Additional bands and performers announced for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Rats of Tobruk Pipes and DrumsThe Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has announced additional bands and performers who are set to march into Etihad Stadium for five performances from Friday 12 February 2016.

The City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band; Melbourne University Choral Society and Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers will join Republic of Fiji Military Forces Band; His Majesty the King’s Guard, Norway; Royal Corps of Musicians Tonga; Shetland Fiddlers from UK; The Lochiel Marching Drill Team from New Zealand; Tasmania Police Band and Pipes & Drums of the Royal Caledonian Society, South Australia.

The City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band by special invitation has showcased the music of Scotland through the streets of Melbourne since the late 1890s. The band has members of all ages and a variety of cultural backgrounds, demonstrating that pipe bands are not just for those with a Scottish heritage.

The Shetland Fiddlers from United Kingdom’s most northerly area is renowned worldwide for the excellence of its fiddle based traditional music.

Lochiel Marching Drill Teammade up of 24 young women is the oldest established precision drill team in New Zealand having been formed in the 1950s.

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Band is comprised of 50 male members and meke dancers and is an important part of the Fiji Army culture and heritage.

His Majesty the King’s Guard 3rd Company is the Norwegian Defence Force’s finest display unit.  Every guardsman is a national serviceman, doing 12 months of compulsory military service.

Royal Corps of Musicians, Tonga is the musical arm of His Majesty’s Armed Forces and consists of regular army military musicians.

Tasmania Police Band has performed many times at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh and also at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The Pipes & Drums of the Royal Caledonian Society South Australia is the oldest civilian Pipe Band in the Southern Hemisphere.

Melbourne University Choral Society was founded in 1939 when the University’s men’s and women’s glee clubs merged and is now regarded as one of Melbourne’s leading choirs.  They were specially chosen for this event due to their extraordinary talent and voices.

Melbourne Scottish Fiddlersacclaimed around the world and having often performed in Scotland, are joined by the Hjaltibonhoga fiddlers to bring to the Tattoo a mix of traditional and contemporary Scottish songs and tunes.

The bands above will join the already announced Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland, South Australia Police Band, Western Australia Police Band, New Zealand Army Band and Manly Warringah Pipe Band who will all perform in what promises to be one of the biggest entertainment events ever to be seen in Melbourne. Bands from the United Kingdom and representatives of the Australian Defence Forces are yet to be announced!

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will be staged at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium: 12 – 14 February 2016. For more information, visit: www.edinburghtattoo.com.au for details.

Image: Melbourne’s Rats of Tobruk Pipes and Drums (supplied)