Scotland’s Culture Minister to bid farewell to Tattoo performers bound for Australia

At 9.15am on Wednesday, January 13 at Crown Square within Edinburgh Castle, Scotland’s Culture Minister, Fiona Hyslop MSP will personally offer performers from the Tattoo’s Scottish contingent bound for Australia her best wishes as they put the finishing touches to their preparations for the Edinburgh Tattoo’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations Down Under at Sydney’s Football Stadium from 3-7 February 2010.

Around 30 musicians from the Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland together with Tattoo Chief Executive and Producer, Major General Euan Loudon, will be in attendance that morning. Culture Minister, Fiona Hyslop MSP said: “An iconic event like Edinburgh’s Military Tattoo helps put Scotland on the map and I’ve no doubt its presence in Australia will act as a superb advertisement for our country. The ambassadorial role performed by this cherished national institution supports the strengthening of links between our two nations”

Tattoo Producer, Major General Loudon, remarked: “This is one of the largest contingents of British Military musicians from Scotland and the UK ever to leave these shores. It provides an excellent opportunity to fly the flag Down Under, and, I hope, in the process, makes the necessary connection with the Australian people.” The Culture Minister is expected to hand the musicians a special Scottish gift on Wednesday which will be shipped Down Under for presentation to her Australian counterpart.

This is only the third time in the Tattoo’s history that the world-class event will be staged away from its home at Edinburgh Castle. In 2000, Wellington’s Westpac Trust Stadium in New Zealand enjoyed this honour, while Sydney hosted the Tattoo’s outstandingly successful ‘A Salute to Australia’ in 2005. The largest gathering of pipes & drums and military bands ever to perform overseas will be among the 350-strong British-based performers taking their unique brand of entertainment to the southern hemisphere. The complete cast for Australia of more than 1500 performers will include some of the world’s finest musicians from Australia, China, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, the United Kingdom and the USA along with 120 top-flight Highland dancers from across Australia and Scotland.

They will perform to 130,000 spectators over 5 nights at Sydney’s Football Stadium where a dramatic replica backdrop of Edinburgh Castle has been built to help capture the essential magic of the presentation that only the Edinburgh Tattoo can create.

And they will be joined by considerably more throughout Australia who will enjoy the highlights on national television.

VisitScotland’s Chief Executive, Philip Riddle, said: “VisitScotland is proud to be associated with the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and we look forward to joining forces with the event in Australia to promote Scotland on the world stage. More than 131,000 Australian and New Zealand visitors came to Scotland last year and our 2010 marketing drive in Sydney will encourage even more to enjoy sights like the home of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo for themselves.”

Festivals Edinburgh Director, Faith Liddell, said: “We’re delighted to support the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Sydney.It is a fantastic opportunity to promote Edinburgh’s Festivals which are proudly recognised as Scotland’s world-class cultural brand with an international reputation and appeal unmatched by any other cultural event on the globe. We look forward to welcoming many Australians to Edinburgh to visit the Tattoo and Edinburgh’s Festivals during 2010.”