Piping Live! on the search for people’s piping stories

Piping Live!, the Glasgow International Piping Festival, are asking fans from across the globe to submit their fondest piping memories.

They are giving them chance to become part of the festival’s history and have their story printed on the official Piping Live! 2019 festival T-shirt, available to buy when the event returns from 10–18 August.

As part of the festival’s Sounds of a Lifetime campaign, the festival decided to help the public wear their heart (and words) on their sleeves by printing the names and stories of those whose lives have been moved by the pipes on this year’s event merch. The T-shirt will be available at this year’s festival and online at www.pipinglive.co.uk

Piping fans can submit their stories by email to pipinglivememories@gmail.com or by contacting Piping Live! on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. There will also be a Piping Memories Book available to be signed at the reception of the National Piping Centre, McPhater Street, Glasgow.

The closing date for stories will be Wednesday 17 July. Those with the best stories will have a chance of winning tickets to see some of the festival’s headline shows, including Dougie MacLean, Tryst, Dàimh and Lúnasa.

Piping Live! will return to the city 10 – 18 August 2019. Now in its 16th year, Piping Live! is the biggest festival of its kind, attracting over 40,000 music fans, families and tourists who travel from around the globe to watch more than 5,000 pipers perform at 150 events across the city.

This year’s programme features performances by the very best international acts from countries including New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada and Scotland, and will also see the return of the fiercely contested Masters 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 festival.

Roddy MacLeod, festival director of Piping Live! said: ‘From wedding ceremonies to graduations, the pipes are the soundtrack to so many of the most momentous events of our lives.

‘Whether it was hearing a fantastic performance at a previous Piping Live!, or listening to the sound of the pipes as you welcomed the new year with loved ones, we want to hear stories about the special moments the pipes have been there with you.’

Piping Live! fans in the UK can now also support the festival by donating by SMS (from UK mobiles only). To do this, they can send BAGPIPES (chosen donation amount) to 70085 e.g. BAGPIPES 10 to 70085 to donate £10. Fans can donate up to a maximum of £20 this way.