Pibrochs and Poppies
A commemoration of WW1 Pipers from North West Sutherland
Strathnaver Museum and Fèis air an Oir formed a partnership to explore the role of music, particularly pipers, from Strathnaver during the First World War. North Sutherland is renowned for producing talented pipers and it is this legacy that Strathnaver Museum and Fèis air an Oir are exploring.
The focus for both the musicians and researchers was to explore the role of music, particularly bagpipe music, during the First World War. It is thought that more than 2,500 pipers served on the Western Front alone, suffering heavy casualties. The project identified pipers from Mackay Country who were involved in World War One. With the help of the piper’s relatives the project is uncovering the piper’s stories and bringing their music to a new audience.
In order to achieve this we commissioned research to examine the social and military role of music, particularly bagpipe music,
commissioned musicians to restore the music which was identified through the research and present this to a new audience, commission artistic expertise to produce recordings and video footage of the findings for the Museum archive
and commission musicians to write new material inspired by the findings of the project.
.
