Tartan Day NYC 2025: Carnegie Hall Event

**jsrnephdoc** · 20th March 25, 10:02 AM

I'm traveling to NYC from Montana in early April to see my son and his wife, but also to attend the Tartan Day Parade. I just discovered (or was informed about) a concert at Carnegie Hall the night after the parade:

https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calenda...ew-York-0800PM

One of the "performers" is said to be The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and I know IT includes at least one bagpiper, but I have no idea what touring musical group merits that title, whether it will be featured in the parade itself, or whether it or the other performers at the Carnegie Hall event mean I should try to obtain tickets.

Anyone here have any ideas?

Thanks so much

**RGM1** · 21st March 25, 05:50 AM

Phrases like pipe band and military tattoo both suggest lots of bagpipes to me. Should be fun event.

**OC Richard** · 29th March 25, 04:34 AM

There is a Pipe Band, the official band of the Tattoo, called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes & Drums. https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/on-tour/pipes-and-drums

It began 20 or so years ago as "The Pipers Trail Pipes & Drums".

Due to the massive (and still ongoing) cutbacks in the British Army the number of military Pipes & Drums had fallen to what was deemed an insufficient number to put on the size of Tattoo Massed Pipes & Drums that the public had come to expect.

Somebody came up with the brilliant idea of creating an in-house Pipes & Drums which exists solely for performing at the Tattoo.

It's a civilian all-volunteer band. Pipers and drummers audition online, are sent the music to be played, and show up a week prior to the start of the Tattoo for intensive rehearsals and to be kitted out. At the end of the Tattoo everyone turns in their kit and flies home. The members come from all over the world. It's a big band, I think some years it's around 60 or 70 members.

The Pipe Major is the brilliant Australian piper Alisdair McLaren (bottom left below, he's always smiling!) who for a time was running the Scottish National Youth Pipes & Drums, and gave a bagpipe lesson to King Charles. If you want something done right you put him in charge.

What I don't know is if they would put together an off-season ad hoc Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes & Drums for a one-off like the NYC parade.

I see on their website that they've put together a group to perform in Germany so it's possible.

**jsrnephdoc** · 29th March 25, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

There is a Pipe Band, the official band of the Tattoo, called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes & Drums. https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/on-tour/pipes-and-drums

Somebody came up with the brilliant idea of creating an in-house Pipes & Drums which exists solely for performing at the Tattoo.

It's a civilian all-volunteer band. Pipers and drummers audition online, are sent the music to be played, and show up a week prior to the start of the Tattoo for intensive rehearsals and to be kitted out. At the end of the Tattoo everyone turns in their kit and flies home. The members come from all over the world. It's a big band, I think some years it's around 60 or 70 members.

The Pipe Major is the brilliant Australian piper Alistair MacLaren (bottom left below, he's always smiling!) who for a time was running the Scottish National Youth Pipes & Drums, and gave a bagpipe lesson to King Charles. If you want something done right you put him in charge.

What I don't know is if they would put together an off-season ad hoc Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes & Drums for a one-off like the NYC parade.

I see on their website that they've put together a group to perform in Germany so it's possible.

Thanks SO much for that (and the pics). Turns out I won't be able to go to the Carnegie Hall concert, but I have a "participant" pass for the parade, and perhaps I'll be able to wander up close to them if they're marching (which I assume they would be if they've come all the way to the US for the event). I'm not going to march. For one thing, the current weather forecast is not encouraging; for another, I'd rather listen to each pipe band as it passes rather than looking at the pleats of other kilts in Robertson tartan variants for 2 hours.

**RGM1** · 29th March 25, 11:57 AM

I have a participant pass and a ticket to Carnegie hall. Should be interesting. My wife and I saw a tattoo 40 years or so ago in Memphis. Don't know who it was.

I am also concerned about the weather. Guessing I will have to wear a rain jacket over my tweed jacket. Oh well.

**jsrnephdoc** · 29th March 25, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by RGM1

I have a participant pass and a ticket to Carnegie hall. Should be interesting. My wife and I saw a tattoo 40 years or so ago in Memphis. Don't know who it was.

I am also concerned about the weather. Guessing I will have to wear a rain jacket over my tweed jacket. Oh well.

I've just received my "order of march" list. Assuming it's not pouring rain, I'll stand somewhere under an awning and watch rather than march. In the parade order document, there are a total of 23 groups labeled as PB (which I'm pretty sure means "Pipe Band." I'm sure they'll vary tremendously in size and quality, but that's still more than I expected. The "Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is listed as leading a section described as "Politician" (all listed as coming from Scotland).

Should be fun!

On Friday (day before the parade), my son and I will make a pilgrimage to USA Kilts. I hope for enough dry weather on Saturday to sport my newest kilt (Barb Tewksbury's Lunar 2), to me a handsome example of the X-marks-maligned "grayscale" tartans

**RGM1** · 29th March 25, 01:45 PM

I am anticipating my Tewksbury kilt in the Fleming/Frisken/Flanders tartan any day now. I will wear my Murray of Atholl kilt to the tartan Day 2025 parade since my current plan is to be in the parade with the Murray contingent. It will be a tough call; the Fleming tartan is uncommon and quite striking. It was my first preference when I was ordering my first kilt but was too pricy until a remnant became available.

I understand your point of seeing different groups and plan to play it by ear whether I stick to one spot in the parade or find a vantage point.

**jsrnephdoc** · 29th March 25, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

There is a Pipe Band, the official band of the Tattoo, called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes & Drums. https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/on-tour/pipes-and-drums

What tartan do they wear? Was it custom designed for the band?

**Hirsty** · 29th March 25, 04:04 PM

I appeared at the Carnegie Hall when I was at high school. It was the one in Dunfermline though.

**jsrnephdoc** · 30th March 25, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by Hirsty

I appeared at the Carnegie Hall when I was at high school. It was the one in Dunfermline though.

Having flown in and out of Edinburgh a few times, it appears I've been quite close. Looks as though I should visit the Abbey site on my next trip, given that the founder of my clan was buried there…