Bagpipes and Brass band celebrate National Tartan Day

National Tartan Day on April 6 honors Americans of Scottish decent, so it’s the perfect day for traditional music of the Scots — bagpipes.

The Jacobites and First Brass will play a concert at 4 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave, and founder Gary Reinstrom says, “It’s the most fun you can have with your clothes on.”

He founded this group of about 40 members ten years ago. Reinstrom taught pipes at Riverview high school for 20 years and assumed his band would consist of his old students. But little did he know, that people would see his pipe band and want to get involved. He’s been teaching pipes for free at First Presbyterian for the past ten years, and six of the 15 pipers performing he taught without any prior experience.

In June 2012, Reinstrom started a brass group. He played French Horn with the West Coast Symphony for 20 years, and built a network of musicians. He gave them a call to see if they’d be interested in forming a group of professional brass players — and First Brass was born.

The two groups will play separately and together, along with soloist Maria Wirries at the “Scotland the Brave” National Tartan Day concert. Tickets are $20. For tickets and more information visit jacobites.com.