Glasgow goes global to bring world of piping to city
Piping Live! and the World Pipe Band Championships launch G
LASGOW will welcome a worldwide gathering of pipers, drummers and music enthusiasts as it hosts Piping Live! Glas-
gow International Piping Festival and The World Pipe Band Championships from August 6 to 12. Around 40,000 visitors and 8000 competitors and performers are expected to descend on the city for the world’s biggest week of traditional music. The World Pipe Band Championships regularly
attracts bands from as far afield as Australia, Oman, New Zealand, Canada and the USA and this year’s Piping Live! programme includes performances by artists from 10 European countries including Estonia, Bulgaria, Sweden and Italy. The Worlds, hailed as the Olympics of the pipe band scene, have been held in Glasgow for almost 70 years. Piping Live! is now in its ninth year and has estab- lished itself as one of the world’s top celebrations of Scottish culture showcasing a diverse blend of traditional music.
The packed schedule programme showcases the experimental energy of today’s newest talent such as Niteworks and Rura, as well as the accomplishment of established musicians from around the world. There
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are almost 150 free and ticketed events taking place morning, noon and night across the city, ranging from workshops to masterclasses, ceilidhs to concerts and street performances. Piping Live! Festival Director Roddy MacLeod said:
“We’ve put together a fantastic programme this year that will once again show what an energetic, eclectic and exhilarating instrument the bagpipes are. “Whether you are a fan of traditional music, a newcomer to the genre, you want to pick up the pipes yourself, or you are looking for something to do with the children during the summer holidays, Piping Live! has something for everyone.”
The main evening concerts feature a wealth of talents. First up on Monday, August 6 is the opening night concert with The John McSherry Band and Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and Kris Drever at the Strathclyde Suite of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The International Quartet Competition takes
centre stage at the same venue on Tuesday, August 7 with pipe bands from around the globe playing an MSR and medley to impress 10 hidden judges. The National Piping Centre plays host to Orain
Nam Piobairean with Breabach and Kathleen MacInnes and Friends on Wednesday, August 8.
Pipes and Strings is the theme of the performance at the Strathclyde Suite of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Thursday, August 9 as Asturian group Tejedor and Blazin’ Fiddles take to the stage. New Folk Friday with Rura and Niteworks will bring a fantastic mix of traditional tunes and house beats to the Arches on August 10. A ceilidh rounds off the week on Saturday, August 11 with The Lorne MacDougall Band and The Vatersay Boys getting everyone up on the floor for the After Worlds Shindig at The Old Fruitmarket. The incredible spectacle of The Worlds at Glasgow Green takes place earlier that day.
Grade 1 champions Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band from Belfast will be aiming to retain their title but face stiff competition from a field which includes rivals from Canada, Scotland and Ireland. Ian Embelton, Chief Executive of the Royal Scot- tish Pipe Band Association, said: “London may have the Olympics this year, but The Worlds has long been known as the Olympics of the pipe band world. “Each year, bands come to Glasgow to compete for the coveted title of World Champions, the piping equivalent of Gold. It will be an unmissable weekend for the whole family.” Tickets for Piping Live! events and the Worlds are available to purchase from 0141 353 8000 and
www.seeglasgow.com/piping.
NEWS
Photo: Chris James
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