{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Stuart Liddell |honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100|MBE}} | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|01|12}} | birth_place = | origin = Inveraray, Scotland | death_date = | death_placipe= | genre = | occupation = Piano Tuner | instrument = Bagpipes | years_active = | label = | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|https://www.stuartliddell.com/}} }} '''Stuart Liddell MBE''' (born 12 January 1973) is a Scottish bagpipe player, playing Great Highland bagpipe. As well as competing in solo competitions, he is the Pipe major of the Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
==Early life== He was born in Oban on 12 January 1973 and spent his early years in Inveroran, near Bridge of Orchy. His father Billy was an accomplished musician, as is his mother Agnes, and his grandfather was Ronnie McCallum, piper to the Duke of Argyll and a prominent piping tutor. At the age of four the family moved to Moffat in Dumfriesshire where Stuart went to school. The family moved to Inveraray, his mother's home town, in 1983.<ref name=pd>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pipesdrums.com/article/stuart-liddell-the-pipesdrums-interview-part-1/|title = Stuart Liddell: The pipes|drums Interview – Part 1}}</ref>
==Band history== thumb|right|Liddell (centre) playing with Simon Fraser University For ten years (1998–2008), he played with the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band in Burnaby, British Columbia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/entertainment/311515651.html |title=Entertainment: SFU Pipe Band makes its annual call to Vernon |work=The Morning Star |date=3 July 2015}}</ref> With the SFU Pipe band he won three World Pipe Band Championship titles, in 1999, 2001, and 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfu.ca/aq/issues/april2014/features/pipe_band_history_and_accolades.html |title=Pipe Band History and Accolades |publisher=Simon Fraser University Pipe Band |date=April 2014 |accessdate=8 October 2015}}</ref> Before joining the SFU Pipe Band, he played with ScottishPower Pipe Band.
Liddell lives in Inveraray and is Pipe major of the Grade 1 Inveraray & District Pipe Band, which he founded in 2003.
Stuart Liddell has won the World Pipe Band Championships as Pipe major of Inveraray & District Pipe Band in 2017, 2019, 2024 and 2025.
==Solo Prizes== Liddell has won many of the top awards in solo piping, including the Gold Medal at the Argyllshire Gathering (2000), the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting (2004),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bagpipejourney.com/articles/gold-medal.shtml |title=Andrew's Tips: Gold Medal Winners |publisher=BagpipeJourney |accessdate=26 July 2013}}</ref> the Clasp at the Northern Meeting four times (2007, 2009, 2013 and 2025),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://piping.northern-meeting.org/winners/ |title=Northern Meeting Winners |publisher=The Northern Meeting |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref> the Bratach Gorm at the Scottish Piping Society of London (2009).
He has won the Glenfiddich Piping Championship four times: 2009,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/music-review-glenfiddich-piping-championship-2468978 |title=Music review: Glenfiddich Piping Championship |work=The Scotsman |date=2 November 2009 |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8336573.stm |title=Piper lifts 'ultimate accolade' |work=BBC News |date=1 November 2009 |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref>2014 <ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-29774129 |title=Glenfiddich piping and fiddle champions crowned |work=BBC News |date=26 October 2014 |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref>, 2020, and 2025. In 2023, Liddell was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in King Charles III's first New Year Honours.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4247084 |title=Order of the British Empire. Civil Division |work=The London Gazette |date=30 December 2022 |access-date=15 November 2025}}</ref>
He is known for his fast playing and innovative arrangements of piping standards.
In October 2025, he became the first pipe major ever to hold the Glenfiddich Championship and the World Pipe Band Championship simultaneously.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A chat with Stuart Liddell about "Garron," his new studio recording out now |url=https://www.pipesdrums.com/article/a-chat-with-stuart-liddell-about-garron-his-new-studio-recording-out-now/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=pipes{{!}}drums |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Recordings== In 2007, Liddell released his first solo recording, ''Inveroran''. He has also appeared on several recordings of Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, with solo tracks on many discs, including: * 1997 Piping Centre Recital Series Vol.2 * Scottish Power Pipe Band – Tartan Weave * Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – Live at Carnegie Hall * Simon Fraser University Pipe Band - Down Under * Awesome Pipers - 2004 * Simon Fraser University Pipe Band – On Home Ground * Inveroran
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Liddell, Stuart}} Category:Great Highland bagpipe players Category:People from Oban Category:Living people Category:Gold Medal winners (bagpipes) Category:Scottish bagpipe players Category:1973 births Category:Members_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire