BAGPIPING

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The bagpipe is a music instrument connecting people of various cultures as well as various historic periods. It came into our country through unknown ways from the place of its creation where it had many missions, it served to kings as well as beggars, pleased lonely shepherds as well as audience in the concert halls and large amphitheatres. It has always had the special power to bring joy, cheer up, please and encourage. It is possible to see the bagpipe tradition during events, performances of folklore ensembles, during Blueberry Harvest in Borovany, South Bohemian Festivities of Songs and Dances in Strakonice and many others. A unique event is the meeting of bagpipers – in 2018 already for the twenty third time – at the International Bagpipe Festival (MDF), being held in Strakonice once every two years. In today´s world, the bagpipe has its steady place and during a festival, you can see the artist playing the historic as well as rock bagpipe music. The festival is an opportunity to meet musicians, dancers and singers from the whole Europe with a general public. They meet not only during the performances, but also unofficially in the town streets or in small taverns. The South Bohemian Region is justly proud of its bagpipe traditions and intensive attention is devoted to bagpipe culture; the intangible phenomenon “Bagpipe tradition in the South Bohemian Region“ was registered into the List of Intangible Heritage of the Traditional Folk Culture of the South Bohemian Region in 2015.

The information and photos included in this article were taken from the brochure "JIHOČESKÝ REGION, ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA - INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE" prepared by the South Bohemian Chamber of Commerce.