The inaugural ‘London Recital’ will be held on 25 September 2025 and will feature two of the outstanding pipers of today, Iain Speirs and Angus MacColl.
This new landmark event will be an evening of piobaireachd and light music held in one of London’s most historic Scottish venues.
By Gordon Tughan-Jones
On 25 September 2025, invited guests, all with connections to piping, will gather at Dover House, Whitehall – the historic headquarters of the Scotland Office – for a celebration of both forms of the music of the Great Highland Bagpipe.
The event will be hosted by The Pinstripe Highlanders and The Piobaireachd Society, supported by the Highland Society of London, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, Scottish Piping Society of London and London Scottish Pipes & Drums, and held by kind permission of the Secretary of State for Scotland, The Rt. Hon. Ian Murray MP.
Initially an invitation-only, non-profit event, the London Recital promises not only world-class piping but the addition of another regular event to the London piping calendar.
Upon arrival, guests will be flanked by the pipers and banners of the Pinstripe Highlanders as they pass through Dover House’s impressive 1790s rotunda, before being welcomed with a champagne reception in the Reception Rooms and on the balcony overlooking Horse Guards Parade.
After this, they will move to the grand State Room for the evening’s performances, where (subject to availability) the 1st Battalion Scots Guards Pipes and Drums will open with a light music and Highland dancing set.
The main event features two of the top pipers of our time, Angus MacColl and Iain Speirs. Together, they will deliver a rich programme of Ceòl Mòr and Ceòl Beag.
This underscores the recital’s goals: to raise the profile of piobaireachd, expand London’s piping calendar, and encourage collaboration across the piping world. During the intermission there will be almost an hour for a further drinks reception and an opportunity for discussion of the piping.
The organisers wish to thank those organisations that have donated to and supported the concept of this new annual event, which is now almost fully subscribed.
Given the enthusiasm and uptake, we hope to expand to enable a much wider attendance by pipers and enthusiasts from across the UK.
For further information, or to express a desire to be involved in the future, please contact: contact@thelondonrecital.com
For now, attendance has had to be limited to invitation only. Invitations were extended by involved organisations, with a suggested priority given towards those who have committed time towards the management and running of the involved organisations. www.thelondonrecital.com
