Our Music Scholarships
“How appropriate that Clan Currie, with a strong and distinguished history of poets and musicians should ensure that the future of Scottish culture is safer with these generous scholarships.”
- Alan Cumming OBE
Proceeds from The Pipes of Christmas support our growing annual scholarship program for deserving young musicians.
We currently offer four scholarships in partnership with some of the leading educational institutions for Celtic music:
The Alex Currie Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe - Administered by the Gaelic College of Nova Scotia, the scholarship is named for the famed Cape Breton piper. Currie was a living representation of one of the many different piping styles that existed in Cape Breton among the highland immigrants and their descendants – styles that have disappeared from the piping landscape of Cape Breton.
The Col. William McMurdo Currie Memorial Scholarship for the Clarsach - Administered by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) in Glasgow, Scotland, the scholarship honors the memory of the founder of the original Clan Currie Society in Glasgow, Scotland in 1959.
The Pipe Major Kevin Ray Blandford Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe - Administered by the National Piping Centre of Glasgow, Scotland, the scholarship pays tribute to the founder of the R.P. Blandford & Son Pipe Band of Redlands, CA and creator of the original “Pipes of Christmas” studio recording which became the foundation for the annual Clan Currie Society concerts.
The Private Bill Millin Memorial Scholarship for Bagpipe - Administered for the Clan Currie Society by Lyon College of Batesville, AR. The scholarship honors the memory of Private Bill Millin, the famed D-Day bagpiper for played for his troops during the British landing at Sword Beach on June 6, 1944. In the year of his death, the Pipes of Christmas performed a solemn and moving tribute to Millin.
With your ongoing support, we hope to build on our tradition of encouraging and enabling young people who are passionate about keeping our Celtic culture thriving. Please send your tax-deductible contributions to the Clan Currie Society, P.O. Box 541, Summit, NJ 07902-0541. Thank you.
The Clan Currie Society is a 501(c)3, tax-exempt cultural heritage organization.
