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Tattoo celebrates Homecoming
01/07/2009
New musical compositions and a Highland dance celebrating Homecoming Scotland 2009 have been commissioned for Edinburgh's Military Tattoo.
The Scottish Government's Expo Fund has enabled the Tattoo to commission and perform two musical compositions, one by Runrig founder member Blair Douglas and the other from Pipe Major Roddy Macdonald. The latter will also be performed during the Tattoo's Australian tour next year.
A new Highland dance will also be commissioned, along with a short film about the new works for the Tattoo's official DVD which gets worldwide distribution.
Speaking from Edinburgh Castle, where he met the Tattoo's Chief Executive and Producer Major General Euan Loudon and Lance Corporal Gary Mowbray from the 'Brit Award Winning' Pipes and Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Culture Minister Michael Russell said:
"In the Year of Homecoming it is appropriate that Blair Douglas' composition celebrates soldiers returning to the Tattoo in 2009, while Inverness-born Pipe Major Roddy Macdonald comes 'home' from Australia to lead the performance of his new work.
"The Tattoo is an iconic production that raises the international profile of Scotland's creative talent. This Expo-funded work will be enjoyed by millions at home and abroad, further enhancing our reputation, boosting our economy and maintaining Edinburgh's position as the world's pre-eminent festival city."
Major General Euan Loudon, Edinburgh Tattoo Chief Executive and Producer, said:
"Expo funding has enabled us to further embrace newly-commissioned Homecoming-themed components within our 2009 Tattoo programme. And together with support for our Australian production, which sees the commencement of our Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2010, we are most grateful to the Scottish Government for facilitating this type of additional creative work, which helps broaden our artistic activities while continuing to engage with millions around the world."
The £58,000 Expo funding will enable the Edinburgh Military Tattoo to commission and perform to new musical compositions as part of the 2009 Tattoo. The first by Blair Douglas, founder member of Runrig, Mactalla and Cliar, the second by Pipe Major Roddy Macdonald - from Inverness but now based in Australia where he is Pipe Major with Queensland Policy Pipes and Drums and the Governor's Piper of Queensland. It will also support the commissioning of a new highland dance by Billy Forsyth (former Highland Dance Director for the Tattoo) and produce a short film highlighting the new works for inclusion in the Tattoo's official DVD which is distributed widely internationally.
The Expo Fund is available to all 12 Festivals in Edinburgh to support the development of Scottish-based work. The planned expenditure for the Edinburgh Festival Expo Fund is £6 million over three years (2008-09 to 2011-12). This year we have announced just under £2 million across eight festivals with more to follow through the year.