Piobaireachd: The Classical Music of the Great Highland Bagpipe
An evening of exceptional solo piping featuring three of New Zealand’s Gold Medal-winning pipers.
Experience the Great Highland Bagpipe in a completely different light.
Join us for a special evening of solo piping featuring three of New Zealand’s finest musicians — Louis Newman (Auckland), Liam Kernaghan (Auckland) and Brendon Eade (Hamilton) — all of whom have been awarded the prestigious New Zealand Gold Medal for Piobaireachd.
At the heart of the recital will be Piobaireachd (pronounced pee-broch) — the classical music of the Great Highland Bagpipe.
Also known as Ceòl Mòr, or “Great Music”, Piobaireachd is a centuries-old Scottish art form built around a musical theme and a series of increasingly intricate variations. Unlike the marches, reels and lively tunes most people associate with bagpipes, Piobaireachd is slower, deeply expressive and incredibly intricate.
Think of it as a classical recital performed on a single instrument — where the focus is on tone, phrasing, expression, musical interpretation and extraordinary technical control.
The tradition has deep roots in Highland Scotland, with much of the great Piobaireachd repertoire developing during the 17th and 18th centuries. Historically, master pipers were attached to Highland clans and devoted years of their lives to learning this demanding repertoire. The music was traditionally passed from teacher to student through oral teaching and singing before being committed to written notation.
Tonight, three of New Zealand’s leading exponents of this remarkable art form will bring that tradition to the stage.
For those familiar with piping, this is a rare opportunity to hear three NZ Gold Medalists in one recital. For those new to Piobaireachd, it offers a chance to discover a fascinating side of the Highland bagpipe that is rarely heard outside the piping world.
Come and experience the Great Highland Bagpipe not simply as a traditional instrument, but as a vehicle for some of Scotland’s most sophisticated and beautiful music.
Featuring
Louis Newman — Auckland
NZ Gold Medalist — Piobaireachd
Liam Kernaghan — Auckland
NZ Gold Medalist — Piobaireachd
Brendon Eade — Hamilton
NZ Gold Medalist — Piobaireachd
An evening of great music, exceptional musicianship and one of Scotland’s oldest musical traditions.
