After a month of almost nightly performances, The Citadel’s Regimental Band and Pipes have become a part of the storied history of Edinburgh Castle. Representing The Citadel, South Carolina and the United States, the Band displayed the highest level of professionalism and poise at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the world’s most renowned military music festival. This prestigious event brought together a diverse ensemble of international performers, with The Citadel proudly representing the U.S. as the only American military college band invited to participate.

The Citadel’s Regimental Band and Pipes officially arrived in Edinburgh early in the morning on Friday, July 26, to prepare for the Tattoo. While most of the Band’s instruments were shipped to Scotland, members of the Regimental Pipe Band brought their bagpipes as their carry-on items for the flight. This allowed the Pipe Band to hit the ground running with their first practice, just moments after settling into their rooms at Edinburgh University. Following the practice, the Band had time to rest after the long flight and prepare for the start of a demanding month.

For their first official practice, the Band headed to Redford Barracks to run through their full performance for the Tattoo. Keeping true to Scottish weather, the rain briefly came down on the Band, giving them a taste of what would likely be the first of many rainy days. And while the practices at The Citadel had initiated their preparation for the Tattoo, seeing the layout of the Esplanade was incredibly helpful, allowing the pieces to fall into place.

“When we had our first practices at Redford, we got to map out what our routine was going to look like on the actual Esplanade, so we had a better idea of the space for the real show. We mapped things out and got used to playing in Scotland, since it’s a different climate,” said Cadet Logan Murray.

Their practice day didn’t end there. Later, the Band headed up to Edinburgh Castle for their first run-through of the show, aiming to perfect their routine. The Band’s initial practice on the Esplanade could be summed up in one word – surreal. Each performer held their instrument as they stepped onto the Esplanade for the first time, gazing up at the impressive Edinburgh Castle. The awe was evident on their faces; being at the castle for the first time underscored the significance of this journey for every member of the Band.

“Here at the castle, we got to see the actual scale of the performance space. Up until that point, we knew we were here in Scotland, but it didn’t feel real. But now, all of the anticipation has led up to this moment,” said Cadet Kyler Kane.

From the Lowcountry to the Lowlands

There were several differences between practicing on campus and in Edinburgh, but the preparation was worth it. After rehearsing in the sweltering Charleston heat, the cooler weather in Scotland was a welcome reprieve.

For many Band members, this was their first time abroad. During their free time, they were able to sightsee around the city and immerse themselves in the local culture.

“This was my first time out of the country.  Scotland is awesome. The food was great, everybody I talked to was super nice and it was a great time,” said Cadet Tony Pack. “It’s one thing to go overseas for fun, but it’s a completely different thing to come overseas for something like this. I’m here representing the school and the state I was raised in. It means the world. It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity — I would not have gotten this experience going to any other school.”

Edinburgh Castle transformed each night, showcasing the talents of the Regimental Band and the Regimental Pipe Band with a set that featured classic American tunes, including the high-energy “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” However, the standout of each performance was a Citadel-themed piece — “Echoes on the Ashley” — an original composition by the Band Director, Lt. Col. Timothy Smith, USMC (Ret.). Other songs performed by the Band and Pipes included another original song, “The Regimental Blues,” and Smith’s arrangements of “The Charleston” and “Take me Home, Country Roads.”

“I am incredibly proud of them”

For Smith and the Regimental Pipe Band Director Jim Dillahey, ’01, the Band didn’t just meet expectations — they exceeded them.

“The way that the band grew musically over the course of the month was amazing. It was absolutely incredible to see the difference between the Band the first night versus the last night. The power, the sound, the note values — everything was so much better,” said Dillahey. “Every night, every show, was great. That is a testament to the cadets, and I am thrilled with how it went.”

As for Smith, the entire experience filled him with pride as he watched the Band grow not only as musicians but as individuals.

“I am incredibly proud of them. I’m proud of the work they did for this, the work I did, the work that Jim did — it was all worth it. It all came together beautifully. I watched them grow up; the first week was like the Wild West, and then they started to figure it out,” said Smith. “You could feel the excitement grow before every show. This is a whole bunch of non-music majors, standing next to professionals, and they realized, ‘Oh, this is real,’ and they upped their game big time.”

It was no surprise that The Citadel astounded the crowd with their musical bravado, sharp movements and impressive full dress uniforms.

“The reception from the crowd was extremely positive, and the help from all of the Tattoo support staff was greatly appreciated. From our first performance, the crowd response was much better than I could’ve imagined — they sang along to ‘Country Roads,’ they cheered, they gave us a standing ovation. It felt like electricity was in the air when we stepped onto the Esplanade and performed for them. It was a fantastic experience, “said Cadet Joshua Devine.

For both Band Directors, their favorite moment occurred during “Country Roads” as they observed the crowd from above the Esplanade.

“The moment ‘Country Roads’ came on, the whole place went bananas. They’re all clapping, they’re all singing. That was the response we wanted from the crowd, and the best part was that it was a complete experiment. The Tattoo Production crew was hesitant to include the piece because no one had attempted a crowd singalong, ever,” said Dillahey.

Becoming local celebrities

For Cadet Kenya Mabry, taking in the massive crowd at Tattoo for the first time was daunting, but she quickly realized the Band was ready for this.

“We did such a good job as a team, so I knew that our first performance was a good performance. When we were standing in the tunnel before we came out on the Esplanade, I was like ‘Oh my god, oh my god,’ then we came out and I thought, ‘That’s a lot of people, but we got this,’ and I had to just calm down a little,” said Mabry. “I am so proud of how it all turned out. We knew we would do a good job but with everyone cheering us on, I think that’s what really gave us a boost.”

During their time in Scotland, the Band become local celebrities — a natural outcome when you’re performing nearly every night in front of a crowd of more than 8,000 people. Band members and Directors were often stopped on the street by strangers praising their previous night’s performance, even receiving recognition on the plane ride home.

“There were people on our flight returning home that were talking to our cadets about how they had seen the Tattoo three nights before. That never stopped the entire time we were there — people were constantly coming up to us and talking about The Citadel’s performance,” said Dillahey.

After a long month, The Citadel’s Regimental Band and Pipes have returned to the Lowcountry. Many Band members repeatedly spoke about what an amazing opportunity and honor it was to perform at such a prestigious, world-class event.

“I want to thank all of the alumni who supported the Band’s trip to Edinburgh. To be honest, they’re the ones who made this happen. We would have never been able to go over without their support. It’s a heavy lift, and the alumni came through,” said Dillahey.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Citadel alumni for their support, both for getting our pipers to camp this summer to learn the Tattoo music as well as for their contributions toward this trip since 2015. It has made all the difference,” said Smith.

“We are going to carry this momentum”

The Band performed each night, except Sundays, with two shows on Saturdays. While it might have been easy to lose focus, The Citadel’s Band never did. Each Band member was committed to giving their best performance every single night, always ready to go.

Cadet Ryan Martin, the Regimental Band Drum Major, led the way for each performance of the Tattoo. He spoke about his pride and how, with each show, the Band got better and better.

“Our month in Edinburgh was absolutely amazing. The Band put in the hard work. We started gaining momentum after that first show and carried it all the way forward. It was the best I’ve ever heard and seen the Band, and it made me proud to be their Drum Major,” said Martin. “For the first show, I was nervous because it was the biggest crowd I’d ever performed for. I joked that parades are going to be absolutely nothing after this. By the end of it all, I knew my routine, and it just felt good to be up front. I was proud to look back at my Band and see how far they’ve come.”

Leading the Pipe Band as their Drum Major was Cadet William Walker, who is excited about the fresh energy the Band brought back from Scotland.

“We are going to carry this momentum. This is what we needed to bring the Band back from COVID, which hit us really hard in terms of recruiting. With continued effort, we’ll get our recruitment back up and we can continue to improve our sound and drill,” said Walker. “To sum up the whole month, I would say it was awe-inspiring. I mean, this is the premier military tattoo in the world. You don’t comprehend the scale of it all until you’re there. You can watch the videos online, but being there and being out on the Esplanade is completely different. As much work as it was, and it was a lot of work, it was also fun.”

As The Citadel’s Regimental Band and Pipes settle back into the barracks — with the echoes of bagpipes still ringing in their ears — they carry with them not only memories of their time in Edinburgh, but also a renewed sense of honor and camaraderie. Their month-long journey, a testament to the power of hard work, resilience and the bonds they share, has set a high standard for future Band members to aspire to.