A bespoke tartan carpet transformed Glasgow’s Buchanan Street today, Wednesday 16th May, to unveil the headliners of this year’s Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival and The World Pipe Band Championships, which both return to the city 13 – 19 August 2018.
Now in its 15th year, Piping Live! is the biggest festival of its kind – each year attracting over 40,000 music fans, families and tourists from around the globe to watch more than 5,000 pipers perform at 150 events across the city.
Some of the hottest names in traditional music are set to perform, including Finlay MacDonald, Anxo Lorenzo and Ross Ainslie. Also joining the bill will be thrilling folk five-piece, Breabach, who are fresh from an Australian and UK tour and are set perform a blistering set at the BBC’s Biggest Weekend.
The programme will feature performances by the very best international acts, from countries including New Zealand, Oman, Canada and Scotland and will also see the return of the fiercely contested Master Solo, International Quartet and Pipe Idol competitions. In addition, there will be daily performances, family fun and the hugely popular Street Café will return to The National Piping Centre for the week.
The World Pipe Band Championships are the pinnacle of competitive Pipe Band competition and are organised on behalf of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association by the City of Glasgow. The current World Champions are Inveraray and District Pipe Band.
The first ever World Pipe Band Championships were held in Edinburgh in 1947. The event was first held in Glasgow in 1948 and has been staged in the city continuously since 1986. So far over 140 bands have already declared they will take part with entries remaining open until 4 July.
Tickets for the World Pipe Band Championships, which are being held at Glasgow Green on 17 and 18 August, are on sale now.
Roddy MacLeod, Festival Director of Piping Live! said: “For the last 15 years we have celebrated the diverse sound of pipes by bringing the very best musicians from across the world to Glasgow. We’re thrilled that the festival has continued to grow and gain momentum year in, year out – something we’re keen to build on for 2018.
“There really is something for everyone at Piping Live! – we have a week packed with incredible performances and family fun, which is why we’re inviting everyone to enjoy the electric atmosphere of the festival first-hand. See you there!”
Finlay MacDonald, performing at this year’s Piping Live!, said: “There is a real passion for folk music in Scotland and there’s no better place to perform than on home soil at the biggest celebration of piping in the world.”
Piping Live! and The World Pipe Band Championships are supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “Piping Live! is a fantastic week-long celebration of one of Scotland’s most iconic instruments and sounds. The festival continues to go from strength to strength and this year is no different with another stellar line-up of international and home-grown acts guaranteed to entertain audiences all week long.
“Scotland is the perfect stage for piping events and festivals and EventScotland is delighted to be continuing its support of Piping Live! in 2018.”
For your chance of an exclusive taster of this year’s Piping Live!, join us at the live recording for BBC Pipeline show on Wednesday 13th June at the National Piping Centre. The piping hot line-up includes Ross Ainslie, Steven Byrnes and Glasgow Police Pipe Band, tickets are on sale now via www.pipinglive.co.uk