Piper is taking it to the Max
Street shows 50 nights in a row
A young piper has been keeping spirits high during lockdown by playing music in the streets each night of the restrictions.
Max Rae, a piper with the Dollar Academy Juvenile Pipe Band, who are currently World Champions in their category, has taken to the outdoors in Bridge of Allan for 50 consecutive evenings during the lockdown and has vowed to continue until the restrictions are over.
The youngster has been piping for five years in competitions and also occasionally pipes for friends and guests at the five-star Gleneagles Hotel.
Neighbours have been enjoying his music each night and on a Thursday he tries to make it a bit more fun by also drumming on their wheelie bins.
Max has also offered his services through Bridge of Allan Cares and so far has piped outside the sheltered housing complex at Lyon Court and also at Inverallan Court.
He has also been piping to mark birthdays. So far he has piped for children from four-years-old up to the birthday of an 80-year-old lady.
He also piped on the birthday of Gavin Bechelli of the Allanwater Cafe in Henderson Street.
There is no fee for Max’s services and people are asked if they wish to make a donation to the NHS or the local hospice.
Max’s dad John said: “We are very proud that Max is giving his time freely each night and also piping for peoples birthdays. It really is lovely when a fully dressed piper marches down the street just to play for you and your family and of course the neighbours usually have been tipped off that he is coming.
“It’s all done within social distancing regulations and very memorable and a little bit special in these challenging times.”
In October 2017 the Observer told how Max had taken on a bizarre challenge.
The then 12-year-old went viral after he became the first person to play the bagpipes whilst `wakesurfing’.
Max became the first person in the country – if not the world – to play the traditional Scottish instrument wakesurfing at the same time during a recent visit to LBD Wake School in Surrey.