Scotland's Hoolie In New York to Make Carnegie Hall Debut Hosted by Alan Cumming

Scotland's preeminent cultural extravaganza, Hoolie in the Hydro, will cross the Atlantic for a debut event titled Scotland's Hoolie in New York on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. The event is spearheaded by award-winning musician and broadcaster, Gary Innes, the visionary behind Hoolie in the Hydro - Scotland's biggest night of traditional music, which has attracted nearly 20,000 people in the past two years to Glasgow's OVO Hydro arena.

"To have Scottish traditional music ringing out across Carnegie Hall's infamous red seats is testament to the continuing rise in popularity of our country's musical heritage," Gary Innes said. "Having Scottish traditional music performed in this eminent venue truly affirms our genre's place amongst the world's musical tapestry."

Held during NYC Tartan Week, the largest annual celebration of Scottish heritage in NYC, Scotland's Hoolie in New York brings together some of Scotland's top tier artists including the multi award-winning, electrifying band Mànran who are known for their dynamic fusion of traditional tunes with contemporary influences featuring the masterful accordion playing of founding member Gary Innes himself.

Additional artists include Julie Fowlis (who gained international recognition for her contributions to the soundtrack of Disney-Pixar's animated film Brave, particularly for performing the song Touch the Sky) and band, Dougie MacLean (composer of the iconic song Caledonia and The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack), the Oban High School Pipe Band (one of the top youth pipe bands in Scotland), and performers from the iconic The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, all hosted by beloved Emmy Award-winning Scottish actor Alan Cumming (The Anniversary Party, GoldenEye, Transformers, The Traitors).

In a special partnership with the National Trust for Scotland, the event will feature a rare performance of the Gregg fiddle - a decorated baroque fiddle dating from 1750 and attributed to William Gregg, the dance teacher of Scottish poet Robert Burns recognized as the famed composer of Auld Lang Syne. The instrument was thought to have been played at the Bachelors' Club in Tarbolton where Burns was learning dance steps and has been named one of the "25 Objects That Shaped Scotland's History" by VisitScotland.

"We are delighted to welcome the Gregg fiddle back to New York City for its premiere at Carnegie Hall during NYC Tartan Week," said Kirstin Bridier, Executive Director of The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA. "Robert Burns had an impact far beyond Scotland, influencing American authors, artists, and thinkers from Frederick Douglass to John Steinbeck to Bob Dylan. Being able to publicly share this remarkable instrument, which the poet danced to and likely played, is at the core of what The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA aims to do: connecting Americans with the irreplaceable cultural heritage and natural beauty cared for by the National Trust for Scotland."

The fiddle has traveled to the US only once before, as it is kept safely on display in the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, where the Bard was born. Ayrshire fiddle players Alistair McCulloch (Royal Conservatoire Scotland) and David Moore (Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra) have been the only musicians with permission to play it until now - its December 2024 debut at Hoolie in the Hydro played by Ewen Henderson, and its April 2025 Carnegie Hall debut played by Duncan Chisholm.