The historic instrument, recently restored after centuries of silence, will feature in a series of performances during Tartan Week 2026 in New York City. Its appearance marks a significant cultural moment and aims to raise both awareness and vital funds for the preservation of Ellisland Farm – the only home ever built by Burns.

Dating from 1788, Ellisland is where Burns wrote around a third of his life’s work, including Auld Lang Syne, a song that continues to resonate across the world – not least in New York, where it is sung annually on New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

Now, the farmstead and its collections are under threat from years of weathering and structural decay. The charity that cares for the site is seeking urgent support to secure its future as an international cultural destination.

At the heart of the Tartan Week programme is the remarkable flute, once owned by Burns’s son, James Glencairn Burns, who performed his father’s songs. Long unplayable, it has now been painstakingly restored.

It will be played by acclaimed traditional flautist Claire Mann – the only musician entrusted with the instrument – alongside award-winning Scottish artists Robyn Stapleton (vocals) and Rebecca Hill (harp). The trio will perform songs composed at Ellisland, bringing the sound of Burns’s creative life directly to American audiences.

A photocall will take place on Thursday morning at the Burns Statue in Central Park, offering a visual moment to mark the visit. This will be a small-scale media opportunity in line with park guidelines. The instrument will later feature in performances for the American Scottish Foundation and the St Andrew’s Society of the State of New York. The Ellisland team will also join the Tartan Day Parade, carrying a banner encouraging New Yorkers to help “Save the Home of Auld Lang Syne”.

The campaign aims to raise up to £12 million to save and restore Ellisland, alongside developing sustainable income through cultural programming and guest accommodation inspired by the poet’s retreat, the “Hermitage”, where he found inspiration in nature.

The visit to New York has been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has awarded the charity a grant to help kick-start an international fundraising campaign.

Joan McAlpine, project director of The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, which safeguards the site, said: “Americans have made Auld Lang Syne into one of the most famous songs in the world – an international anthem to friendship. Now we are asking them to join hands with us, in the spirit of the song, to save the very special place where it was created.

“We hope hearing the Burns family flute played in the heart of New York City will inspire many to join our campaign.”

Flautist Claire Mann said: “Every time I play this flute, I’m aware of how much history it holds. To play this instrument in front of Robert Burns’s statue in Central Park will be a moment I’ll never forget.”