piobaireachd in the world.
The following were the winners of the above prizes:
The Clasp: Callum Beaumont, Scotland
The Gold Medal: Calum Brown, Scotland
The Silver Medal: Calum Carn, New Zealand
Summary
Once again, we brought the best live solo piping in the world to Inverness. This was a very good year with some memorable performances. It was particularly good to attract young piping enthusiasts to compete and to listen to the best adult players in the world.
An assessment conducted several years ago concluded that the economic value to Inverness of the Northern Meeting Piping Competition was around £180,000, with a further £70,000 in other parts of the North of Scotland.
The support of many donors including The Royal Celtic Society is critical to the event and is hugely appreciated by the Trustees of The Northern Meeting Charitable Piping Trust.
Northern Meeting Prizewinners 2026