Random piping video

I haven’t posted a piping video for a while, so here’s one. Last weekend was the World Pipe Band Championship in Scotland, and the winning band in grade 1 was the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band from Vancouver. The week before the Worlds they appeared in concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, and from what I’ve heard it was a fantastic show. This video is a clip from the concert, of the band playing the piobaireachd “Field of Gold.” I don’t know much about the tune itself, but it’s pretty modern as far as piobaireachds go, having been written by Donald MacLeod around the mid 20th century.

It’s rare to hear a piobaireachd played by a band, especially one played so effectively. SFU Pipe Band is a good one for expanding horizons, and inventive performances like this prove the point. I love the way it starts with a solo piper in a spotlight (Jack Lee if I had to make a guess) and the ensembles and lighting expand until the whole band is playing. My favorite part is the repeat of the ground with the solo piper playing and the rest of the band singing the canntaireachd.