Livingstone 2023
Results
Light Music
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Ian K MacDonald
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Sean McKeown
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Tyler Bridge
Piobaireachd
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Nick Hudson
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Sean McKeown
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Ian K MacDonald
Overall Winner
Sean McKeown (Piobaireachd preference)
Competitors
Andrea Boyd
Joe Biggs
Tyler Bridge
Jacob Dicker
Callum Harper
Nick Hudson
Ian K MacDonald
Matt MacIsaac
Ben McClamrock
Sean McKeown
Derek Midgley
Alastair Murray
Adjudicators
John Cairns
William Livingstone
Jim McGillvray
Biographies
Andrea Boyd
Andrea Boyd began her piping with the Antigonish Highland Society Pipe Band, from 1994-2001. She then spent a decade in Scotland and Ireland, as a member of the Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band from 2003-2006, and the St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band from 2006-2011, winning the World Pipe Band Championships in 2010. Andrea returned to Canada in 2012 and was a member of the Ottawa Police Service Pipe Band from 2013-2017.
Andreas solo piping career includes winning the B March and B Strathspey & Reel at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2006, the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2008, Professional Piper of the Day at the Glengarry Highland Games in 2015, and the Gold Medal (Canada) at the Glengarry Highland Games in 2017. She has placed twice in the Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering.
In 2022, Andrea was awarded professional piper of the day at the Georgetown, Cambridge, and Glengarry Highland Games in Ontario, and took prizes at the Skye Gathering in Scotland. She currently receives tuition from Willie McCallum.
Andrea lives in Ottawa and works in Policy & Public Affairs at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Joe Biggs
Joe Biggs has been playing for over 20 years. His initial instruction was from Willie Muirhead, followed by several years with Tristan Wilson. He is currently receiving instruction from Chris Armstrong. His recent notable achievements include: 2nd place in the Toronto Knockouts final, 2023; 5th place in the US Silver Medal Piobaireachd (Kansas City), 2023; 1st place in the North American Silver Medal MSR event (Kansas City), 2023; and competing at all 5 RSPBA Major Championships in the 2022 season with Scottish Power Pipe Band. A resident of Ontario since 2018, this is his first time at "The Livingstone".
Tyler Bridge
Tyler Bridge is a professional level solo piper and accredited B grade judge with the Pipers and Pipe Band Society of Ontario. Based in Guelph Ontario, Tyler is also Pipe Major of the Guelph Pipe Band and manages a music school called Jam School. He holds a music degree from the University of Guelph where his area of concentration was jazz guitar performance. His initial competitive piping tuition in piobaireachd and light music came from the late Ed Neigh and in recent years he has received help and guidance from Calum MacDonald of Wellesley, Ontario. He currently sees Bob Worrall for both light music and piobaireachd instruction. Tyler has been a regular competitor on the professional circuit in Ontario and placed 2nd at the Maxville Gold Medal Piobaireachd contest in 2018 as well as winning the overall Champion Supreme for B level Piobaireachd in Ontario in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Tyler has been teaching for 15 years and many of his students have achieved competitive success in all amateur grades, including several regularly taking prizes in grades 2 and 1 in the Ontario games circuit over the past 4 years.
Tyler's pipe band has also seen competitive success. Starting with 8 pipers and 4 drummers in grade 4 in 2014, the band has continued to progress, winning the Ontario Champion Supreme title in grade 4 in 2015 and the Ontario Champion Supreme title in grade 3 in 2019 and 2022. The Guelph Pipe Band currently has close to 80 members and fields both a grade 4 and grade 3 competition band. Tyler is also involved in several youth teaching projects including the Guelph Air Cadets and the Spirit of Ontario grade 5 band.
Outside of competition, Tyler plays guitar and border pipes with other folk musicians for ceilidhs and Scottish country dancing.
Jacob Dicker
Jacob Dicker is originally from Sarnia, Ontario. He began playing with the local legion pipe band and moved up the solo grades under the tuition of Bill McLeod in Kincardine. He then received tuition from Willie Connell for the better part of a decade. Willie guided Jacob into the professional ranks at age 16 after a successful amateur career, during which he won or tied for Ontario Championship Supreme awards in all but one grade.
As a professional, Jacob has seen increasing success in Canada and abroad. In 2008 he won the MacCrimmon Trophy for Piobaireachd in Lorient, France, and in 2014 he won the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal (Canada) in Maxville. He has also won or tied for Ontario Championship Supreme for professional piobaireachd on multiple occasions. In Scotland, he has won prizes at the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting, including second place in the "B" Strathspey/Reel in Oban last summer.
Jacob has also been an active member of several top bands. In the 2000s, he played with the Windsor Police PB, which finished in the top five in Grade 2 at the World Pipe Band Championships every year they attended (2001-2005). In Grade 1, they took second at the 2006 North American Pipe Band Championships.
After graduating from Queen’s in Kingston with a Master’s in History, Jacob moved to Ottawa in 2012 to complete a Master’s in Public Administration. He joined the Ottawa Police Pipe Band the following year, and played an integral role on the band's tuning team. Since 2017, Jacob has been pipe major of that organization. In 2019, the band tied for Best Pipe Corps in Grade 2 at the North American Pipe Band Championships.
Jacob has also played a significant role in the PPBSO through his former role as president of the Ottawa Branch. During his tenure, he was instrumental in introducing several competitions and teaching initiatives.
Today, Jacob lives near Maxville, Ontario with his wife Emily.
Callum Harper
Callum Harper is from Bolton, Ontario and started learning bagpipes at the age of six. He first started playing under the instruction from Jamie Blacklock. Since 2010, Callum has been receiving instruction from Bob Worrall.
Highlights of Callum’s piping career include winning the ‘B’ Grade March at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2016, the MSRHJ event at the 2017 Livingstone Invitational, and the Professional Light Music Champion Supreme in Ontario for the 2016 season. He has played with several bands including the Georgetown Pipe Band, Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band, Scotia Glenville Pipe Band, and the Peel Police Pipe Band.
Callum holds a master’s degree in structural engineering and works as a Bridge Engineering Intern for the engineering consulting firm Stantec. In addition to competing at the 2023 Livingstone, Callum is looking forward to his upcoming nuptials with his fiancé Cailey in September.
Nick Hudson
Nick Hudson teaches piping at St. Thomas' Episcopal School in Houston and plays with the St. Thomas Alumni Pipe Band in Grade 1. He received a BFA in Music Performance under Jimmy McIntosh and Alasdair Gillies from Carnegie-Mellon University. Nick’s performance highlights include winning the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting in Inverness, the Braemar Gold Medal, the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban, the B MSR at the Northern Meeting, the London Ram's Head Snuff Mull for A-Grade Piobaireachd, the Overall A-Grade Winner at the SPSL Annual Contest in London twice, the Piobaireachd Society Canadian Gold Medal, the USPF Piobaireachd & MSR. He has been an overall winner of The Livingstone, overall winner of The Metro Cup, and has appeared on a BBC Pipeline session. Nick serves as the chair of the EUSPBA Music Board and is a member of the EUSPBA Judges Panel.
Ian K. MacDonald
"Ian K" began playing at the age of eight and was originally taught by his father, P/M John MacDonald. At thirteen he received instruction from Jim McGillivray who introduced Ian to Piobaireachd. This was the year he joined the ranks of the Toronto Police Pipe Band where he has remained a member, eventually taking over as Pipe Major from his father in 1996. Ian has recently received instruction from Bill Livingstone and Peter Aumonier.
In 2016 Ian became one of only twelve pipers ever to win the "Double" Gold medal in Piobaireachd at Oban and Inverness in the same year, capping off one of his finest years in his solo piping career.
In 2019 he joined the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band along with compatriot and long-time friend Sean McKeown, winning the World Pipe Band Championships in 2022. Ian is the current PPBSO Champion Supreme winner for Open Piping Light Music.
Ian is a Sergeant with the Toronto Police Service and a proud husband of the beautiful Brenda, and father to Colin (23), Cameron (22) and the lovely Ashlyn (20).
Matt McIsaac
Originally from Nova Scotia, Matt has been competing, touring, teaching, and composing for 30 years. He has spent all of his adult life as a professional musician and piper in one capacity or another, including 9 years in the military, over 15 years as a touring musician, and now is the Director of Piping & Drumming at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, ON and the Pipe Major of their grade 2 band.
Ben McClamrock
Ben McClamrock was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, but now resides in Washington, DC where he works as a data analyst. Ben started piping at the age of nine. Growing up, Ben received tuition from pipers Roderick Alexander and Christopher Hamilton, as well as attending summer schools around the United States such as Invermark in Vermont. Ben quickly rose up the amateur competition rankings and became professional at the age of 17. Ben now travels extensively to compete and is a consistent prize winner in the United States, Canada, and Scotland. Some of his top prizes include winning the Silver Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering, Oban (2019), 3rd Place in the A Marches (2017) and A Strathspey and Reel (2018) at Oban, top overseas piper at the Braemar Highland Gathering (2016), 3rd Place in the A MSR at Inverness (2013), winning the US Silver Medal at Winter Storm (2013), 2nd Place at the Canadian Gold Medal (2015), 2nd overall at the United States Piping Foundation (2017, 2022). In addition to solo competitions, Ben has served as Pipe Sergeant to the City of Washington Pipe Band, formerly one of the top pipe bands in the United States, and is the lead piping instructor to the Maryland Youth Pipe Band, formerly known as the Rockville High School Pipe Band. He currently receives piping instruction from William McCallum of Bearsden, Scotland.
Sean McKeown
Sean McKeown began piping in 1993 with lessons from Gail Brown. Later he received tuition from Bill Livingstone in Piobaireachd.
Sean’s solo piping accomplishments include winning the Canadian Gold Medal and Bar to the Gold for Piobaireachd; overall winner of the Livingstone Invitational twice; winning a 1st and 2nd in the Silver Medal for Piobaireachd at Oban and Inverness in the same year, and two 2nd placings in the following year at the Gold Medal at Oban and Inverness; winning the Golden Axe for Piobaireachd and light music at the Lochaber Gathering; winning the A-grade Hornpipe and Jig at Inverness; and numours prizes in the A-grade light music at Oban and Inverness.
Sean was a member of the Milton Optimist Pipe Band, led by Gail Brown, who went on to win the 1994 Juvenile and 1997 Grade 3 World Pipe Band Championships. He joined the 78th Fraser Highlanders briefly in 1998, before joining the Toronto Police Pipe Band, where he played under Ian MacDonald and James MacHattie. In 2006, Sean returned to the 78th Fraser Highlanders, where he stayed until Bill Livingstone retired as Pipe Major in 2010. Sean returned to the Toronto Police Pipe Band and was Pipe Major of the grade 1 band from the 2015-2018 seasons. In 2016 and 2017, Sean was invited to take part in the '87 Live in Ireland concerts held in Glasgow and Belfast, and in 2019 joined the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, placing second in the World Pipe Band Championships in 2019, and winning the title in 2022.
Outside of competition, Sean has performed live and recorded his compositions with a ceilidh band called the Tartan Terrors. He has performed live with Bryan Adams, Natalie MacMaster, and his brothers' rock band, Black Pistol Fire.
Sean has a degree in Physical Health and Education from the University of Toronto and works as a Detective Constable in the Gun and Gang Task Force with the Toronto Police. He is incredibly grateful to have the support of his amazing wife, Amy, and kids Charlie and Isla on his piping journey!
Derek Midgley
Derek Midgley hails from Tinton Falls, New Jersey and began piping at the age of 12. His first tutor was George Bell, formerly of Parlin, N.J., who was instrumental in Derek’s rise through the amateur ranks in the US. After his passing, Derek is fortunate to receive instruction from Roddy MacLeod, MBE.
Derek’s notable solo prizes include the Silver Medal and B Marches at the Northern Meeting, and multiple prizes in the Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal at both Oban and Inverness including a prize in 2022. He has won the the A Grade MSR, Hornpipe/Jig, and Piobaireachd at the Scottish Piping Society of London Competition, the Dunvegan Medal and Open Marches at Skye, and the Lochaber Axe for Senior Piobaireachd at Fort William. In Canada, Derek was the third person ever to win the “Double Gold” Gold Medal and Bar to the Gold Medal of Canada on the same day. More recently in the USA, he has won the Metro Cup Piobaireachd, the United States Piping Foundation Piobaireachd three times, and the USPF Overall for the first time in 2022. Most recently, Derek won the light music at the Royal Highland Gathering at Braemar in September of 2022.
Derek also has many years of domestic and international Grade 1 Pipe Band experience, having played with the City of Washington Pipe Band, Toronto Police Pipe Band, and the Scottish Power Pipe Band.
Derek became a piping adjudicator for the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association in 2016 and a member of the EUSPBA Music Board in 2017. He is also the current Metro Branch Chairman. In 2020, Derek was elected President of the Competing Pipers Association based in Glasgow, Scotland and works to coordinate solo professional piping in Scotland and abroad.
Alastair Murray
Alastair Murray was born in Northern Ireland, brought up in local pipe bands, including Gilnahirk Pipe Band, Bangor Cal Pipe Band, and Glassdrummond Pipe Band, through guidance of Francis Strain and Fred Russell. He has played with top grade one bands Ravara, Ballycoan and St Laurence O’Toole.
Alastair is thankful to have received excellent tuition from William McCallum and most recently Bill Livingstone.
Alastairs recent piping successes include 1st places in the North American grade B Piobaireachd, the American Piobaireachd championship, and the Gold Medal Competiiton at the Ligoneir Highland Games.
He has won several prizes in the silver medal at Winter Storm in Kansas City and the Canadian gold medal competition. Alastair has been overall Ohio branch champion in both Piobaireachd and light music 6 times in a row and won multiple prizes in Scotland, Ireland and North America.
When not piping, he is showing his Siberian Huskies with his wife Kristen.