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New Knockout Contest Aims to Bring Europe’s Best Pipers Together


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The European Knockout Bagpipe Competition is an innovative and thrilling event designed to showcase the best talent from across the continent. Modelled after the Eurovision Song Contest, this competition aims to celebrate the bagpipe traditions of different European countries while fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie within the piping community.
 The goal is to reach a wider community than the typical piping audience. Next year each participating country will…

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Silver Chanter 2020: Another Perspective

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By Jimmy McIntosh MBE I don’t know if getting older makes one over critical, but I did not think that the playing here was outstanding, especially as it was advertised as showcasing Scotland’s best players.  There is no question that the pipers were all technically very good, but I felt there was not as high a standard of musical expression as I had expected or hoped, and though the contest…

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Ceol Mor Expert Disappointed at the Standard of Piobaireachd Playing at Major Contests

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By Jimmy McIntosh MBE I do not usually get to listen to the piping programmes from Scotland but was fortunate to hear some of the competitors’ tunes from the Northern Meetings. I also recently spent several weeks in my native country and heard recordings from Lorient Piobaireachd and also the Piping Centre Masters contest. I was quite disappointed with the standard of what I heard. I don’t know what has happened…

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Blackthorn Pipers Meeting Report

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The Hasson family (Colmcille Pipe Band) were the special guest pipers and drummers at the Blackthorn Pipers Society meeting at the Discover Ulster-Scots Centre, Belfast on Wednesday 17th October, writes John Kelly. They are pictured playing on the night (above). Also taking part were Glenn Cupples (PSNI Pipe Band), John Mitchell (Quinn Memorial Pipe Band), Nathan Coburn (Ravara Pipe Band) and of course the Society’s Secretary, Grahame Harris, who introduced the…

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Lorient Festival – Scots and Irish Soloists and Bands to the Fore

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John Kelly reports from the Lorient Festival Interceltique in Brittany….. Eleven pipers from Brittany, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Australia and New Zealand competed for the 38th MacCrimmon Trophy held at the Palais Des Congrés at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient on Sunday 5th August. The winner was Stuart Liddell from Scotland who received the winning trophy from Festival Director, Lisardo Lombardia (above). The eleven contestants were: Brittany: Quentin Meunier, Gwenael Le…

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