Welcome to Scotland
Bring your choir, band, or orchestra on a concert tour of Scotland!
Your stay will take you through Scotland’s vibrant cities, magnificent castles, and breathtaking natural beauty. Scotland is internationally renowned for its traditional music, steeped in lore. Scottish music often features recognizable instruments such as the fiddle, bagpipes, harp, and guitar. World-renowned artists of many genres have emerged from the Scottish music scene. You will have the opportunity to perform your own repertoire in spectacular, historic venues that have hosted generations of talented performers.
See both tradition and modernity intertwine in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Tread in the footsteps of Scottish nobility as you tour Urquhart, Dunrobin, and Edinburgh Castles. Enjoy the picturesque scenery of Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, where you may even catch a glimpse of the infamous Loch Ness Monster. Unveil Scotland’s rich history as you explore all it has to offer! Enjoy a concert tour of Scotland. Immerse your choir, band, or orchestra in all that Scotland has to offer. Above all, create memories to last a lifetime as you share your music with local people.
Itinerary
Depart North America for Glasgow, Scotland.
Welcome to Scotland! Enjoy an introduction to the Lowlands during a guided city tour of Glasgow which will cover George Square, the impressive Glasgow Cathedral—the only mainland Scottish Cathedral to have survived the Reformation intact—and the West End, where you’ll admire Glasgow’s historic university buildings.
This afternoon, check in to your Glasgow hotel. Rehearsal time can be arranged.
Tonight, a welcome dinner of Scottish specialties will be served to your group and accompanied by traditional Scottish music as your tour manager previews the days ahead.
Begin your first full day in Scotland! This morning leave the city for the beautiful Scottish countryside. Start by visiting Loch Lomond, a 24-mile-long lake with the largest surface area of fresh water in the UK. Continue on through the rugged landscape of Glencoe en route to Urquhart Castle, one of the largest castles in Scotland.
In the afternoon, embark on a cruise of Loch Ness to look for Nessie the Loch Ness Monster.
Continue on to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, and check in to your hotel.
Tonight, enjoy dinner in a local pub with great live music.
This morning visit, Dunrobin Castle. The most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands with 189 rooms, the castle is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s.
See a spectacular falconry display on the castle grounds featuring golden eagles and peregrine falcons, both resident birds of the Scottish Highlands.
Return to Inverness for an afternoon at leisure with the option for a rehearsal before this evening’s concert at a local venue such as Inverness Cathedral.
This morning your group has the option to visit to a whiskey distillery or the Leault Working Sheepdog Farm. During a 45-minute demonstration amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland, you will see up to eight dogs working as a team maneuvering sheep and ducks through various obstacles.
This afternoon continue on to Perth, home of the Stone of Destiny in the Scone Abbey where the King of the Scots was crowned as early as the 12th century.
This evening enjoy dinner near your hotel in Perth.
Check out of your hotel in the morning and depart for Edinburgh, the Scottish capital city. Stop along the way at the famous Forth Rail Bridge, a remarkable cantilever structure which is regarded as an engineering marvel and recognized the world over.
Upon arrival, enjoy a guided city tour of Edinburgh that covers the Royal Mile, the historic Old Town, the Georgian New Town, and Calton Hill.
Check in to your hotel to relax before this evening’s concert.
Tonight, perform a friendship concert with a local ensemble at a church such as St. Giles’ Cathedral, known as the “cradle of Presbyterianism.” Dinner is served at a pub or restaurant to compliment the concert timing. Perhaps you’ll share the meal with members of the local choir.
This morning, visit Edinburgh Castle, the most famous of Scottish castles with sections that date back to the 12th century. Today the castle houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O’ Clock Gun, and the National War Museum of Scotland.
Sing a lunch time concert in St. Giles Cathedral. Founded in 1120 and considered the cradle of Presbyterianism because it was the church of John Knox during the Reformation.
Enjoy time this final afternoon for shopping and exploration. Of course no trip to Scotland is complete without bringing home some Celtic jewelry or Scottish tartan fabric.
Tonight your group will be treated to a festive farewell dinner at the Spirit of Scotland Show with live Scottish music.
This morning, check out of the hotel and depart for the Glasgow Airport and your return flight to North America.
Concert Tour Highlights
GLASGOW
Situated on the River Clyde, Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and one of the largest seaports in the world. Glasgow has been deemed a UNESCO City of Music and hosts an average of 130 music events weekly, ranging from rock and pop to opera and Celtic music. Central Glasgow is divided into two major areas: the City Center, a neighborhood containing the city’s commercial heart and most of its tourist attractions, and the West End, a Bohemian neighborhood renowned for its lovingly preserved Victorian architecture and green spaces.
LOCH LOMOND
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch that is considered the boundary between Central Scotland and the Scottish Highlands. It is Great Britain’s largest body of freshwater by surface area and the second largest body of freshwater by volume. Loch Lomond is one of Scotland’s premier water sports venues, and its picturesque scenery draws visitors from all over the world. The loch is featured in a well-known traditional Scottish song, “The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond,” which was first published in 1841.
EDINBURGH
Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital city located in the nation’s Central Belt region. Edinburgh is an amalgam of medieval and modern influences. Its skyline is dominated by the majestic Edinburgh Castle. Running downhill from the castle is the Royal Mile, the main artery of the city’s 16th century Old Town. The Royal Mile leads to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland. Every August, thousands of people from around the globe descend on the city for the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the most famous of its kind in the world on account of its gloriously diverse roster of performances that span across all artistic genres and mediums.
FRIENDSHIP CONCERTS IN SCOTLAND
Our friendship concerts are a featured experience on our tours and are at the heart of our mission to foster cultural connections through music. We benefit from a vast international network in the choral world built over our thirty years' experience of helping choirs share their music both in the United States and abroad. Your choir will share a venue and a concert program with a host choir from the region. Your singers will have the chance to hear their host choir's repertoire (often showcasing local musical styles) and to share your own repertoire in turn. Fellowship time usually follows the friendship concert, giving both choirs the chance to mingle and enjoy the camaraderie of creating cross-cultural connections through a shared love of music.