A young Angus piper has returned from a packed week in New York where he mingled with A-list stars.
Craig Weir, from Carnoustie, met Billy Connolly, US talk show host Jimmy Fallon, Scots comic Fred MacAulay and actor Alan Cumming in the Big Apple.
The 21-year-old student, who has previously piped for VIPs from the Queen to the Dalai Lama and Andy Murray, took part in the city’s annual Tartan Week as an ambassador for the World Peace Tartan and Scottish culture.
He said: “There are too many highlights to mention.
“US TV legend Jimmy Fallon showing up and giving an impromptu performance at the Highland Divas concert was pretty special.”
The first highlight of his week was playing at the National Trust for Scotland USA gala dinner at the Metropolitan Club to honour Billy Connolly as a Great Scot.
“The dinner was in an incredible location and it was a huge privilege to meet him,” said Craig.
“We discussed how his first public performance was at the Stag’s Head in Carnoustie. I also got to speak in depth with Alan Cumming about local connections back in Angus and how fond he is of Monikie and Carnoustie.”
Craig, who won a Young Scot award for promoting the pipes to youngsters, also talked about and played the pipes for two classes of children including one at the Alexander Robertson School, the oldest in the USA, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, watched by Scottish Government Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
He also gave a lunchtime recital at Bryant Park for the American Scottish Foundation.
Later, in the less formal surroundings of the Mercury Lounge on the Lower East Side, Craig also played solo and as a guest with An Acoustic Mind, the band of Mike Ogletree (Simple Minds/Fiction Factory).
The next evening saw Craig play an unusually silent role modelling the World Peace Tartan on the catwalk at the Scot Street Style New York Gathering in Brooklyn.
On Tartan Day itself, Craig led pupils from the Alexander Robertson School in the annual Tartan Day Parade while wearing the World Peace Tartan.
Craig spoke of his pride in bringing Scottish culture and the World Peace Tartan to New York and his most emotional moment as a piper.
“My 9/11 memorial performance was very emotional,” he said.
“Only one artist each month gets to play there for 15 minutes and it was a powerful thing standing between the fountains in the World Peace Tartan in front of the families of some of the victims of the atrocity and Scottish Government minister Keith Brown MSP.
“It was the most emotional moment I’ve had playing and I’ll never forget it.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=YQa_vacG2as%3Frel%3D0
“It was also great to debut my piece The Immigrant’s Lament , commissioned by the Clan Currie Society, on Ellis Island on Tartan Day with the stunning Manhattan skyline as the backdrop.
“This trip has been very special. I’ve met so many amazing people and played at so many incredible events.
“It’s been great to see how people in New York are engaging with Scottish culture. There were thousands and thousands who turned out for the Tartan Day Parade. Hopefully that will continue to grow.
“I hope I’ve managed to introduce new people to our national instrument. I’ve enjoyed the whole experience and hope to come back to perform here again.”
Craig is pipe sergeant of the Arbroath Royal British Legion Pipe Band and is frontman for four-piece Celtic rock band Gleadhraich.