Gary chats to the Director of the National Piping Centre, Finlay MacDonald, about life in charge of one of the main piping institutions in the world, and about plans for this year's 20th Piping Live festival in August.  With music from Fraser Fifield, Angus MacColl, Willie McCallum, Alasdair Gillies, Ross Ainslie and Tim Edey, as well as from Finlay himself in partnership with that fine Shetland fiddler, Chris Stout.Support the ShowIf you would like to become a Friend of this podcast to help towards the running costs, you can subscribe for a small monthly fee herehttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2146429/supportTracks PlayedFinlay MacDonald and Chris Stout with Borve Castle, Tommy and Ronnie's Double Tonic (Allan MacDonald) and the Thin Man (Gordon Duncan) from Cauld Wind.Alasdair Gillies with In Memory of Herbie MacLeod (Jerry Holland), The Editor’s Strathspey, The Dusky Meadow (Donald MacLellan), Hey Johnnie , Alex Currie’s Strathspey, Le Petit Cheval Rouge, West Mabou Reel, Kelsae Brig, The Stone Frigate (Donald Kerrigan) from Loch BroomFraser Fifield with Secret Path (F Fifield) from Secret Path Angus MacColl with MacLean of Pennycross (A Ferguson) and John MacDonald of Glencoe (W Lawrie) from The Best of Piping Live Recital Series 2006/07Willie McCallum wtih Jack Adrift (Donald MacLeod), P/M George Allen (Donald Macleod) and Tam Bain's Lum (Donald Shaw Ramsay) from The Best of Piping Live Recital Series 2006/07Tim Edey and Ross Ainslie with Lunny from DiadLinksPiping Live 2023 Information and Ticketshttps://pipinglive.co.uk/Support the showSupport the show

Gary brings you another eclectic mix of pipe music and related sounds from across the globe including 3 tracks from the album of the week, 'Westering Home', recorded in Washington State in 2019 and featuring some of the world's top pipers and drummers. There's tunes too from Hamish Moore, from Willie Clancy, Breton 'supergroup' Den, and from those urban Gaels, Trail West, and a lovely Gaelic song from Lewis native, Calum Alex MacMillan who accompanies himself on smallpipes - not an easy thing to do, but he does it so well!Music PlayedTrail West with Pipe Major William MacLean (Peter R MacLeod), Lauren McKowen’s (Simon McKerrell) and Tayvallich Turkey (Allan Nairn) –from From the Sea to the Cityhttps://www.trail-west.com/Masters of Scottish Arts with Campbelltown Kilty Ball, Cutty’s Wedding, Louden’s Bonnie Woods and Braes, Because he Was a Bonnie Lad, High Road to Linton, Kilt is My Delight, Reel of Tulloch, Mrs MacLeod of Raasay from Westering Homehttps://celticarts.org/Calum Alex MacMillan with Fadachd an t-Seoladair (John MacLennan) from The Piper and the Maker 2 – Celebrating C.https://moorepipes.bandcamp.com/album/piper-and-the-maker-ii-celebrating-cHamish Moore with Stumpie (strathspey) and Stumpie (reel) from Stepping on the Bridgehttps://www.greentrax.com/Masters of Scottish Arts Folk Band with Captain Archibald Leslie (D Campbell), Susan MacLeod (Donald MacLeod), John Keith Lang (Addie Harper) and Smelling Fresh (James Duncan MacKenzie) from Westering Homehttps://celticarts.org/ Masters of Scottish Arts with the Old Woman’s Lullaby from Westering Home.https://celticarts.org/Willie Clancy with Garret Barry and Old Tipperaray, from My True Love She Dwells on the Mountain.http://veteran.co.uk/vt163cd.htm Den with Madam Lulu (S Siberil) from Just Around the Windowhttps://www.discogs.com/release/4531743-Den-Just-Around-The-Window LinksPiping Live 2023https://pipinglive.co.uk/Tibetan Monks Performing  https://youtu.be/Eo7MGSAFFN4 Planxty at Eurovision 1981 with Timedancehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnPI0qEDO5A Support the show

In this week of Eurovision Song Contest mania, Gary explores some of the bagpipe traditions of Europe which continue to flourish across the continent. With visits to Sardinia, Greece, Bulgaria, France, Galicia, Asturias, Northumbria, Ireland and Scotland. Tracks PlayedFranco Melis with ‘Fiorassiu’ from the Lowland and Border Pipers' Society 2nd Grand Concert of Pipinghttps://www.greentrax.com/Susana Sevaine with 'Revolucion' from Fahttps://www.susanaseivane.net/Petrov Stephanos (Bulgaria)  with Theodoros Kekis and Theolagos Grillis (Greece)  Untitled from  A Celebration of Pipes in EuropeJim Malcolm  'The Battle of Waterloo' from  Rohallionhttps://www.jimmalcolm.com/Menace d’Eclaircie with ‘Les Joies du F1’ from Les Etoiles du Rock n Rollhttps://www.klam-records.net/en/menace-d-eclaircieJean-Christophe Maillard Musette de Cour from A Celebration of Pipes in Europe followed by Andy May – ‘The Quayside’ (James Hill) from Happy Hourshttps://www.magneticnortheast.com/andy-may-commissionThe Chieftains with 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley,' The Best of the Chieftainshttps://www.thechieftains.com/Xose Maneul Tejedor with 'Anada Pa Gael' from A Celebration of the Music of Gordon Duncan’https://www.greentrax.com/The Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band  'Gaelic March Set' from Ceolryhttps://musicscotland.com/products/greater-glasgow-police-scotland-pipe-band-ceolryFurther InformationVideo of Sardianian Laudennas Playinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz1sb6ZGRugLink to New Zealand Piobaireachd Society Composing Contesthttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVWPtGv39WmGE2K361M9GhBltujQWXyQsdpFTjjiZxYBnEbw/viewformSupport the show

Gary brings you the winning performances from the recent Wheel of Fortune contest run by the City of Edinburgh Pipe Band, with sets from Cameron Drummond, Craig Sutherland and King of the Jokers, John Mulhearn! There's a classic pipe band track from 1979 which features one of our listeners performing with the Triumph Street Pipe Band from British Columbia who lifted the world drumming title that day in Nottingham. There's a sparkling set on uillean pipes from Calum Stewart, and look out too for our first piobaireachd of this new podcast, Roddy MacLeod playing an appropriate tune for Coronation week - the King's Taxes! Music PlayedCalum Stewart with The Angel’s Share (Calum Stewart), Copper Stills (Calum Stewart) and Gladstone (J Scott Skinner) from Tales From the Northhttps://www.calum-stewart.com/Triumph Street Pipe Band with Kilworth Hills (GS MacLennan), The Duke of Gordon’s Birthday, Fiddler’s Joy, Jimmy’s Return, St Kilda Wedding, Dream Angus, The Curlew (Donald MacPherson), Matheson’s Hornpipe, Calum Beag from 1979 World Pipe Band Championships, private recording.Craig Sutherland with Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France (John MacColl), The Islay Ball and John Morrison of Assynt House (Peter R MacLeod) from private recording, Wheel of Fortune contest, 2023.Cameron Drummond with March of the King of Laois, the Kesh Jig, Merrily Danced the Quakers Wife, Queen of the Rushes, the Silver Spear, Richard Dwyer’s, Pressed for Time (Gordon Duncan), Frances Morton’s (Fred Morrison) from private recording, Wheel of Fortune contest, 2023.John Mulhearn with PM Alex M MacIver (Angus Lawrie), Neil Sutherland of Lairg (Archie MacNeill) and John Garroway (Donald MacLeod) from private recording, Wheel of Fortune contest, 2023.Roddy MacLeod with The King’s Taxes from Roddy MacLeod Piobaireachd, Volume Onehttps://roddymacleodbagpipes.com/Gary West with Fleshmarket Close (Michael Grey), The Yellow-Haired Tinker, The Mason's Apron from The Islay Ballhttps://www.garywest.scot/Webstore/GaryWest/The-Islay-Ball-CD-Album-by-Gary-West-p297301635

Gary helps to mark Anzac day, and reflects on the experiences of those who fought in the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War.  As well as the troops of Australia and New Zealand, many Scottish regiments saw action there too, some of whom shared their stories with the late Jock Duncan, and which we now share with you.  We also pay tribute to the late Jock Elliot of G1 Reeds and the Inveraray and District Pipe Band, who sadly passed away recently. Music and clips played1. Daimh, with ‘Jerry’s Pipe Jig (Jerry Holland), Slainte do Mhabu (Colm O’Rua), Donella Beaton (George Johnston), Munera e Casu (trad) from Moidart to Mabuhttps://www.daimh.net/2.  Australia Highlanders with ‘From Maui to Koma (B Worrall) and Alive ( C Mathers) from Sans Peurhttps://www.allcelticmusic.com/artists/Australia%20Highlanders%20.html3. Excerpt from Jock’s Jocks: a One Act Play, by Gary West. Cast: Scott Gardiner, Chris Wright, Charlie West and Gary West. Based on oral history recordings made by the late Jock Duncan, Pitlochry. Includes a spoken-word version of ‘The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ by Eric BogleThe Book, Jock's Jocks, is available from the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust athttps://www.gordonduncan.co.uk/4. William Boyle with Stirling Castle, Aspen Bank, The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, The Rose Among the Heather, The Ferryman, Sleepy Maggie, Pigeon on the Gate, The Farmer’s Daughter, The Kilt is My Delight, The High Road to Linton (all trad), from Bagpipe Virtuoso 5. Manawatu Scottish Society Pipe Band with The Calling’ (S MacKenzie, 98 Jig (Gordon Duncan), The Sporting Pitchfork (trad), The Famous Baravan (Gordon Duncan)https://www.greentrax.com/6. Clip of Mr John Haward, President of Box Hill RSL, Australiahttps://boxhillrsl.com.au/ 7.  Inveraray and District Pipe Band with ‘Amazing Grace’ from A Night in That Landhttps://idpb.co.uk/8. Mark Saul with ‘Journey to the Centre of the Celts’ from Scotland: the Music and the Songhttps://www.greentrax.com/