Macmeanmna recording artist Stuart Liddell of Inveraray recently received a double accolade in the New Year awards made by the prestigious periodical “Pipes/Drums”. Stuart’s debut CD “Inveroran” which he recorded with Macmeanmna was named as ‘Solo Piping CD of 2007’ by Piper and Drummer, describing it as “a well-reviewed and popularly brilliant disc”. “Pipes/Drums” also named him as ‘Piper of the Year’.

Among the achievements of 2007 which helped Stuart win this title, were winning the coveted Clasp at the Northern Meetings, the Glasgow Knockout competitions and the Lord Todd Challenge. He also competes with Simon Fraser University Pipe Band, which is one of the World’s finest and he still finds time to lead his own Inveraray & District Pipe Band to a sweep of the RSPBA majors in the Novice Juvenile grade. These, together with the release of “Inveroran”, made Stuart an obvious winner.

Stuart Liddell, was brought up in Inveroran near Bridge of Orchy but is now based in Inveraray, Argyll, where he works as a piano tuner and pipe music instructor. Piping is in the blood. His grandfather was the late Pipe Major Ronnie McCallum MBE, piper to the Duke of Argyll, and it was from Ronnie that Stuart had his first lessons, at the age of nine, building the foundations of solid technique and sound repertoire which have become a hallmark of his playing. Another early influence was Arthur Gillies from Kilchrennan, a masterly interpreter of both light music and pìobaireachd, and more recently he has had tuition from Jim Henderson and Hugh MacCallum.

Produced for Macmeanmna by Iain MacInnes, the award-winning “Inveroran” is a delightful blend of studio-based and live recordings. Stuart chose to travel to Breakish Hall in Skye to record his live tracks before an invited audience. He had played a recital for the Skye Piping Society in that hall a couple of years before and was impressed with its ambience and acoustic. According to “Pipes/Drums”, the resulting CD “showcases Liddell in top form, demonstrating his uncanny all-round ability to play pìobaireachd as well as he can an March, Strathspey & Reel or the most creative and fast light music imaginable. While other pipers can move their hands just as quickly, no one in the world has the accuracy, musicality and good taste of Liddell, and this came through brilliantly on ‘Inveroran’.”

Macmeanmna is building up an impressive piping-related backlist. Rona Lightfoot and Finlay MacDonald, Simon McKerrell and Chris Gibb have published CDs under the Macmeanmna label as has a double-CD compilation of highlights from the Northern Meeting between 1994 and 2004. Albums by top pipers Alasdair Gillies, Niall Matheson and Patrick Molard from Brittany are in preparation and the label’s piping producer, Iain MacInnes, is being encouraged to publish with Macmeanmna a follow-up to his much praised debut CD, “Tryst”. Macmeanmna also plans to release CDs by Gaelic singer Arthur Cormack, Còisir Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis and Ceòlraidh Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu in 2008, and will shortly be publishing a book of tunes and songs by Skye-based musician Blair Douglas.