Rare 200-year-old Burns family flute to be played in New York
Historic performance to aid preservation of poet’s home
A 200-year-old flute, deeply connected to Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, is set to be played in the United States for the first time during Tartan Week 2026 in New York City.
This culturally significant event is part of a campaign to save Ellisland Farm, where the iconic song “Auld Lang Syne” and other works were penned by Burns.
Ellisland Farm is currently at risk due to weathering and structural decay, and funds are urgently needed to preserve it as a cultural landmark.
The flute, which belonged to Burns’s son, James Glencairn Burns, will be showcased in performances by flautist Claire Mann, accompanied by Scottish artists Robyn Stapleton and Rebecca Hill.
A special photocall at Central Park’s Burns Statue will offer a media moment, followed by performances at events held by the American Scottish Foundation and the St Andrew's Society of the State of New York.
Ellisland’s team will join the Tartan Day Parade, promoting their campaign with a banner to “Save the Home of Auld Lang Syne.”
The campaign seeks to raise £12 million for restoration and development of income through cultural programming and guest accommodation at Ellisland.
Supported by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the initiative hopes to inspire international backing.
Joan McAlpine from The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust said: “Americans have made Auld Lang Syne into one of the most famous songs in the world... We hope hearing the Burns family flute played in the heart of New York City will inspire many to join our campaign.”
Placing history front and centre, Claire Mann expressed the significance of playing the flute at the Central Park statue, describing it as an unforgettable moment.
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