Baroque fiddle thought to have been played by Robert Burns to be played at special concerts

An 18th Century baroque fiddle thought to have been played by Robert Burns is to be used again for two special concerts.

The Gregg fiddle was owned by the poet’s dance teacher 250 years ago and will be played at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow and Carnegie Hall in New York next year.

The ancient, decorated baroque fiddle is kept safely on display in the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, where the Bard was born.

Ayrshire fiddle players, Alistair McCulloch, from the Royal Conservatoire Scotland, and David Moore, from the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra, have been the only people with permission to play it – up until now.

History will be made when Lochaber multi-instrumentalist Ewen Henderson plays the Gregg fiddle in front of thousands at Hoolie in the Hydro, Scotland’s biggest night of traditional music, in December.

Celebrated fiddle player and composer Duncan Chisholm will then take up the special instrument in the esteemed Carnegie Hall for Hoolie in New York in April 2025.

Ahead of the record performances, Ewen and Duncan have travelled to the museum in Alloway to learn the intricacies of the precious instrument from its guardians.

‘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,’ Duncan said,

‘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.’

Constructed around 1750, the fiddle was thought to have been played at the Bachelor’s Club in Tarbolton where Burns was learning dance steps, and was named among the 25 Objects That Shaped Scotland’s History by VisitScotland.

The Gregg fiddle is only played a handful of times a year and has never been played in front of audiences of this size and in arenas of this scale before.

Hoolie in the Hydro organiser and broadcaster Gary Innes said the two gigs would be a ‘landmark occasion’.

‘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,’ Gary said.

‘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.’

This year’s Hoolie in the Hydro, external will take place on 7 December. The event will then cross the Atlantic next year for an event held as part of New York’s Tartan Week celebrations on 5 April.

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