INVERARAY PIPING WORKSHOP 2020
Piping Instructors
Bruce Hitchings
Major Bruce Hitchings MBE BEM was born in Huntersville, New Zealand. He started playing the pipes at the age of eleven. By the time he was sixteen he was playing with the New Zealand Champions – The City of Wellington Pipe Band.
In 1977 Bruce joined the Black Watch Territorial Army as a Piper and enlisted as a regular into the Queen’s Own Highlanders in 1978.
In 1986 he became the Battalion Pipe Major, and during this time was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). The last eight years of his military career was spent in the post of WO1 Pipe Major, the Senior Pipe Major, British Army and Chief Instructor at The Army School of Piping, Edinburgh. In 2000 Bruce was rewarded with the Member of British Empire Medal (MBE) for services to Army piping.
Bruce set up the highly successful Highland Reeds company in 2000 and has developed new piping products with an aim to simplify the science of piping. (http://www.highlandreeds.com/bagpipe-reeds/)
Bruce also judges internationally and at many of the Scottish Senior competitions, including the Silver Medal at the Northern Meetings 2013.
Bruce played at many Tattoos during his military career. Since 2014, he is the Producer of the annual Highland Military Tattoo in Inverness, Scotland.
Stuart Liddell
Stuart Liddell, from Inveraray, started piping at the age of nine and was originally taught by his grandfather, the late Pipe Major Ronald McCallum M.B.E. and later, Arthur Gillies. He has also had tuition from Jim Henderson and Hugh McCallum.
One of the most gifted pipers in the world today, he has won three Clasps at Inverness, the Senior Piobaireachd at Oban three times, both Gold Medals and is a two-time Glenfiddich Piping Champion.
Stuart is founder and Pipe Major of the Inveraray & District Pipe Band, winners of the World Pipe Band Championship in 2017 and 2019. Previously he was a member of the Scottish Power Pipe Band for seven years thereafter joining the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver, Canada with whom he played for eleven years.
Visit Stuarts page: http://www.stuartliddell.com/media
A piano tuner to trade, he is also piping instructor at Mid Argyll Primary and Lochgilphead High Schools.
Alasdair Henderson
Alasdair is from Dunoon, Argyll, but now resides in Glasgow. He started piping at the age of ten taking lessons from Pipe Major Jim Henderson. Since moving to Glasgow in 2006 to study music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he has more recently received tuition from Willie McCallum.
He joined Inveraray & District Pipe Band in the autumn of 2009 having previously played with the Scottish Power Pipe Band.
Outwith the band he competes regularly around the solo piping competition circuit. Recent successes include; 1st in the Silver Medal and 4th in the A grade March, Strathspey and Reel at the 2013 Northern Meeting, 2nd in the Silver Medal and 3rd in the A grade Marches at the 2013 Argyllshire Gathering and 1st in the Strachan Memorial A grade March, Strathspey and Reel at the 2013 SPSL competition in London.
He is a piping instructor at George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh and is also the Pipe Major of their Novice Juvenile band.
Murray Henderson
Murray Henderson was born in New Zealand and was first taught by his father, and then the late Donald Bain. He moved to Scotland in 1973, and won the Inverness Gold Medal in 1975. Since then he has been one of the most prolific prize-winners: six Inverness Clasps, five Bratach Gorms, five Silver Chanters, five former winners MSR’s at the London Championships & four Glenfiddich Championships.
Having retired from competitive piping in 2012, Murray is a senior adjudicator for the SPJA. A highly sought after tutor at home and abroad as well as Skype teaching, his pupils have won such events as the Glenfiddich Championship, Inverness Clasp, Gold Medal – plus many events in the C.L.A.S.P. competitions.
Murray was very proud to be inducted into the Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2016 for Services to Performance.
Married to Patricia, who is also a senior SPJA Piobaireachd adjudicator, they run their reed and pipe business www.hendersonreedmakers.com in Kirriemuir.