Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - Hero Pipers at the World Pipe Band Championships

Hero Pipers at the World Pipe Band Championships

Glasgow 2014 Handover Ceremony Hero Pipers at the the World Pipe Band Championships

The Hero Pipers for the Glasgow 2014 Delhi Handover Ceremony have had a busy week at the Piping Live festival and World Pipe Band Championships. Hero Pipers Craig Muirhead, from Bannochburn and Jonathan Graham, both 20, from Bishopbriggs, have been busy preparing for Delhi 2010 whilst enjoying their involvement with Piping Live.

Craig is competing in the World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green, whilst Jonathan has been busy working for Piping Live all week, supporting the trade stands and telling everyone about The Delhi Handover Ceremony.

Both boys are making sure that they are at peak playing fitness for their three gruelling weeks at Bootcamp, in mid September, in preparation for the Glasgow 2014 Delhi Handover Ceremony at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 14  which will be beamed across the world to an estimated audience of 1 billion people and broadcast in Scotland at 2.30pm (BST)

The Handover Ceremony marks the moment when Glasgow becomes the next Host City, and includes an eight minute creative programme to showcase Glasgow and Scotland to the rest of the world. The performance, which will involve a mass choreographed
dance routine, will take place in the spectacular Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and will host a capacity crowd of 60,000 for the Closing Ceremony.

The creative concept is built around one Hero Piper leading out the hundreds of volunteer cast members onto the field of play in the JN Stadium. As with any performance of this size and scale, for one main cast member it is vital to have an understudy. The understudy Hero Piper will have other roles and responsibilities in Delhi. However, it won’t be until late in the rehearsal process that the decision will be made as to which piper will go forward to perform in the stadium.

Chief Executive for Glasgow 2014, John Scott, said: “The Hero Pipers are a crucial part of the creative concept for the Handover
Ceremony. I am quite reassured to know that both our boys are in peak playing condition for both the rehearsals and the performance. We wish them every success for Piping Live and World Pipe Band Championships.”

Hero Piper Craig Muirhead said: “The World Pipe Band Championships always has a terrific atmosphere and can be quite nerve wracking, although it is a great warm up for Delhi”

Hero Piper Jonathan Graham said: “It’s been a hectic week with a few extra gigs here and there, but it has been an absolutely amasing week. I am really looking forward to Bootcamp and Delhi.”