Our Travels

First Overseas Trip - Treviso, Italy

The band's first international engagement was in July 2003 when 18 members flew to Treviso, Italy, to take part in the Circoscrizioni in Folclore - an eight-day folk music festival hosted by Pastoria del Burgo Furo, a local folk group of around 30 performers. We performed at venues throughout Treviso and the surrounding towns, including a memorable concert in the Piazza dei Signori to an audience of around 4,000–5,000 people. Alongside groups from Belarus, Mexico, Egypt and Italy, we enjoyed parades, concerts, local celebrations and plenty of opportunities to share music and friendship. Highlights included playing our pipes as we arrived by boat in Venice, exploring the city and the island of Burano, and meeting the Italian pipe band Le Baghe della Zosagna. With wonderful hospitality, new friendships, great food and wine, and music at the heart of every occasion, our visit to Treviso was an unforgettable experience and a fantastic celebration of international friendship through music. The trip was funded through a combination of Lottery funding and dedicated fundraising.

Flowering of the Almond Festival, Sicily

In February 2005, 20 members of the Band travelled to Agrigento, Sicily, to take part in the 50th International Folk Festival, held as part of the 60th Flowering of the Almond Festival. With around 20 folk groups from across the world taking part, the festival was a vibrant celebration of international music, dance and friendship, set against the spectacular backdrop of Agrigento’s ancient Greek temples. We performed in parades and concerts throughout the city, including the spectacular main parade through the streets of Agrigento and a major concert in front of the Tempio della Concordia, with several thousand spectators in attendance and the event broadcast live on Italian television. Away from the formal performances, we enjoyed exploring the Valley of the Temples, sharing music with fellow groups from around the world, and even an impromptu late-night ceilidh with a group of Asturian pipers and drummers at a local bar! Despite the occasional rain, organisational adventure and more than a few late nights, the trip was filled with laughter, music and camaraderie, creating another unforgettable festival experience and lasting friendships with our hosts and fellow performers..

Castagna d'Oro Festival, Italy

In September 2005, a mini-band of seven pipers, four drummers and a Highland dancer travelled to Susa in the Piedmont region of northern Italy to represent Scotland at the 40th Castagna d'Oro International Folk Festival. Over four days, the band performed alongside folk groups from Italy, Mexico and Senegal at a variety of spectacular venues, including the historic streets of Susa, the Pepper Festival in Carmagnola, the medieval fortress at Castellamonte and the ancient Roman amphitheatre before an audience of around 2,000 people. Between performances, members explored the historic cities of Susa and Turin while enjoying the warm hospitality of their Italian hosts. The visit concluded with a prize-giving ceremony, a traditional Italian feast and an unforgettable ceilidh, making the tour a memorable combination of music, friendship, culture and Highland tradition.

China Shanghai International Arts Festival

In October 2005, after 8 months of planning, preparation and more than 20 fundraising engagements, Stockbridge Pipe Band embarked on its most ambitious international tour to date, travelling over 5,600 miles to China to perform at the prestigious 7th China Shanghai International Arts Festival before continuing to the Hangzhou West Lake Carnival. Following months of preparation and fundraising, 25 band members represented Scotland at a series of high-profile performances, including the Festival's televised opening ceremony in Shanghai, community concerts, school performances and cultural events, entertaining audiences ranging from local communities to crowds of over 5,000 people and television audiences numbering more than one million.

The tour also provided the opportunity to experience China's rich history and culture, with visits to landmarks including The Bund, Yuyuan Bazaar, Lingyin Temple and the ancient town of Longmen, while forming lasting friendships with performers from across Europe and beyond. The band's participation culminated in performances before an estimated 500,000 spectators at the Hangzhou West Lake Carnival, official receptions with cultural dignitaries, and memorable celebrations with fellow international performers. Combining outstanding musical performances with unforgettable cultural experiences, the tour remains one of the most significant and rewarding in the band's history. This event remains the furthest the band has ever travelled to perform to date.

Flowering of the Almond Festival, Sicily

In February 2007, 20 members of Stockbridge Pipe Band travelled to Agrigento, Sicily, to take part in the 52nd International Folk Festival as part of the renowned Flowering of the Almond Festival. Throughout the week, the band performed in parades through the historic streets of Agrigento, concerts at the Palacongressi, and the Festival's spectacular opening and closing ceremonies against the backdrop of the ancient Valley of the Temples, with several performances broadcast on Sicilian television. Away from the performances, members explored the city's historic sites, enjoyed the warm Sicilian hospitality and forged lasting friendships with fellow performers from around the world. The tour concluded in unforgettable fashion with an impromptu sunset performance on the beach, as pipers waded into the Mediterranean in full Highland dress, bringing to a close another memorable festival celebrating music, culture and international friendship.

Bergamo Festival, Italy

In June 2007, 27 members of Stockbridge Pipe Band, accompanied by six Highland dancers from the Jane Knox School of Highland Dancing, travelled to Bergamo, Italy, to perform at the 7th Lo Spirito del Pianeta Festival, an international celebration of traditional music, dance and ethnic cultures. Sharing the festival with performers from across the world, the band entertained audiences at venues throughout the city, including performances outside the City Chambers, an unforgettable march through a busy shopping centre, and a spectacular headline concert at the historic Lazzaretto. Featuring an expanded programme of pipe band music, Highland dancing, solo performances and contemporary arrangements, the show was enthusiastically received by an audience of around 2,000 people and concluded with a lively question-and-answer session about Scotland's musical traditions.

Away from the stage, members explored the historic UNESCO World Heritage city of Bergamo, including its picturesque Upper Town, while enjoying the warm hospitality of the festival organisers and fellow performers, including Scotland's own Saor Patrol. Despite heavy rain threatening several outdoor events, the festival's atmosphere, international friendships and impromptu ceilidh dancing ensured the visit was a tremendous success. Although only a short tour, the trip provided valuable experience for the band's larger international performances later that year and remains a memorable celebration of Scottish music and culture abroad.

Mexico Tour

In September 2007, 29 members of Stockbridge Pipe Band, accompanied by five dancers from the Jane Knox School of Highland Dance, travelled to Mexico for a two-centre tour that combined appearances at the UNESCO-supported Universal Forum of Cultures in Monterrey with the 5th International Folk Festival in San Luis Potosí. In Monterrey, the band performed for the President of Mexico, presented a specially choreographed one-hour concert on a purpose-built stage before thousands of spectators, and represented Scotland at one of the world's largest cultural events. Alongside their performances, members experienced the vibrant culture, spectacular mountain scenery and warm hospitality of northern Mexico.

The second half of the tour took the band to the beautiful colonial city of San Luis Potosí, where they performed an extensive programme of concerts, parades and community events at universities, schools, civic venues and even a state correctional facility, culminating in a performance for the Governor of the State. Despite the challenges of altitude, intense heat and a demanding schedule, the band delivered performances to enthusiastic audiences while forging lasting friendships with fellow international performers. Blending world-class cultural festivals with unforgettable musical experiences, the tour remains one of the band's most ambitious and rewarding overseas visits.

Fête de la Crau, France

In May 2008, eighteen band members, two Highland dancers and five Scottish heavyweight athletes travelled to Fos-sur-Mer in Provence for the Fête de la Crau, an unusual festival which brought together music, dance and a recreation of a traditional Highland Games. After arriving in sunny Marseille, the band performed at two local supermarkets before heading to the town’s bullring for an evening show, where the band and dancers entertained several hundred spectators while the athletes demonstrated events including the caber toss, weight over bar and weight for distance. The following day began with a colourful parade through the old town, accompanied by antique cars, musicians, costumed performers and several hundred sheep – whose annual movement to higher pastures historically marked the beginning of summer and provided the inspiration for the festival. The band then performed throughout the day beneath the town’s medieval fort, enjoying the sunshine, market and hospitality before relaxing with the other participants that evening. The trip provided a memorable taste of Scottish culture in the heart of Provence, with warm hospitality, spectacular surroundings and plenty of good humour – including the unexpected late arrival of leading tip Andrew McCaig, who travelled via Nice and Marseille by train and taxi after being left behind in Edinburgh without his passport!

Vodafone T4 Concert, Princes Street Gardens

The band performs for several thousand revellers at the Vodafone T4 concert in Princes Street Gardens, sharing the bill with the Sugababes, The Feeling and The Hoosiers in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Interceltique Festival, Lorient

In 2009, the band travelled to Lorient in Brittany for the 39th Interceltique Festival, spending ten days immersed in one of Europe’s great celebrations of Celtic music and culture. After an overnight journey from Edinburgh and ferry crossing to Roscoff, the band settled into student accommodation and quickly began rehearsals for the spectacular Nuit Magique concerts at the Stade de Moustoir. The packed stadium hosted five consecutive performances, featuring the band alongside other Scottish and Irish pipe bands, Breton groups and the Keltika Highland Dancers. Each evening culminated in a spectacular fireworks display, followed by massed pipes and drums parading into the town centre for some suitably lively late-night entertainment.

The festival’s highlight was the Grand Parade, when around 30 bands marched through Lorient’s streets to enormous crowds, with the event broadcast live on local and national television. The band also performed a major concert at the 5,000-capacity Espace Marine, attracting around 2,000 paying spectators, before rounding off the trip with a full day of competition at the Péristyle. Competing against Scottish, Irish and Breton bands, the band took 2nd equal in the MSR, 5th in the Medley and 3rd in the Drummers’ Fanfare. With performances, parades, concerts, competitions and plenty of music-making along the way, the ten-day visit provided an unforgettable experience of the unique atmosphere of Lorient’s Interceltique Festival. And finally a huge “Thank You” to McCallum Bagpipes who kindly sponsored our trip Polo-shirts.

Bergamo On Pipes, Italy

In September, eleven pipers and eight drummers travelled to Bergamo, Italy, to take part in the inaugural Bergamo On Pipes International Bagpipe Festival, organised by Maurizio Maffioletti of the Bèrghem Baghèt Band. Based in the historic town of Martinengo, the band enjoyed a warm Italian welcome, staying in a 15th-century monastery and taking part in a memorable opening evening of traditional food, local wine, music and dancing. Despite torrential rain disrupting the planned outdoor programme on Saturday, the organisers quickly arranged an alternative stage beneath the town’s historic arcades. The band performed a two-part concert featuring street tunes, competition sets, Highland dancing, a drum fanfare and solo performances to an enthusiastic crowd, before leading a procession through the town alongside the Mayor and festival organisers.

Sunday brought glorious sunshine and the festival’s main spectacle: a massed pipe band parade through the streets of Bergamo. Scottish, Irish, English and Italian pipe bands were joined by traditional musicians from Brittany and Bulgaria, as well as several Italian medieval and traditional pipe and drum groups. The parade culminated at the Lazzaretto, where thirteen bands performed before joining together for a spectacular massed-band finale featuring Amazing Grace, Highland Cathedral and Scotland the Brave. The weekend provided a wonderful opportunity to share Scottish piping and Highland dancing with audiences in Italy, while also meeting and performing alongside musicians from a diverse range of Celtic and European traditions. The band left with fond memories of the festival and immense gratitude to the many organisers, guides and volunteers who made their stay so enjoyable.

Festival de Cornouaille, Quimper

In July 2011, 31 band members travelled by coach and ferry from Edinburgh to Quimper in Brittany to take part in the 88th Festival Cornouaille, one of the great celebrations of Breton culture. Based in the city centre, the band quickly became immersed in the festival atmosphere, performing for sponsors, taking part in regular street parades and entertaining crowds at venues around the city. Highlights included an outdoor performance at Place Terre au Duc and a lively evening at the famous Ceili Pub, where the band performed a 40-minute set from a temporary stage before joining the festival revelry into the early hours. The visit also provided opportunities to enjoy Breton music and dancing, with the band attending a traditional Fest-Noz and watching performances by some of Brittany’s finest Bagads.

The festival reached its climax on Sunday with the main parade through the historic streets of Quimper. Despite heavy rain immediately beforehand, the weather cleared just as the procession began, allowing the band to enjoy a dry march watched by large crowds. The afternoon continued with performances at the Espace Évêché alongside numerous Breton Bagads, followed by a final parade through the city which eventually led back to the Ceili Bar for a memorable farewell evening. Alongside the band’s performances, several members took part in solo piping and drumming competitions and musical duet events, while the trip provided an opportunity to strengthen friendships with local musicians. The band returned to Edinburgh after an early-morning departure from Quimper, grateful to Lena Bernard, Bagad Moulin Vert, their guides and the many friends who had made the visit so welcoming and enjoyable.

Aventicum Musical Parade and Tattoo, Switzerland

In September 2012, thirty band members travelled to Switzerland to take part in the Aventicum Musical Parade in Avenches, a spectacular international tattoo staged in the town’s remarkably well-preserved Roman arena. Based in Fribourg alongside around 50 Swiss pipers and drummers attending workshops organised by the Pipe Band Association of Switzerland, the band spent the first two days in intensive rehearsals for the two-hour shows. Working alongside military and marching bands from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Russia, France and the UK, the band performed its own four-minute showcase as well as joining the massed pipes and drums for the spectacular finale. When the first performance arrived, the extensive rehearsals paid off, with the band enjoying four memorable Tattoo performances, including a standing ovation from an almost full house on the second night.

Away from the Tattoo, the trip provided plenty of opportunities to explore Switzerland and perform in some memorable locations. The band visited the Roman ruins of Avenches, explored the medieval city of Fribourg and travelled to picturesque Murten, where they performed outside the ancient city gates before enjoying Swiss hospitality, a boat trip on Lake Murten and a sunny afternoon by the water. The final day saw the band perform at a lakeside campsite before joining the Swiss musicians for a massed-band parade through Avenches and the final Tattoo performance in a packed Roman arena. The trip was a memorable blend of international music, Scottish piping, Swiss culture and friendship, and the band left having made many new friends within the Swiss pipe band community.

‘When You Wish Upon A Star’ charity trip to Lapland

In December, four band members were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accompany the Scottish “When You Wish Upon A Star” charity flight to Lapland, following six years of supporting the charity’s annual Santa Stroll in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens. The charity grants wishes to children living with life-threatening illnesses and, each year, organises special trips to Lapland for children and their families. Leaving Edinburgh at 2am, the band travelled to Prestwick and piped the excited families onto the aircraft before joining them for the three-hour flight to Rovaniemi. On arrival, the group travelled through the snow to an Enchanted Forest filled with reindeer sleigh rides, husky sledding, snowmobiles, sledging, campfires and hot chocolate. As dusk fell, the band played a selection of Christmas carols beneath a spectacular firework display before continuing into Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and home of Santa Claus.

After dinner overlooking the frozen Kemijoki River, the children were given the magical opportunity to meet Santa Claus himself, receiving presents and having their photographs taken before travelling on to Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle. With its log cabins, timber towers and the famous Santa Claus Post Office, the village provided a final taste of Christmas magic before the group returned to the airport for the flight home. The band then played the children and their families off the aircraft at Prestwick, arriving back in Edinburgh around 22 hours after their journey had begun. More than just a memorable adventure, the trip offered the band a deeply humbling insight into the charity’s work, seeing first-hand the joy and wonder it brought to seriously ill children and their families. The band was hugely grateful to Margaret Rowarth and everyone involved with “When You Wish Upon A Star” for allowing them to share in such a special day.

You can find out more about the charity here: https://www.whenyouwishuponastar.org.uk/

The trip proved to be the start of a cherished tradition rather than a one-off. Band members were invited back to accompany the charity's Lapland flight again in both 2014 and 2015, each time piping families onto the aircraft at Prestwick before dawn and helping to add a little Scottish ceremony to what remains, for everyone who takes part, one of the most humbling and rewarding days in the band's calendar.

Tattoo Festival des Musiques Militaires, France

In September 2013, 24 band members travelled to Ville-La-Grand in the Rhône-Alpes region of France to take part in the 6th Tattoo Festival des Musiques Militaires. The invitation followed a performance at the 2012 Avenches Tattoo in Switzerland, and the journey began with a flight from Edinburgh to Geneva before crossing the border into France. The band quickly settled into rehearsals in the huge marquee at the centre of the village, alongside an impressive international line-up including musicians from the French Foreign Legion, Monaco, Switzerland, Spain, the Netherlands and France. Performances also included an informal concert outside a local school for children and their families, while a smaller group made a special trip back across the Swiss border to appear live on Swiss television as part of a feature about the festival.

The main Tattoo took place on Saturday evening before a packed audience and was recorded for French television, culminating in a spectacular Grande Finale featuring all the participating bands. Sunday brought a parade through Ville-La-Grand, followed by a second Tattoo performance and another finale. The weekend concluded with a lively international after-show party, where each band entertained the others; our band performed several sets before leading a mass Strip the Willow that saw musicians from across Europe enthusiastically take to the dance floor. The following morning, the weary group travelled back to Edinburgh via Geneva, having enjoyed a memorable weekend in the Rhône-Alpes. The excellent hospitality, food and accommodation, combined with the warm welcome from the Mayor and Festival Committee, made the visit a particularly enjoyable experience.

World Band Festival, Lucerne

Two weeks later, in October, 25 band members, three Keltika dancers and Drum Major Paula Braiden travelled from Edinburgh to Lucerne, Switzerland, to perform at the World Band Festival’s ‘Tattoo on Stage’. Flying to Basel before continuing to the beautiful lakeside city, the group stayed close to the impressive Culture and Congress Centre (KKL), where the event was held. The weekend brought together an outstanding international line-up of military and show bands, including the Band of the Blues and Royals, Showband Corio Heerlen, the Moscow Military Representation Orchestra, the Lucerne Marching Band and the Swiss Army RS Drum Corps. The band had a busy rehearsal schedule, preparing a 15-minute opening performance as well as a rendition of Amazing Grace, a choreographed mini-band performance with dancers and a spectacular finale alongside all the participating groups. Performing inside the KKL’s renowned concert hall, designed by architect Jean Nouvel and celebrated for its exceptional acoustics, was a particular highlight.

The first show on Saturday evening was a great success, culminating in a fully orchestrated performance of Highland Cathedral and a standing ovation from the packed audience. Two further sold-out performances followed on Sunday, with time between shows to enjoy Lucerne’s lakeside setting, the old town and the spectacular views towards the snow-capped Alps. The weekend ended in memorable fashion when Swiss friends and sponsors arranged a private evening cruise on Lake Lucerne aboard a luxury yacht. With champagne, canapés and live piping under a clear night sky, it provided a fitting finale to an exceptional visit. After returning to the quayside, a quartet of pipers continued the celebrations by playing across the famous Chapel Bridge before enjoying a final evening with their Swiss hosts. The journey home to Edinburgh via Basel the following morning was a quieter affair, but the band returned immensely grateful for the opportunity to perform at such a prestigious event in one of Switzerland’s most beautiful cities.

Return to Mexico - Festival Santa Lucía, Monterrey

In September 2015, twenty band members returned to Mexico (eight years almost to the week since their first visit) to perform at the Festival Santa Lucía in Monterrey, at the kind invitation of long-standing friend of the band Arturo H. Cueto. Having so enjoyed their original 2007 tour of Monterrey and San Luis Potosí, the band relished the chance to reconnect with old friends, reacquaint themselves with the warmth of Mexican hospitality and once again share Scottish music with enthusiastic Mexican audiences. The trip was, by all accounts, every bit as memorable as the first - a fitting way to mark eight years of friendship between Stockbridge and Monterrey, and proof that some of the band's best trips are the ones worth repeating.