Piping Live launches in Glasgow

With some of the world’s best pipers at a gala celebration at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, Piping Live, The Glasgow International Piping Festival was officially launched this weekend.

2005 is the second international festival after the roaring success of last year’s event, entitled Piping Hot. Due to copyright concerns, the name of the festival was changed.

From August 8 to 14, Piping Live takes advantage of the deluge of pipers and drummers on Glasgow for the World Pipe Band Championships, which are scheduled for August 13 at Glasgow Green. Piping Live promises to showcase “the best that international piping has to offer with more than two-dozen different nationalities and piping traditions being represented.”

The festival is sponsored by Glenfiddich with funding coming from Glasgow City Council, EventScotland, The Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise, and The European Regional Development Fund, and support from the National Piping Centre.

Piping Live director Roddy MacLeod opened the event with Glasgow councilor Alex Mosson, spokesperson for City Marketing and Events.

This year Piping Live will integrate with the Phoenix-Honda-Glasgow-Skye Association Pipe Band’s production of the St. Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Other events include a Celtic Piping Night August 11 that will showcase three of the world’s top pipers performing with several rising stars in piping. The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band will also perform with Fred Morrison and Galicia’s Xose Manuel Budino.

Organizers also announced that the Festival will feature “an edgy, contemporary night” with Australia’s Mark Saul Band and the Finlay McDonald Band of Scotland on August 12. Once again free concerts will take place in George Square and at the National Piping Centre’s street cafe, with performances from the likes of Scotland’s Na Tri Seadan and Sumava of the Czech Republic.

“The first year of Piping Live was a huge success with more than 10,000 people from all over the world attending events throughout the week,” Roddy MacLeod says in a release. “This year’s festival is already shaping up to be even bigger and better with new venues and events and another world class line up that will show people that piping is one of the most diverse and international musical traditions in the world.”

Piper & Drummer Online has been designated the piping media partner for Piping Live, and will bring news and information on the festival throughout the summer.

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