Destinations · Scotland

Music tours in Scotland

Perform music in the landscape that inspired it, from Edinburgh's Gothic streets to the lochs and mountains of the Highlands, alongside Scotland's pipers, bands and choirs.

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Why Scotland suits touring ensembles

Scotland is dramatic and magical, unlike anywhere else on these islands. Much of the music that bands, choirs and orchestras perform was inspired by its landscape and culture, and very few countries have a sound so tied to their land as the Highland pipes.

Scotland is far more than pipe bands, though. Its cities have a strong orchestral life, and concert bands and choirs are thriving too, so every kind of ensemble is welcome here.

Our advice is to go beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Highlands, the small towns and the Western Isles are where Scotland comes alive, and smaller cities such as Inverness bring full houses and wonderfully receptive audiences.

August

Fringe and pipe band season

1 hour

Edinburgh to Glasgow

2 to 3

regions per tour

Highlands

where Scotland comes alive

Where to perform in Scotland

Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness each offer fine venues and warm audiences. What changes from place to place is the setting, from a Gothic cathedral to a loch shore, and we match each one to your music.

Edinburgh's skyline from Calton Hill, a highlight of a music tour of Scotland

Edinburgh

St Giles' and St Mary's Episcopal cathedrals, the Queen's Hall and the Reid Concert Hall. An orchestra in St Giles' is a sound you won't forget.

Glasgow City Chambers on George Square, where touring bands perform outdoors

Glasgow and Loch Lomond

City Halls, with its fine orchestral acoustics, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and outdoor performances for bands at Loch Lomond Shores.

The National Wallace Monument above Stirling, in the heart of Scotland

Perth and Stirling

The heart of Scotland, between the cities and the Highlands, with churches, halls and castle towns that make a natural stop on the way north.

Inverness and the River Ness, where a Highland concert draws the whole community

The Highlands

Inverness, where concerts are well attended and audiences warm, and Iona Abbey on the Isle of Iona, a remarkable space for a choir.

A piper in Highland dress playing the bagpipes, a sound every touring group hears in Scotland
String players from a touring orchestra performing in concert
A choir on tour singing in a church, the kind of acoustic choirs find across Scotland

Pipes, fiddles and a ceilidh to finish

Scotland's traditional music is everywhere, from pipers on the Royal Mile to fiddle sessions in Highland pubs and village halls, and visiting musicians are welcomed into it. Our links are strongest with bands, choirs and pipe bands across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and the towns in between.

Your tour can include a piping workshop at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow, a fiddle or folk session, an exchange with a Scottish band or choir, and a ceilidh where your whole group learns the dances.

Ways to take part

Piping and drumming workshops · Band and choir exchanges · Fiddle and folk sessions · Ceilidh dancing

Between the concerts

Scotland's scenery is the backdrop to every tour, and the Highlands or the Western Isles deserve a place on every itinerary. We plan sightseeing around your performances, so your group arrives at every concert fresh.

The mountains of Glencoe, an unforgettable day out between concerts on a Scotland music tour

Lochs and mountains

Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Glencoe, with walking, water sports and summer Highland games.

Edinburgh Castle on its volcanic rock above the city

Castles and royal history

Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Stirling Castle, with haggis to try along the way. Trust us.

The Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye, a ferry trip from the Scottish mainland

Islands and the coast

Ferries to the Isle of Skye and the Western Isles, or the fishing villages of Fife.

Collage of Upbeat co-founders Keith Kelly and Gabby on their travels, at castles, historic sites, coastlines and concerts

Planned by musicians who know Scotland

Scotland is the country we visit most for ourselves, as often as we can. Our team are professional musicians who have brought ensembles on tour throughout Scotland, with strong links to its bands, choirs and pipe bands and to the venues, guides and suppliers we trust. An Upbeat tour manager travels with your group from arrival to departure.

Meet the musicians behind Upbeat

Festivals

Scotland's festivals give a touring group a ready-made stage and an audience that came for the music. August is the big month, with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Piping Live! and the World Pipe Band Championships, while concert bands look to the national finals in Perth each March.

  • Edinburgh's city centre lit up at night, home of the Festival Fringe where touring groups perform each August

    Edinburgh Festival Fringe

    Edinburgh, August. The world’s largest open-access arts festival, where any group can register a show and find a venue.

  • A pipe band in kilts marching and playing, the heart of a pipe band tour to Scotland

    World Pipe Band Championships

    Glasgow, August. More than 200 pipe bands from around the world compete on Glasgow Green over two days.

  • Close-up of a piper in a kilt playing the bagpipes at a Glasgow piping festival

    Piping Live!

    Glasgow, August. An international piping festival in the week before the Worlds, with concerts and performances across the city.

  • A touring concert band seen from above, players and music stands ready to perform

    Scottish Concert Band Festival National Finals

    Perth, March. Scotland’s national concert band finals, where visiting bands can be invited to perform in guest showcase slots.

Music tours in Scotland for every kind of ensemble

School, collegiate and community groups all tour Scotland with us. This is what Scotland offers each kind of ensemble.

Marching band and drum corps

Outdoor performances in city squares, from Glasgow's George Square to Edinburgh at Fringe time.

Marching band tours

Concert band

Concerts in historic churches and halls, and guest slots at the Scottish Concert Band Festival.

Concert band tours

Orchestra

Concert halls in Edinburgh and Glasgow with fine orchestral acoustics, in a country with a strong orchestral life.

Orchestra tours

Choir

Cathedral acoustics in Edinburgh, Iona Abbey, and exchanges with Scottish choirs, including Gaelic song.

Choir tours

Dance

Fringe stages, workshops and a Scottish ceilidh to dance the night away.

Dance tours

Pipe band

The home of the pipes: workshops with Scottish pipers, our pipe band links, and the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow.

Pipe band tours

Combine Scotland with

  • Colourful cottages on a hillside in the Irish countryside at sunset

    Ireland

    A short flight to Dublin or Belfast, or take your tour coach on the ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast.

    Music Tours in Ireland
  • Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London, a classic stop on a music tour of England

    England

    Head south by coach through the Borders and the north of England, or take the train from Edinburgh to London.

    Music Tours in England
  • Conwy Castle above the town and estuary in North Wales

    Wales

    Travel south by coach or train through the north of England to Wrexham, Eryri and the north Wales coast.

    Music Tours in Wales

Scotland music tour questions

  • Scotland works all year, but each season offers something different. August is festival month, with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, though Edinburgh's hotels book up early and cost more then. Spring and early summer bring long, light evenings, while autumn and winter are quieter and better value.

  • Most do. Scotland is part of the UK, and most visitors who don't need a visa, including US and Canadian citizens, must have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before they travel. British and Irish citizens don't need one. Every traveller, including children, applies online, so build it into your planning early.

  • Every tour is costed individually, and four things make the biggest difference. Group size matters most: shared costs such as coaches and guides are spread across everyone, and groups of around 30 or more usually share them well. Timing matters too, as Edinburgh in August costs noticeably more than the rest of the year. Hotel standard and the number of nights make up the rest. Tell us about your group and we will put together a quote.

  • Yes, and many do. Edinburgh and Glasgow pair well with Dublin or Belfast, with a short flight or a ferry crossing between them, and the north of England is an easy coach or train journey south. We plan the whole route as one tour.

  • Both. Most groups bring their own wind, string and smaller instruments, and we hire percussion and large instruments locally, so your group can travel light.

  • Not at all. Scotland is famous for the sound of its pipes, but its cities have a strong orchestral life, and concert bands and choirs are thriving across the country. Orchestras, bands, choirs and pipe bands are all very welcome, and we plan performances to suit each.

  • We would encourage it. The cities are wonderful, but the Highlands, the small towns and the Western Isles are where Scotland comes alive, with walking, Highland games and outdoor adventure. Smaller cities such as Inverness often bring full houses and warm, receptive audiences, so a night or two in the Highlands is well worth building in.