2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Brazilian Piper Pipe Band is coming to Edinburgh this summer
In August the Brazilian Piper Pipe Band, a group of young men from the tough suburb of Rio de Janeiro, São Goncalo, will set off on a life- changing adventure to one of the official events celebrating the 200th UK-Brazil anniversary here in the capital.
Their journey will take them to Lisbon and London, and the Edinburgh Festival where they will play at the Ross Bandstand.
The Brazilian Piper Pipe Band was founded in 1999 by Pipe Major José Paulo Pereira as a social project using the discipline of a pipe band to train underprivileged teenagers from a violent area of Rio De Janeiro dominated by drug traffic to become responsible citizens. They have performed their rich repertoire of traditional Scottish pipe tunes, theme music from famous TV series and Brazilian popular music all over South America – including a foot-tapping samba finale always guaranteeing a standing ovation.
Their 'Daily Ceilidh' show will be a prime example of the peaceful fusion of culture between Brazil and the UK and will run from 12 to 19 August 2025 between 15.30 and 17.30.
Every afternoon the band will gather at the Ross Fountain in West Princes Street Gardens. At 15.30, there will be a parade behind the Brazilian Piper Pipe Band 200 metres from the fountain to the Ross Bandstand entrance. A Grand March into the area for dancing in front of the stage, where the Iain MacPhail Ceilidh band will start off each ' Daily Ceilidh' show with the 'Gay Gordons' dance.
The show will continue by inviting the audience to join in easy ceilidh dances led by the Iain MacPhail Pipe Band and RSCDS dancers, interspersed with presentations by the Brazilian Piper Pipe Band and Batucada Brasil Percussion Group. The show will end with general samba dancing for all to the Brazilian Piper Pipe Band, Batucada Brasil Percussion and the Iain MacPhail Ceilidh Band, followed by Auld Lang Syne.
The show will include the Iain MacPhail Ceilidh Band. For over thirty years Iain MacPhail provided the music for Caledonian Balls in South America and the Ghillies' Ball for the Royal family at Balmoral Castle. It will also include dancers from the Royal Scottish County Dance Society (RSCDS) and a carnival group from Edinburgh's Brazilian community with the Batucada Brasil percussion band.
Capt James H Frew said: 'I'm a native of Edinburgh, and have been 42 years in Brazil. I'm a retired Merchant Navy captain with a marine surveying business. I've been working on this project since March 2024 – and we'll be staying in Port Seton Holiday village caravans, using the 26 bus to get to Princes Street Gardens every day for the show.
'The Brazilian Piper Pipe Band social project is supported by the British consulate in Rio de Janeiro and the Consulate General of Brazil in Edinburgh. The band raised their own travelling expenses from presentations at shipping malls, local community events and the Rio passenger cruise ship terminal.'
During their run they will play along with the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) dancers and Batucada Brasil Percussion Group. Edinburgh's Brazilian community is organising a BBQ for them.
On 11 August the band will be one of 17 international pipe bands which has been invited by the National Piping Centre, Glasgow, to participate in the annual 'Piping Live' parade to demonstrate the versatility of the Great Highland Bagpipe.
On 17 August the band will be received by the Consulate General of Brazil in Edinburgh and on 25 August they will return home.
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