The Piping Live! Grand Draw results are now here!

The Winners are:

The Prizes are:

• A Full Silver Presentation Practice Chanter as pictured above – courtesy of D. Naill and Co was won by Denis Owens, Edinburgh
• A Made to Measure Kilt – courtesy of St. Kilda’s was won by Anne MacDonald, Newton Mearns
• Six bottles of Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Whisky – courtesy of Glenfiddich was won by Anne Margaret Houston, Dunoon
• A Golden Ticket to Piping Live! 2011  - see the whole festival for free with this marvellous “Golden Ticket” was won by Brian Bergevin, Savage, Minnesota, USA
• A Pipers’ Tryst Pamper Package – A voucher for a pre-theatre dinner for 2 and an overnight B & B stay at the Pipers’ Tryst Hotel, along with £30 of Beauty Vouchers for the Otium Health and Leisure Centre at the nearby Thistle Hotel was won by Kyle Duddy, Newton Stewart, Northern Ireland
• 2 x 5litre Mini Casks of Pipers Gold – courtesy of Fyne Ales were won by Robert Mills, Bishopbriggs and William Barry, Dunfermline
• 3x  subscriptions to Piping Today Magazine were won by Florence Wilson, Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, Kenneth Long, Glasgow and Ronnie Melrose, Gourock
• A Piping Live! Recitals CD  was won by Ian Blakely, Auckland, New Zealand
• A Kilter Carry Case was won by Duncan Walker, Paisley

Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to everyone who bought a Raffle Ticket. The funds will be directly channelled into programming for next year’s festival!

The bands on in George Square today have slightly changed in order. The times are now:

11am – City of Washington

12noon – LA Scots

1pm – Simon Fraser University

2.30pm – Bagad Cap Caval

3.30pm – Inveraray and District

We have been commissioned by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau to undertake a survey amongst people who have attended events which are part of Piping Live 2010.

The survey will ask you questions such as why you went to the events, what you thought of them and how they could be improved. It should take around 5 minutes to complete. Please only complete this survey if you are 16 years old or more.

If you have any questions or queries about the survey, please e-mail david@ashbrookresearch.co.uk

This survey is purely for research purposes and your responses will be completely confidential.

Please follow this link to access the survey:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PipingLive2010

Griogair belongs to the well known Labhruidh family of North Argyll who are renowned in Scotland for Highland music. There have been numerous Gaelic singers and pipers among his forebears and Griogair’s father passed on the piping tradition to him, making Highland music an intrinsic part of his upbringing. Through his strong roots in the fading vernacular Gaelic traditions of North Argyll, he was inspired in his teens to re-enforce his place within the culture and this led to his abiding obsession with the area’s Gaelic song and poetry.

Griogair released his critically acclaimed debut album, Dail-rìata in 2007 and since then he has been involved in many musical collaborations with some of the most notable performers in Scottish and Irish music. He has resurrected numerous songs and tunes which have been forgotten in contemporary Gaelic Scotland through his research into his tradition and is very proud to be keeping the dialect, singing and piping tradition of his people alive.

Griogair’s main influences as a singer have been Allan MacDonald, Charlie MacColl and the numerous singers who were recorded by the School of Scottish Studies (particularly Donald MacColl, Angus Campbell – both from Ardnamurchan in North Argyll and Donald Joseph MacKinnon from Barra/South Uist).

Having been Principal Curator in the National Museums of Scotland, Hugh Cheape moved to the University of the Highlands and Islands in 2007 where he manages a research programme Cultar Dùthchasach agus an Àrainneachd (‘Material Culture & the Environment’) as Research Professor at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.

Earlier today at Piping Live! HQ the draw was made for this year’s International Quartet Competition. The draw is as follows:

1. LA Scots

2. Inveraray and District

3. 78th Fraser Highlanders

4. Bagad Cap Caval

5. The Pipe Band Club, Australia

6. St Laurence O’Toole

7. ScottishPower

Each band will play an MSR in the first half and then a Medley in the Second, with 5 hidden judges for each event. The winner has the best score over the two competitions.

Its very exciting – to book online see the Quartets Page and follow the link

http://www.pipinglive.co.uk/events/the-international-quartet-competition-2010/

Born in Aberdeen, Paul was first taught the practise chanter at age 10 by his beloved, late Granda, George Sim Ritchie, who was a former Pipe-Major and Captain of the 1st Fraserburgh Company Boys’ Brigade. Shortly after, Paul joined the learners’ group of the 47th Culter Boys’ Brigade Pipe Band, receiving tuition from local legends Sandy Robertson, Jim Campbell, Lewis Patterson and Stuart
Reid. Paul progressed from the 47th Culter Novice Juvenile Pipe Band, led by Roy Thomson; to the Juvenile Band, led by Gus McAskill and David Paterson; and finally, to the Grade 2 Culter & District Pipe Band, led by Neil Selbie.
Notable pipe band competition results included winning the European Championships in Novice Juvenile Grade, and the World Championships in Juvenile Grade. During this period, Paul was also a member of the Robert Gordon’s College CCF Pipe Band, led by James Hamilton. Mr Hamilton introduced Paul to Piobaireachd, preparing him for the Highland Games circuit, and the major solo piping
competitions. Of note, Paul won the Under-18 MSR at the Northern Meetings; Overall 1st prize in the Under-18 MSR at the Royal National Mod two years running; as well as back-to-back 1st prizes at the National RSPBA Solo Piping Competition.
In 1995, at age 18, Paul left Aberdeen to begin studies at Strathclyde University, in Glasgow. Unsure of his initial study commitments, Paul took a break from pipe band competitions during his first academic year. However, the following year, Paul joined the now-defunct Grade 1 David Urquhart Travel Pipes & Drums, led by Ally Fletcher; and the Glasgow & Strathclyde University OTC Pipe Band, led by Mathie Love. Later, during the 1999 pipe band season, Paul joined the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, led by Robert Mathieson, where Paul participated in his most notable pipe band achievement to date: 2nd in the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships.
During his four years in Glasgow, Paul received Piobaireachd tuition from the late Ronald Morrison. Notable adult solo achievements included winning the B-Grade Strathspey & Reel Competition at the Northern Meetings; and 1st prize in the B/C Piobaireachd contest, held at the National Piping Centre. This was Paul’s final solo competition.
Paul’s final pipe band contest was with Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia in 1999, and apart from playing at a few weddings, Paul did very little piping over the next 10 years, as further academic study and work in London took priority. However, learning that there was a London-based contingent of the Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band, which regularly practised together under Pipe-Major Stewart McKenzie, Paul joined the New Zealand-based band, competing with them at the 2009 World Pipe Band Championships.
Paul began writing bagpipe music aged 12, with his first composition, “Pipe-Major George S Ritchie”, named in honour of his Grandad. Since then, he has written steadily over the years, with the long-term ambition to publish and record his own music.

The Auckland & District Pipe Band are based in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, and have carved a tradition of performing a strong musical performance wherever they play.
‘A&D’ (as they are affectionately known), are the 2010 Grade 1 New Zealand Champions after defending the title they won in 2009. The drum corps are also the defending Champion Drum Corp, winning both the best Drum Corp & Best Bass section titles for the last 4 years running, an achievement which has not been matched in over 35 years. A strong influence on teaching for the future has been harnessed by the officers of the band as they look towards continuing the art form within New Zealand and maintaining the high standards within the Auckland region that the ‘A&D’ band strive for. The band is representing New Zealand at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, the week prior to the Piping Live and is then making the short trip north to Glasgow to compete at the Worlds for the first time since 1995. The bands Pipe Major is Martin Frewen & the Leading Drummer is Glenn Miller. Both are committed leaders who enjoy playing quality music in a relaxed and enjoyable manner and wish to embrace the fantastic opportunity to take the Auckland & District Pipe Band to a new level by performing on the worlds biggest stage in both France & Scotland.

The Saffron United Pipe Band is one of the most well-known bands in the eastern United States. Based in Babylon, NY, the Band was formed by a small group of piping enthusiasts from the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Division 2 in 1962, making SUPB one of the oldest pipe bands in the New York Metropolitan Area.
The Band’s first Pipe Major, Matt Close, was very focused on providing an educational atmosphere to cultivate and challenge younger players. Young people, he figured, were the strength of the future. This strategy, which we continue to embrace today, has helped the band excel at every level of competition and performance. As a result, the Band is one of the most consistent winners in the competitive arena.
After Matt’s death in 1984, the Band came under the leadership of Michael Faughnan Jr. Michael continued Matt’s legacy and refined the educational and instructional programs for the Band. Presently, we field Grade 3 and Grade 5 bands, and a non-competitive performance band. We perform as one band in parades and at many events, allowing our novice players to gain valuable experience alongside our seasoned veterans. Over 60 active players proudly wear our National Millennium Tartan.
Michael held the Pipe Major post until 2007, when he handed the reins to our current Pipe Major, Eric Stein. Donal Morrissey Jr. is Pipe Major of the Grade 3 band, and
Maureen Stein is Pipe Major of the Grade 5 band.
We have taken a leadership role in the piping community by exposing the “Best of the Best” to our students and the general public. Through the medium of seminars, recitals and concerts we have enlisted World Champion caliber performers to come to Long Island and work with us. Every February The National Piping Centre from Glasgow, Scotland, runs a one week school in Babylon for pipers and drummers seeking intense instruction from world-class (and world-champion) teachers. And many Saffron players share their skills and knowledge by teaching bands and individuals in the area.
Aside from successfully competing on an active basis on the North American, Canadian, Scottish and Irish circuits, the SUPB has also performed at a number of different venues over the years, including at the white House, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Shea Stadium. We’ve also performed with many professional musicians, including The Clancy Brothers, The Wolfetones, The Chieftains, Cherish the Ladies and Frank Patterson. We have represented the United States at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and have competed at the All Ireland Pipe Band Championships.

The Xeremia is the traditional bagpipe of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands. In 2001 the “Associació Cultural Xeremiers de Sóller” was created in Sóller (Mallorca)- Spain. Its main purpose is the investigation, the dissemination and the spread of the music related to the folk instruments of the Balearic Islands and we are pleased to welcome the Xeremiers de Soller in their traditional costumes to Piping Live! 2010.