Lifted from : icscotland.icnetwork.co.uk
__________________________________________________ __________

Do you love bagpipes? Do you love kilts and all things Scottish? Then get along to Piping Live! 2005, the Glasgow International Piping Festival, and witness more than 5000 of the world's greatest pipers as they celebrate one of the world's most distinctive and unique sounds.

From August 8th to 14th in nine different venues throughout Glasgow both indoors and out you can see the piping traditions of more than twenty different nationalities being represented right here in Scotland.

The festival will cover a diverse array of piping possibilities from traditional Highland bagpipes to Australian techno piping, ceilidhs and the uillellean pipes from Ireland. The pinnacle of the festival will be the World Pipe Band Championships, which will be held in Glasgow Green.

Scottish piper Lorne Cousin from Campbeltown will be performing at the festival and he has an extraordinary claim to fame. After playing at the wedding of Stella McCartney, he was headhunted by none other than Madonna to play on her Reinvention tour 2004.

Piping Live! 2005 also has its very own take on the reality TV style of discovering new talent with Pipe Idol. Pipe Idol will see a whole host of talented pipers battle it out to be crowned Pipe Idol 2005.

Three of the world's finest pipers will play along side a promising rising star at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall in the return of the popular Celtic Piping Night. The incredible line-up comprises of four times world champions, The Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Canada, double gold medallist Fred Morrison from Scotland and multi award winning Xose Manuel Budino from Spain. Joining them on stage will be eighteen-year-old Irish bright young star Jarlath Henderson who has performed the uillellean pipes around the world and won the BBC's prestigious Radio 2 Young Musician of the year award in 2003.

There are many free concerts on offer at this year's event in Glasgow's George Square and The National Piping Centre's street café.

Following last year's success, whisky giants Glenfiddich will be the main sponsors of Piping Live! 2005. Peter Gordon, Director of William Grant & Sons Limited said; 'Last year's Piping Live! Festival was a fantastic addition to the traditional Scottish music scene. As Glenfiddich has a long history of involvement in this area, most notably through the prestigious Glenfiddich Piping Championship, which has been running since 1974, we are delighted to continue our support in 2005.'

By Stephen McKenna

For more information on the festival visit: pipingfestival.co.uk

____________________________________

Brian Mackay