Txistu Festival in the Basque Country

A recent festival in the Basque Region of Spain of Txistu players. Tey came from all over the Basque Region local groups coming together for an annual festival. The idea was to walk around the streets of Amorebeta and play in their local groups. Later they would meet up and play on mass around the streets until they came to certain bars/pubs where they had a drink, this continued for many hours!! Later there was a meal and more playing and singing, we left at 3am but it was still going on. The next day we heard that the local residence had called the police as txistu was heard at 3.30am!! the video shows singing and playing in the streets, and at one of the many bars the playing of the txistu at night.

Piping Live Festival 2011

In August I attended the annual "Piping Live" Festival in Glasgow. I was more interested in the European performers than the Highland Bagpipes so I recorded the music of Greek, Croation, Spanish and German musicians. There was also music from the Northern Irish Uilleann pipers as well as Border Pipes and of course Scottish pipes. here are a few videos of the events. A song from the Highland tradition played on Scottish Small Pipes.

An Irish Uilleann Piper fresh in from the USA

A Spanish/Galician Gaita demonstrating a rare type of instrument due to its high pitched small drone and untempered tuning.

and 3 young Uilleann pipers from Northern Ireland.