Hosted by The BIT Collective and The Maket Collective, this event will explore the barriers that women and gender minorities face in traditional music and piping, from under-representation to harassment and abuse. The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring four fantastic guest speakers:

Bede Patterson is an Australian-born, Scotland-based bagpiper, composer, educator, and researcher whose work is dedicated to expanding the artistic and cultural reach of Scottish traditional music. Now based in Glasgow, Bede has built an international profile through performance, academic inquiry, and creative collaboration, positioning himself at the forefront of a new generation of musicians redefining the possibilities of the Great Highland Bagpipe.

Dougie Pincock began his musical career as a Highland piper in 1970 before joining Battlefield Band in 1983, with whom he toured internationally and recorded extensively. In 2000, Dougie became the founding Director of Scotland's National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music. Now working freelance, he performs, composes, teaches, records, mentors, and enjoys life as a grandfather.

Ewen Henderson is a singer and multi-instrumentalist from Lochaber in the West Highlands of Scotland. Although he is best known for performing with Mànran, the band he co-founded in 2010, Ewen has performed all over the world with leading Scottish and cross-genre artists, including Battlefield Band and the Afro Celt Sound System.

James Feeney is a Connecticut-based pipe major who began playing the Great Highland Bagpipe at the age of five. James received tuition from Donald Lindsay, whose mentorship inspired a lifelong passion for Highland piping and piobaireachd. In 2016, James founded the Talcott Mountain Highlanders, a youth pipe band based in Connecticut. He is also a trauma surgeon, Surgical Critical Care specialist, and Captain in the U.S. Navy.

Together, these speakers will discuss some of the barriers that men face when becoming involved in conversations about addressing issues within traditional music and piping communities.

Designed primarily for men who want to better understand these experiences, this event will offer practical insights into active allyship and explore how we can all contribute to creating safer, more inclusive communities.

This event will take place in the Bothy and is included in your Festival Site day or week ticket.

The Artists

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The Venue

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The centre serves as a national and international centre of excellence for the great Highland Bagpipe and its music. The Festival Site with the Centre Stage and Bothy Tent, as well as our food and drink tents will be on outside the Centre on McPhater Street. Ticket information is available here

Accessibility

The National Piping Centre and Pipers' Tryst restaurant has step access at both doors.

There is a lift available from the side of the building to all floors.

There are accessible toilets on the ground floor and 1st floor of the building.

During Piping Live! access is through the ramped entrance to the Festival Site, with ramp access into the Bothy where there is a bar.

There is also step free access to the lift access, which will be staffed by volunteers to assist you to your floor.

There is also an accessible toilet next to The Bothy.

You can see full access information at Euan's Guide here

Event Sponsor

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The Maket Collective