International Bagpipe Organisation
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ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH: The Voice of the Wind, by Michael Peter Vereno

2/16/2021

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Join us for the online launch of Michael Vereno's fantastic book, The Voice of the Wind, on International Bagpipe Day 2021!

This linguistic history of bagpipes is a unique volume, retracing the numerous different words for this wonderful instrument. Published by the International Bagpipe Organisation, we will be presenting the book, and Michael will be available to answer any questions you may have.

Day: 10 March 2021
Time: 8-9pm UK time
Tickets: Free event, but registration required. Please register by clicking on the link below.

If the mood is right, the event may continue informally beyond 9pm. Drinks welcome!

More about the book:
Scholars have long provided bagpipes with a creation myth that stretches back to the ancient Near East, where they supposedly appear in the biblical Book of Daniel. It then has the Greeks playing them and Roman legions carrying them to the ends of the Empire. But Michael Peter Vereno’s The Voice of the Wind calls this story into question. Using linguistic analysis, Vereno shows that the oldest ‘evidence’ is often dubious at best and demonstrates that supposed ancient stories of bagpipe origins— and sometimes even their names—were later scholarly creations to give them a respectable, ancient pedigree. His erudite examination calls into question many conclusions and settled ‘facts’ to reveal a more enlightening story of bagpipe origins. It redefines its field and represents a significant contribution to historical organology. Readers with an interest in modern bagpipes, the history of instruments, and the interpretation of ancient and more recent textual sources will all find something to engage them and complicate their beliefs.

Reviews:
“A book any historically oriented bagpiper and connoisseur of early European instrumental music should know. It is a significant contribution to organology, in a field full of myths, written by a sober-minded linguist and enthusiastic drone musician.”
​– Ulrich Morgenstern, Professor, University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna

“A long-awaited and essential addition to the bookshelves of linguists, organologists, and bagpipe enthusiasts alike. Michael Vereno has applied thorough, rigorous research and unearthed the roots of the bagpipe through linguistics. A lively, engaging read.”
– Jane Moulder, Editor, Chanter, journal of the Bagpipe Society

Book Launch Registration
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Fifth International Bagpipe Conference will happen ONLINE

5/24/2020

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Tickets to IBC 2020 ONLINE
Following the cancellation of our International Bagpipe Conference at Harvard University, we are now holding the event online.

The International Bagpipe Organisation warmly invites you to participate in the Fifth International Bagpipe Conference (IBC) to celebrate the world’s diverse bagpipes and bagpiping traditions.

The conference will take place online, via Zoom on 6 June 2020. 
You will be sent a link once you obtain a ticket.


ATTENTION: The event will take place across timezones:
8:30am to 4:30pm USA EST time
1:30pm to 9:30pm UK BST time


We have planned breaks throughout the day for tea/coffee and your lunch or dinner.

The conference is a productive and welcoming platform for all people interested in the study of bagpipes: musicologists, ethnomusicologists, music experts, instrument makers, folk musicians, dancers and music lovers. This event is an exciting interdisciplinary opportunity to debate various questions relating to the study of bagpipes both today and historically. All are welcome to come and enjoy the atmosphere. The IBCs are friendly events, open to all, promoting bagpipes from all around the world.

Our online conference will explore bagpipes in diasporic communities. We will be looking at how pipers from various traditions have spread their customs and music all around the world, helping sustain communities or forging new identities far away from home.

There will be many opportunities to network as well as participate in interactive activities throughout the day. 

TICKETS
We have created a varied ticket price, more akin to a donation. 
Options vary from £10 to £20. Please choose one option (1, 2 or 3).
All proceeds will go towards the organisation costs of the 2020 conference.
Any remaining funds will be put towards our 2022 conference, which will take place in the UK.

Should you wish to give more, we have made a donation link available as well. Any further donations will be much appreciated and all proceeds will go towards the organisation costs of the IBO.
​


The conference will include the following speakers and topics (order subject to change):
A fully detailed schedule will be uploaded on this page by 1 June 2020.
​

Jason Busniewski: Bagpipes, “Martial Races”, and Empire in the Central Himalayas
Michael Vereno: On the Road : On the diaspora fate of bagpipers in and around Austria in the 20th century
Nadia Vázquez-Martínez: Dissemination and cultivation of the traditional music from Galicia in New York
Scott Spencer: The NYPD Emerald Society Bagpipe Band and the Line-Of-Duty Funeral
Arle Lommel: Towards a Feature-Oriented Account of Bagpipe Evolution and Taxonomy
Nada Gitto Surdulina: A little bagpipe of Balkan origins, built in the USA and returned to Italy. Musical performance, Organology and analysis of repertory
Zexuan Qiao: Employing new technologies in the reproduction of historical bagpipes
José Emilio Colón Ríos: Cuban pipers: the spread of uillean piping in Cuba
David Marker: The Social Life of Rocco Costello’s Zampogna.
Vincent Janoski: Decoding Forgotten Melodies: from the Piobaireachd Tradition Musical interpretation of forgotten tunes from the Campbell Canntaireachd.
Brian McCandless: Rediscovering Northern British Bellows-Blown Bagpipes in North America
Barry Shears: Immigrant Bagpipes of Nova Scotia
Erin Walker: Under the Kilt: The Pipe Band as a Tool of Cultural Transmission

If you have any further queries, please contact us at internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com.
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IBC 2020 - Cancelled due to the global health crisis

3/5/2020

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Dear Friends,

In light of the recent international events and the now global corona virus epidemic, we have been receiving expressions of concern from both US and European participants regarding their travel plans and health.

After much thought and discussion, it is with a heavy heart that we have come to the decision of cancelling this 2020 edition of the International Bagpipe Conference. 

We feel that this is the only responsible decision to take in the current climate, responding to your concerns, but also to eventual problems that may arise such as last minute travel-bans, cancelled flights or even unexpected enforced quarantines for travellers.

We will be convening in two weeks time to think about alternative possibilities to disseminate your research and continue such as publications of the papers in virtual or printed format or the organisation of a substitute event further in the future when the situation has cleared up a little. Please keep an eye out here for any further updates.

We would like to express our most heartfelt apologies towards all of you, as we had planned a wonderful event and we were looking forward to meeting all of you at the conference. 

We would like, however, to encourage everyone to celebrate International Bagpipe Day on 10 March 2020 in your respective communities. Harvard University will be celebrating in a quieter way with a curated bagpipe exhibition in it's music library, accessible until 13 April if you can't make it next week.

Please do get in touch with any feedback or any further comments if you have any. We are here to respond to any of your questions.
 
Cassandre, Roger and Panayotis
The 2020 International Bagpipe Conference Committee
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January 30th, 2020

1/30/2020

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Artwork by Jesse Smith
REGISTRATION FOR IBC 2020 IS NOW OPEN!!!!

See schedule below for more details


Tickets for all events are available HERE




Welcome to the Fifth International Bagpipe Conference!
Here is a breakdown of the schedule for the weekend. If you still have questions after reading it through, please write to us at internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com

NOTE! If you wish to purchase a ticket ONLY for the Friday night concert, please visit Harvard's ticketing service (https://bit.ly/2utiGRI). For any other combined ticket with the concert, please follow THIS LINK.


Friday 13 March 2020
Bagpipes of the World Concert
8pm at Paine Hall, Harvard University
Featuring bagpipes from Estonia, Greece, France, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Spain and Austria

Note: if you only wish to attend this event, please visit Harvard's ticketing service (https://bit.ly/2utiGRI).

Saturday 14 March 2020 
Day event
Fifth International Bagpipe Conference
8:30am-6pm
Paine Hall, Harvard University
Paper sessions, discussion panels, etc. 

THE FULL PROGRAMME IS COMING SOON
Papers include
'Under the Kilt: The Pipe Band as a Tool of Cultural Transmission',
'Surdulina: a little bagpipe of Balkan origins, built in the USA and returned to Italy'
'Bagpipes, “Martial Races”, and Empire in the Central Himalayas'
and
'The spread of Uillean Piping in Cuba'.
with speakers from all over the world including Spain, Italy, Estonia, Greece, USA, China and more.


Evening event
Bring your own bagpipe – curated session
INCLUDED IN TICKET (all delegates are welcome, as are friends and family)

8pm till late at The Bebop
1116 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02215
Sunday 15 March 2020
Bagpipe Brunch
INCLUDED IN TICKET (all delegates are welcome, as are friends and family)

9am-12pm at The Bebop
Buy your Own Brunch
Have some brunch while listening to informed bagpipe performanced with Cätlin Mägi and friends
1116 Boylston Street
Boston MA 02215

Dancing with the Pipers Social Dance
1:30-3:30
Participatory Folk Dance and Demonstrations: Irish Ceilí, Step, and Sean Nós dancing; Breton dancing, Greek dancing.
Led by Jaclyn O'Riley & Joey Abarta, Bagad New York, an others: dance and discover folk dances from different piping traditions.



Tickets for all events are available HERE

Artwork by Jesse Smith

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IBC 2020 at Harvard University, Boston, USA.

7/22/2019

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The International Bagpipe Organisation presents the
FIFTH INTERNATIONAL BAGPIPE CONFERENCE
13-15 March 2020
Harvard University, Boston, USA

CALL FOR PAPERS
Bagpipes and Diaspora
Abstract submission deadline: 15 September 2019
Abstract acceptance notification: 15 October 2019
Abstract length: 250 words
Contact: internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com
Website: www.internationalbagpipeorganisation.com
The International Bagpipe Organisation warmly invites you to participate in the Fifth International Bagpipe Conference (IBC) to mark International Bagpipe Day 2020 (10 March), a celebration of the world’s diverse bagpipes and bagpiping traditions. The conference will spread over three days, starting on Friday evening with an opening concert and ending on Sunday afternoon. The conference will be held over a range of venues in Boston, USA. The Friday evening concert and the Saturday conference will be held at Harvard University. Social events on Saturday evening and Sunday all day will be held in Boston.

The conference is a productive and welcoming platform for all people interested in the study of bagpipes: musicologists, ethnomusicologists, music experts, instrument makers, folk musicians, dancers and music lovers. This event is an exciting interdisciplinary opportunity to debate various questions relating to the study of bagpipes both today and historically. All are welcome, whether you choose to present or simply listen and enjoy the atmosphere. The IBCs are friendly events, open to all, promoting bagpipes from all around the world.

In 2020, we will take the conference to the United States where we will explore bagpipes in diasporic communities. Indeed, in line with the anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, we will be looking at how pipers from around the world have spread their customs and music all around the world, helping sustain communities or forging new identities far away from home. Presenters from the U.S. and from the rest of the world are welcome to present on themes directly linked to bagpipes.

Papers touching on topics linked to migration, identity, community and diaspora, both within the U.S. and in the rest of the world are specifically welcome. Papers touching on other themes such as organology, playing techniques, ornamentation, history, iconography, instrument making, recordings, archiving, collecting, composing will also be considered.

Interested participants are to submit a paper title, an abstract of no more than 250 words complete with an institutional affiliation or profession and contact details by 15 September 2019 to internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com. 

Due to a large amount of applications the previous years, abstracts from people who are applying for the first time or who did not present in 2018 will be prioritised. This is to encourage a wider scope of presenters. We do, however, encourage everyone to attend the conference, regardless of whether you are presenting or not.

Successful applicants will be notified by 15 October 2019.

Programme Committee
Dr Panayotis League (Florida State University)
Roger Landes (Texas Tech University)
Dr Cassandre Balosso-Bardin (University of Lincoln, UK)

Conference schedule:
Friday 13 March 2020 - evening
Paine Hall, Harvard University
Bagpipes of the World Concert
 
Saturday 14 March 2020 - day
Paine Hall, Harvard University
International Bagpipe Conference
 
Saturday 14 March 2020 – evening
The Bebop
Bring your own bagpipe – curated session
 
Sunday 15 March 2020
TBA

IBC Local organising committee
Roger Landes
Panayotis League
 
IBO Committee
Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
Roger Landes
David Faulkner
 
For more information or details about past conferences, including abstracts of past papers, please browse our website.
 

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IBC 2018 in the press!

3/28/2018

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After a wonderful three days in Mallorca, here are a few press clippings and a documentary by Canal 4 to remember the event by.
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Tickets online! Billetes en linea!

1/22/2018

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Buy Tickets
Information for Delegates
The tickets for the upcoming International Bagpipe Conference in Mallorca are online!
Los billetes para la Conferencia Internacional de Cornamusas están en linea!

We have kept the price low to encourage as many people as possible to come and join us.
Intentamos tener un precio bajo para poder acoger a lo mas gente posible.

Full price/precio normal: €35
Students and unemployed/estudiantes y sin empleo: €25
We have also added a 'donation' ticket for those who would wish to give a little more. 
También incluimos un billete de 'donación' para estas personas que quieran dar un poco más.

One ticket includes:
Un billete incluye:

Friday 9 March/Viernes 9 Marzo - concert featuring/concierto con los artistas siguientes: 
Xeremiers (Mallorca), Cem Yazici (Turkey), trio Bellón Maceiras (Galicia),  Zampognieria FiumeRapido (Italy/Italia)
(tickets for the concert can be bought separately here/billetes para el concierto pueden estar comprados de manera independiente aquí)

Saturday 10 March/Sábado 10 Marzo - conference including lunch/conferencia con comida;

Sunday 11 March/Domingo 11 Marzo - outing from 12-5pm (times and location to be confirmed) with the Xeremiers de Sóller and the Xeremiers del Puig de sa Font/excursión de las 12:00 a las 17:00 (horarios y sitio a confirmar) con los Xeremiers de Sóller y los Xeremiers del Puig de sa Font

After the conference on Saturday we are organising a session for those who want to share their music in an informal way.
Después de la conferencia, organizamos una jam para los músicos que quieren compartir su música de manera informal.

We look forward to seeing you there!
Nos vemos en Mallorca!

If you have any questions, please email: internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com
Para cualquier pregunta, por favor contactar con: internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com
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Trio Zampogneria FiumeRapido will be playing at the opening concert on 9 March
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The town of Sóller has offered us a ride on Sóller's historical train, accompanied by the Xeremiers de Sóller. There is limited space so make sure to get your ticket early!
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La Seu, Palma's magnificent cathedral. Spot the bagpipe player when you go!
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IBC 2018: Call for Papers / Plazo de Entrega de Trabajos / Termini de Presentació de Treballs

8/8/2017

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Maltese zaqq presented by Karl Partridge at IBC 2016 in Glasgow
The International Bagpipe Organisation
presents the / presenta la

Fourth International Bagpipe Conference
Cuarta Conferencia Internacional de Cornamusas
Quarta Conferència Internacional de Cornamuses
9-11 March/Marzo/Març 2018
Arxiu del Regne de Mallorca,
Palma, Mallorca


CALL FOR PAPERS (English)
PLAZO DE ENTREGA DE TRABAJOS (Castellano)
TERMINI DE PRESENTACIÓ DE TREBALLS (Catalán)


Abstract submission deadline: 15 Oct 2017
Abstract acceptance notification: 15 Nov 2017
Contact: internationalbagpipeorg@gmail.com
Website: www.internationalbagpipeorganisation.com
The International Bagpipe Organisation warmly invites you to participate in the Fourth International Bagpipe Conference to mark International Bagpipe Day 2018 (10 March), a celebration of the world’s diverse bagpipes and bagpiping traditions. The conference will be held in Palma, Mallorca, where there is a rich and unbroken piping tradition.

The conferences are a productive and welcoming platform for all people interested in the study of bagpipes: musicologists, ethnomusicologists, music experts, instrument makers, folk musicians, dancers and music lovers. This event is an exciting interdisciplinary opportunity to debate various questions relating to the study of bagpipes both today and historically.

All three days are open to the general public and bagpipe enthusiasts are more than welcome to attend. Ticket information will be posted on the website in the following weeks.

Official Languages
As the conference will be held in Catalan speaking territory, papers are welcome in English, Spanish and Catalan. Translation options will be provided.
La Organización Internacional de Cornamusas (International Bagpipe Organisation), primera plataforma internacional para el estudio de las cornamusas, le invita a participar en la Cuarta Conferencia Internacional de Cornamusas para celebrar el día internacional de la cornamusa 2018, una muestra de la diversidad de las cornamusas del mundo y de sus tradiciones.

Las conferencias de la IBO dan oportunidad a las personas interesadas en el estudio de las cornamusas a reunirse, incluyendo etnomusicólogos, musicólogos, músicos, lutieres, compositores, bailarines, y aficionados. Las conferencias ofrecen momentos y espacios en los cuales es posible hablar de diversas cuestiones relacionadas con las cornamusas de ayer, hoy y mañana.

Los tres días estarán abiertos al público y a personas interesadas.
Información sobre la registración será compartida en la página web.

Idiomas oficiales
Habitualmente en inglés, esta conferencia estará abierta a presentaciones en castellano y en catalán.


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L’Organització Internacional de Cornamuses (International Bagpipe Organisation), primera plataforma internacional per a l’estudi de les cornamuses, us convida a participar en la Quarta Conferència Internacional de Cornamuses per celebrar el Dia Internacional de la Cornamusa 2018, una mostra de la diversitat de les cornamuses del món i de les seves tradicions.

Les conferències de l’IBO donen a les persones interessades en l’estudi de les cornamuses, incloent-hi etnomusicòlegs, musicòlegs, músics, lutiers, compositors, ballarins i aficionats, l’oportunitat de reunir-se. Aquest esdeveniment ofereix moments i espais en els quals és possible parlar de diverses qüestions relacionades amb les cornamuses d’ahir, avui i demà.

Els tres dies estaran oberts al públic i a les persones interessades. La informació sobre la inscripció estarà disponible al web.

Idiomes oficials
Habitualment en anglès, aquesta Conferència està oberta a presentacions en castellà i en català.
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For more information/Para más información/Per més informació
www.internationalbagpipeorganisation.com
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In memory of Anton Varela (1955-2017)

7/25/2017

4 Comments

 
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Os Cempes, one of Anton's pioneering bands:
Anton Varela, 61 years old, passed away today, 25 July 2017, on the day of Galicia. Pioneer musician and bagpipe maker, shaper of the Galician bagpipe revival, Anton was a well-loved and well-known figure in the world of the gaiteros. 

Just a few weeks ago, I was translating his own personal account of his life as a musician and maker for the Bagpipe Society's journal, Chanter. 

I prefer to leave the last words to him.

My Gaita Journey by Anton Varela (English Version)

Mi recorrido con la gaita, por Anton Varela (Version en Castellano)
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Success for Kaynak Band

5/7/2016

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Kaynak Pipers Band at IBC 2016, National Piping Centre, Glasgow. Photo by Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
Kaynak Pipers Band performed at IBC 2016 and just got invited to play at the prestigious Richmond Folk Music festival and Chicago Folk Music festival. For those who were absent, Kaynak Pipers Band is a Bulgarian group performing traditional music from the Rhodope Mountains. The soul of their performance is the sonorous and mild sound of the Rhodopian kaba gaida, the big Bulgarian bagpipe (as opposed to the djura gaida, smaller and higher pitched). Their bagpipes are made out of wood, horn and leather and their sound evokes mythological images from the past.
Here is an interview with Cvetelin Andreev, manager, piper and kaba gaida trainer about their past and upcoming projects.
Cvetelin, you are the founder of the band. Tell us more about how it started.
Well, It all began in 2005 in "Dobri Chintulov" Community Centre, Sofia, Bulgaria where I met Yanko Marangozov, then we were just beginners. Kostadin Gerdjikov and Hristo Gerdjikov, who were more advanced, came later. We became friends quickly. Then Petar Yordanov – Bunny from "Oratnitza" and Todora Vasileva joined us. Afterwards we started to develop educational activities. We were then called "Gaydunitsa" (the chanter of the gaida). Then we renamed ourselves to "Kaynak". "Kaynak" comes from Turkish and means a “source”. In the Rhodope Mountains the phrase "this is his kaynak" is sometimes used when a piper plays special, masterly and distinctive tunes. The band aims to promote the Rhodope bagpipe among children and adults in Bulgaria and
​abroad, as well as to support educational activities.

What is so special about the gaida for you?
A few things: first, it has managed to preserve its authentic form for perhaps thousands of years. By form I mean the way it is made, maintained and played.  This we believe is part of its magic – it manages to bring up to present days sounds and tunes from forgotten times, sounds that we all know deep in our soul and that give you goosebumps. Second, the gaida is not any a musical instrument. It gathers people. And we enjoy being with people, sharing thoughts and ideas.
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Kaynak Pipers presenting at IBC 2016. Photo: Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
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Cvetelin Andreev demonstrating reed making at IBC 2016. Photo: Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
You took part in the current edition of the International Bagpipe Conference. How do you feel about it?
First, a huge Thank you to the organisers of the conference. They did the impossible to get us on board.  We took part in the opening concert and presented at the conference itself.
For the opening concert we played a gaida suite specially composed for the event. It was twenty five minutes long and represented most of the diversity in the Rhodopean folklore. It started with an unmeasured song, continued with fast tunes for dancing in 2/4 rhythm and irregular rhythms - 9/8 (2+2+2+3), 7/8 (3+2+2), 5/8 (2+3) and ended with a fast rachenitsa dance in 7/8 (2+2+3).
The presentation we made for the conference included topics of interest for makers, musicians and ethnomusicologists. It covered the specific ways of making the kaba gaida and we demonstrated how we make the reeds from elder tree. Kaba gaida music is rich in ornaments and reproducing them is quite interesting for musicians. We managed to notate the basic ornaments and represented our 4 level training system. For the ethnomusicologists, we talked about the diversity of performance styles and regions as well as history of the bagpipe and important events. We covered some trending projects related to our music including ours - KabaGaida.Com for online training, workshops and educational concerts.
At the IBC's open mic evening, we invited a special guest to play with us. A Scottish piper from Edinburgh, who lived in Bulgaria for couple of years and knows many Rhodopean songs and dances, joined us while singing and dancing. We were very glad to know that our culture is notable in Scotland from before the conference.
We were also very happy that were interviewed on BBC Scotland news as part of a feature on the conference and its concert (pictured below).
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Cvetelin Andreev playing for BBC Scotland at IBC 2016. Photo: Cassandre Balosso-Bardin
What happens when you go back to Bulgaria?
​
We will continue to work on our continuing project KabaGaida.Com to help people learn the kaba gaida and feel it’s magic, music and traditions. We are now starting to record more training videos and notate new songs that people can use for free.
We are happy to announce that we were invited to two of the largest US festivals for world and folk music this fall - Chicago World Music Festival and Richmond Folk Festival. Our tour passes through New York, Boston, Baltimore and Washington. Between our performances we will organize music workshops for children within the Bulgarian communities and hopefully present our instruments at different university music departments.

We wish them the best of luck!
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