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Silver jubilee fiddlers' rally


By Caroline McMorran

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The group, which is based at Tain Royal Academy, was joined on Saturday night by many former members, with around 80 players taking to the stage.

Ex-Gizzen Brigger Laura Wilkie took up the conductor's baton while the evening was compered by another former group member, Jamie Campbell.

Guest artistes were Ross Couper of the Peatbog Faeries and Innes Watson, a tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The audience was treated to an evening of accomplished playing with the group demonstrating the extraordinary level of musicality it has maintained over a quarter of a century.

A quintet of pipers played a rousing opening which was followed by a varied programme showcasing individual players as well as the power of the group as a whole.

Lament for the Death of Reverend Archie Beaton created a slow and mournful mood while Last Tango in Harris was quirky. The set leading up to the interval provided truly dramatic playing, with the pipers signalling the acceleration to a high-octane climax.

The guest artistes played two sets with Brian Mackie's lighting effect of coloured lights flashing around the ceiling giving a sense of sparks flying from the instruments.

Following the raffle, a draw was held for a collector's bottle of gin named The Gael, donated by The Gael Spirits Company and signed by Dougie Maclean, composer of a tune of that name.

The tune is dear to the heart of Gizzen Briggs and their followers and, in keeping with tradition, the concert ended with a dramatic rendition of it.


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