A Perth teenager proved she had a head for heights – as well as perfect pitch – when she climbed to the rooftop of Murrayfield and played the pipes to sold-out stands.
Despite studying sports coaching and development at Perth College UHI, 17-year-old Katie Duthie wasn’t invited to stand atop the packed national venue to observe the Scotland versus New Zealand game.
She had been asked to play solo bagpipes with more than 67,000 rugby fans focused on her.
On November 13 she played the Scottish national anthem Flower of Scotland followed by Flowers of the Forest, the lament for Remembrance Sunday.
Katie, a former pupil of Perth Grammar, stood tall in kilt and bonnet, making her solo piping debut – seen by the Murrayfield fans and millions more watching worldwide live on Amazon Prime.
“It was surreal and I was more than a bit nervous,” she revealed after the milestone moment in her piping career which she began at the tender age of five.
Katie is a member of the Perth and District Pipe Band – seen recently leading the Mòd – in which her father, Alistair Duthie, is Pipe Major as well as the ceremonial Piper for the City of Perth.
But on Sunday Katie was out with her other pipe group, Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band, which were lined up to entertain at ground level. Katie said: “Police Scotland Fife Pipe Band were booked to perform at the Scotland v All Blacks event.
“The week before, my group was asked if they would put forward someone to do the lament on the roof and they particularly wanted a female piper. I got the job. In the early part of the day I had to do rehearsal and sound checks.
“It meant a lot of climbing - I wish there had been a lift!
“Myself and the sound engineer climbed steps to the top of the stadium, we were let through a hatch and clambered over a ladder going over the top of the seating.
“Then there was another ladder across the top of the roof.
“You could feel the tug of the wind standing up there.
“It was OK as long as I didn’t look over the edge. Getting right to the top was tiring, lots and lots of steps to climb and with the nerves, my legs were wobbly.
“But the view was spectacular. It was a clear day and I could see right across Edinburgh to the castle.
“When it was time to take a breath and play, the adrenaline had kicked in. It was only scary when I stopped.”
Proud mum Alison Duthie wasn’t able to get a ticket to the game as the match was sold out and they only heard they would be going days before.
Alison had to content herself watching her youngest’s big moment live on Amazon Prime from the carpark.
“Mum was in tears watching the TV close-up, I think she was gutted she couldn’t come inside to be near me,” said Katie.
Her dad Alistair and sister Eilidh (24) were not in Edinburgh for the big moment as they were playing the pipes at 11am too – in Perth for the Remembrance Service at St John’s Kirk.
The All Blacks won against Scotland and the Kiwi victory left Katie with mixed feelings as she is one half New Zealander through her dad who hails from Pleasant Point, South Island and one half Scottish, through her mum.
At college, modest Katie kept her star turn to herself, telling just her closest friends.
“I also chatted about it to my tutor who was at the match doing HIA (head injury watch) on the pitch, so they already knew about it,” she added.
Looking back on her big day, Katie told the Perthshire Advertiser she “wouldn’t mind doing it again” but that she would be happy to let someone else from the pipe band have the golden opportunity now she has had the experience.
