THE WORLD PIPES UP FOR PIPING LIVE
The world’s biggest piping festival celebrates visitors from 14 countries to Glasgow from 7th – 13th August 2017
Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival (7-13 August) kicked off today with a special performance by The Scots School Albury Pipe and Drums, who travelled from New South Wales, Australia to take part in this year’s festival – an astounding 16,000 miles.
Piping Live! will see over 40,000 music fans, families and tourists flock to the city from countries from across the globe, including: Estonia, Argentina, Canada, Czech Republic, and Italy to enjoy 200 events and 8,000 performers throughout the week. A visitor survey and economic impact report found that in 2016, Piping Live! generated a staggering £2.3 million for the local economy.
The Scots School Albury Pipe and Drums will be the first band to play in the heart of the city, putting on a spectacular display for spectators at George Square. The band has also been invited to perform at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
The School Pipe Major, Sebastian Turner, said: “We’re delighted to be part of Piping Live!, the band work hard all year round to be involved in an event of this calibre so travelling half way across the world is definitely worth it.”
Roddy McLeod, Director of Piping Live!, said: “We are thrilled to welcome pipers and musicians from all over the world to Piping Live! It’s a huge honour to host the world’s biggest week of piping and we’d like to thank The Scots School Albury Pipe and Drums who have travelled more than 16,000 miles to be part of the celebration.
We can’t think of a better way to toast Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology than a full week of traditional music for visitors to enjoy. Come join in the fun – you’re bound to hear and enjoy something new.”
Paul Bush OBE, Visit Scotland’s Director of Events, said: “Paul Bush OBE, Visit Scotland’s Director of Events, said: “Piping Live! is a fantastic week-long celebration of one of our countries most iconic instruments and sounds. It is wonderful to have so many bands from all over the world part of this year’s festival, especially as we celebrate Scotland’s Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.
“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and EventScotland is delighted to be long-term supporter of Piping Live!. It is a key part of our annual calendar of events and provides the perfect lead up for visitors and performers to the World Pipe Band Championships.
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Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life said: “Piping Live! is a brilliant showcase of Scottish Culture that brings venues around the city to life with the sound of the pipes. To have so many bands and musicians coming from around the world to take part shows just how Piping Live! is playing a huge role in developing piping while showcasing Glasgow as a destination. If you get the chance, get along and see some of the incredible performances they have lined up.”
Now in its 14th year, Piping Live! is known around the world for its diverse programme of entertainment. This year is no exception with highlights including:
• The Masters Solo Competition (Monday 7th, National Piping Centre), the qualifier for the Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championships which takes place later in the year.
• The International Quartet Competition (Tuesday 8th, Royal Concert Hall), one of the week’s must-see events with eight top pipe bands from across the globe sending their best four pipers to see who will be crowned champions.
• The Lowland and Borders Pipers Society (Wednesday 9th, National Piping Centre) will showcase the diversity of piping music.
• Pipe Idol and the Pipe Major Alasdair Gillies Memorial Recital Challenge (Thursday 10th August, Royal Concert Hall) provide a double dose of top piping action.
• The Peatbog Faeries and Jose Manuel Tejedor (Friday 11th, Drygate) contemporary traditional music from the west coast of Scotland and Asturias, Spain.
• The After World’s Shindig (Saturday 12th, National Piping Centre) Shimmy Grand Ceildh Band will provide the soundtrack to the late night celebration.
• The Gordon Duncan Memorial Competition and Battlefield Band (Sunday 13th, National Piping Centre) wrap up Piping Live! in style.
The World Pipe Band Championships will return to Glasgow Green on 11 and 12 August and will welcome 219 bands who will fight it out for the ultimate title of World Champions. Bands are coming from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA, and South Africa as well as from across Europe to compete.
This year it celebrates its 70th anniversary, with the first ever World Pipe Band Championships being held at Murrayfield in Edinburgh in 1947. The event was first held in Glasgow in 1948 and has been staged in the city continuously since 1986. Tickets and further information is available via www.theworlds.co.uk.
Tickets for Piping Live! are on sale now via www.pipinglive.co.uk
For more information, interviews and images, contact Wire:
Gillian Lamont | gillian@wearewire.co | 0141 648 9610 | 07738 271 568
Victoria Irvine | victoria@wearewire.co | 0141 648 9610 | 07951 365 636
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