Banda Gaites Llariegu

The Llariegu Pipe Band was created in 1996 by a group of people involved in several traditional schools from the central zone of Asturies, in order to spread Asturian music and its tradition throughout the world. Since its early beginnings, the band has been suffering a continuous evolution until reaching its current status. Nowadays it’s considered to be one of the best pipe bands from Asturies. Llariegu officially begins its activity the 15th of August, 1996 in Faro (Uviéu). Initially composed by 15 members, it used C-tuned Asturian bagpipes and traditional Asturian drums. All songs were traditional compositions with a low grade of complexity. In 1997 the band begins to evolve both in the structural and the musical points of view. New members are incorporated after an exhaustive training and the drums are changed first to medium-tension snare drums and later on to high-tension snare drums. Is in this year when the band starts to play in relevant events like the Ascensión Pipeband Festival in Uviéu, Asturies, and the International Folk Festival from Corrópoli in Italy. Although more than 40 musicians have been part of the band, the Llariegu Pipe Band is currently composed by 25 members. All the percussion arrangements are original from Manuel A. Cordero, Simón San José Lozano and Arsenio Ruíz González, who currently leads the drums section and teaches at the Aula de Música Tradicional Llariegu school. On the other hand, the piping section is commanded by Pablo Pérez (9), current pipe major and also teacher at the Aula de Música Tradicional Llariegu school. Llariegu Pipe Band’s repertoire is composed not only by Asturian traditional songs but also by own compositions and traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Galicia and the Basque Country. All the costumes are traditional from Asturies. Among the performances made out of Asturies these may be mentioned: The International Festival from Corrópoli, Italy; the St. Nazaire tour, in Brittany; the 1st Interceltic Festival from Bruxelles, in Belgium; the 2nd phase from the XIth Pipe Band League from Galicia; the Festival de le Danse Bretonne de Guingamp, in Brittany; and the Festival Interceltic du Lorient, 2002, 2010 and 2013, also in Brittany. In Asturies, Llariegu Pipe Band has participated in events such as the Ascensión Fair from Uviéu, the Cider Festival from Nava, the America’s day in Asturies, the Prince of Asturies Awards, the Interceltic Festival from the Cider Region, the International Folk Festival from Xixón, the Pipe Band Festival from Candás, the Los Humanitarios de San Martín day in Morea d’Ayer, the Celtic Night of Xedré and the Interceltic Festival from Avilés. In the year 2001, Llariegu Pipe Band was nominated Best Asturian Pipe Band, also being awarded with the Best Style award. In 2002, it was again nominated Best Asturian Pipe Band, wining this time the Best Percussion Corps award. In 2003 the band stood second in the III National Asturian Pipe Band Championship and was awarded as Best Percussion Corps for the second consecutive year. In 2010 the band was awarded with the Guinness International Percussion Award in the Festival Interceltique du Lorient, with the Banda Gaites Noega. In December 2011, the band releases its first record Llariegu 100% Directo in CD and DVD formats, recorded live the 27th of April, 2011, at the theater of La Laboral in Xixón.