LSM Newswire: The Band of the Irish Guards and The Pipes, Drums and Dancers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland

(Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)

Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 2 PM / Roy Thomson Hall

$69.50 - $39.50 - Call 416-872-4255 or buy online at www.roythomson.com

or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office

Toronto, ON. January 14, 2010

The Band of the Irish Guards and The Pipes, Drums and Dancers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) bring all the pomp and grandeur of the British Empire to Roy Thomson Hall with a rousing presentation of pageantry and music called ��Hands Across the Sea�� on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 2 PM. The Toronto performance is part of the company��s extensive 2010 North American tour and features over 80 performers and a stirring program of marches, anthems, fanfares, bagpipe medleys, jigs and popular songs from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

In 1900, Queen Victoria formed The Irish Guards to commemorate the bravery of the many Irish Regiments that had fought in the South African campaigns. The Band of the Irish Guards was formed about the same time and quickly gained a reputation for excellence. In 1905 the Band made the first of many tours of Canada and the people of Toronto were so impressed that they presented the Band with a Silver Cup that even today remains a cherished possession of the Band. With a current roster of 49 musicians, the Band��s main duty is to play for the Mounting of The Queen��s Guard at Buckingham Palace (alternating with the other four Foot Guards Bands), and for official ceremonial occasions such as State Visits, Royal Weddings, Royal Garden Parties and, of course, The Queen��s Birthday Parade. Over the years the Band of the Irish Guards has toured Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Germany, Hong Kong, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Japan. During this 2010 North American tour, the Band makes its U.S. debut.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders came into being in 1881 with the amalgamation of two distinguished Scottish regiments (which had been formed during the reign of George III): The 91^st Argyllshire Highlanders and the 93^rd Sutherland Highlanders. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders last appeared on a North America concert tour with the Black Watch in 1989 and with the 1^st Battalion Queens Regiment in 1993. In March 2006 the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders became the 5^th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and are due to receive new colours in 2010. The Battalion recently returned from Helmand Province in Afghanistan, where the Pipes and Drums were deployed as part of the Heavy Machine Gun platoon, working closely with the U.S. Marine Corps. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5^th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, are now based in Canterbury, Kent.

This performance is co-presented by Attila Glatz Concert Productions and Roy Thomson Hall