Music like Gaiteiros de Lisboa

The Associação Gaita-de-fole (Bagpipe Society) is a non-profit organization, founded officially in 1994 by enthusiasts of the Portuguese folk traditions — specially the related with the Transmontan and Galician bagpipes. The volunteers contribute in a variety of ways, as artisans, musicians, anthropologists and teachers, both professional and amateurs.

The Associação is centred in Lisbon, and works to preserve the tradition of the Transmontan bagpipe, an instrument of the northern Portuguese region of Trás-os-Montes, which was at serious risk of extinction by the end of the 1980s. To revive the tradition, the association crafts new instruments, offers classes, and researches its history. The research has yielded a rich collection of interviews, images, and music from the last generation of traditional players, some of whom have since died. This has become an invaluable resource.