Robert Burns: Gregg fiddle to be played in New York

The Gregg fiddle, which was reportedly played by Scotland’s Bard, Robert Burns, will be returned to use in a partnership between Hoolie in the Hydro and the National Trust for Scotland, at performances in the OVO Hydro in Glasgow and Carnegie Hall in New York.

The decorated baroque fiddle was constructed around 1750 and is kept on display in the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, where the Bard was born.

Burns’ dance teacher William Gregg reportedly played the fiddle more than 250 years ago.

Ewen Henderson playing the fiddle. (Image: Submitted) Musicians Alistair McCulloch, of the Royal Conservatoire Scotland, and David Moore, of Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra, have been the only people with permission to play it a handful of times a year.

In December, multi-instrumentalist Ewen Henderson will play the Gregg fiddle in front of thousands at Hoolie in the Hydro, Scotland’s biggest night of traditional music.

Both musicians have travelled to the museum in Alloway to learn the intricacies of the precious instrument from its guardians.

It was thought to have been played at the Bachelor’s Club in Tarbolton where Burns, who had lived nearby in Mauchline during one of the most creative times of his life, was learning dance steps, and was named among the 25 Objects That Shaped Scotland’s History by VisitScotland.

Hoolie in the Hydro began in 2021, organised by musician and broadcaster Gary Innes, and is commemorating 100 years of Scottish music with Hoolie 100 on December 7.

The fiddle will then be played in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of NYC Tartan Week on April 5.

Duncan Chisholm will perform with the fiddle in New York. (Image: Submitted) Hoolie in the Hydro organiser Mr Innes said: “Robert Burns is an unparalleled figure within Scotland’s culture, so to be able to bring part of his legacy to the Hoolie stages, both at home and across the Atlantic, is remarkable.

“With the Hoolie brand, I am always looking to break new ground and create memories, reflecting the excitement, energy and heritage of Scotland’s vibrant traditional music scene.

“To be able to work with the National Trust for Scotland on something as special as this feels like a landmark occasion – I hope it will create a moment of magic for both the musicians and our audiences.”

Celebrated fiddle player and composer Duncan Chisholm, who will perform with the fiddle in New York, added: “I am incredibly honoured and proud to have been asked to play the Gregg violin, an instrument that played a daily part in Robert Burns’ life.

“To perform with it in such an iconic space as Carnegie Hall in New York will be a truly special moment and something I will remember for the rest of my life.”