A FOUR-time world champion is set to visit Haddington later this month.

Roddy MacLeod, one of the world’s finest pipers and a four-time winner of the Glenfiddich World Solo Piping Championships, is just one of the stars heading to the town on April 26.

Piping Up – a special concert – has been organised by Haddington Pipe Band in partnership with Cairdeas nam Piobairean, an initiative led by legendary piper Hamish Moore.

Alastair Bruce, the town’s pipe band chairman, told the Courier he was looking forward to the event in the Town House.

He said: “The evening has been set up to showcase both the quality and the breadth in today’s piping world and we will have the privilege of enjoying brilliant piping played on a range of instruments.” Joining Roddy MacLeod will be a number of other talented musicians, including Cape Breton’s Angus MacKenzie, who will be demonstrating his virtuosity on the Border pipes.

He comes from a famous musical family and studied at Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic college on Skye, where he still lives.

He is also no stranger to the town, having played as a member of the group Daimh at Haddington’s Trad on the Tyne festival two years ago.

Allan MacDonald and Griogair Labhruidh will be performing Gaelic songs on Scottish small pipes and uilleann pipes.

And the group Seudan will be playing copies of the famous Black Pipes of Kintail, which date from about 1785.

The group’s sets of pipes have been recreated from the original by Hamish Moore and his son Fin, one of the Seudan quartet.

Before the concert, Haddington Pipe Band will play outside the Town House.

Mr Moore added: “Under the broad umbrella of Scottish piping, there are many styles and disciplines, as well as many different forms of pipes.

“The concert is a celebration of this breadth and a showcase of some of our very finest pipers and musicians “I’ve no doubt it will be a great night of music in a town with a centuries-long tradition of piping.” Tickets for the event, which starts at 7.30pm, cost £12 for adults with concessions (over-65s and under-14s) costing £9.

For more information go to haddingtonpipeband.co.uk