The Learned Kindred of Currie (Clan Currie Society) is delighted to announce that highlights of the 23rd Annual Pipes of Christmas concert/service filmed on December 18 and 19, 2021 at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in NYC and Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, NJ will be streamed globally starting on Christmas Eve 2021.
Production support and facilities were provided by HTTV (HomeTowne Television) in Summit, NJ.
The concert presents the music of Christmas accompanied by readings taken from the Celtic literature of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Featured performers include singer Margaret Kelly from Falkirk, Scotland, James Robinson, and Andrew Weir from the film “Braveheart,” New England fiddle champion Caitlin Warbelow, champion harpist Rachel Clemente, and the Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Pipe Band from Redlands, CA among many more. Steve Gibb, originally from Inverness, Scotland served as music director.
Support for the concerts came from generous donations from Investors Bank, the Best Western Murray Hill (NJ) Hotel and Suites, the Piper’s Cove of Kearny, NJ, and Aberlour and Glenfiddich Single Malt Whiskies.
The Learned Kindred was also the recipient of a generous grant from Scottish Heritage USA.
A review of the 2021 concerts can be found at:
Where to Find Our Highlights
The concert will be available for viewing on the concert website at www.pipesofchristmas.com and on the HTTV website.
HTTV screenings are scheduled as follows:
Friday, December 24 at 1am, 9:30am, 1pm, and 6pm
Saturday, December 25 at 12am, 8am, 3pm and 8pm
All times are US Eastern Standard Time.
The HTTV website can be found at https://httvonline.org/live/.
Proceeds Support Scholarships and More
The annual concert is the Learned Kindred of Currie’s only fundraiser, generating their operating budget for the year ahead.
Proceeds from the concert support an extensive music scholarship program, which includes the Carol Hassert Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship at Summit (NJ) High School as well as annual gifts to the National Piping Centre, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (both located in Glasgow, Scotland), Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Royal National Mòd and the Gaelic College in Nova Scotia, among others.
The concert’s program book can be found here.
Donations are graciously accepted to help offset production costs and to fund the Kindred’s music scholarship program. Gifts can be made via the concert’s website at pipesofchristmas.com using the “DONATE NOW” button or by mailing to the Society at P.O. Box 541, Summit, NJ USA 07902-0541.
An Award-Winning Collaboration
The Learned Kindred of Currie is proud to be collaborating again with HTTV (formerly HomeTowne Television). HTTV first began broadcasting concert highlights of the Pipes of Christmas in 2000. Since that time, the program has been the recipient of nine prestigious Telly Awards and a Videographer Award for video production excellence.
The 2021 video production was directed by John T. McCann and edited by McCann and Amanda Olsen-Dzuli. Audio production was handled by Earle Eaton and Russell Smith.