The National Piping Centre are welcoming subscribers to their new YouTube channel, and promoting the Junior Gathering seasonal schools with a video tour of their city centre building at McPhater Street.
Take a tour of the building with piping tutor Ailis Sutherland as she explains what is on the programme at the four-day Junior Gathering schools from July 4-7 and also July 11-13.
The video and YouTube channel can be found here. Please subscribe and click the bell icon to receive notifications as more piping videos are added to the channel.
The Junior Gatherings will include:
• 1-2-1 lessons with National Piping Centre teachers
• Group masterclasses with specialist external workshop leaders
• Ear-training and focus games
• Individual practice
• Come and try bellows pipes, whistle & wooden flute
• Q&As
• Repertoire classes
• Maintenance and technique clinics
• Demonstrations
• Composition
• Music reading skills
• Performance opportunities
These gatherings will provide exciting opportunities for young pipers to get together and have fun, as well as learning more about their instrument and the wider musical world.
Book the Junior Gathering week here
The Junior Gatherings are made up of separate programmes catering to two main learning brackets:
17 & Under Practice Chanter & Goose
Whether you’ll be picking up the chanter for the first time or can already play a couple of simple tunes, we have a range of lessons, workshops and activities for you to enjoy with others of your learning stage. The Practice Chanter & Goose programme runs in the mornings and participants are encouraged to stay until the end of lunch (9am – 1pm) so that you can get the chance to meet everyone.
This school option costs £80 per student for the 4 day school.
17 & Under Pipes
If you have been playing a few tunes on the pipes with at least one drone going, or have been playing all three drones for many years, we have an intensive and dynamic programme for you. The Pipes programme runs all day (9am-4pm) and will give you a taste of all strands of piping and access to expert teachers in each area.
This school option costs £150 per student for the 4 day school.
PDQB Examinations
There is an option to book a Piping and Drumming Qualification Board exam during the week. These are available as an option on the booking form. If you would like more information about the levels of exams available, you can find out more here.
Location
These schools may be run at either our City Centre (McPhater Street) venue or our West End (Otago Street) venue. You will be informed before the course begins where it will be held.
There will be a music pack provided for each school.
Hearing Protection
The National Piping Centre requires all students to use hearing protection at all times when playing pipes. Hearing protection is available for purchase in our shop or free of charge from the earplug dispenser in both our piping school venues.
Accommodation
Did you know we have an 8-bedroom hotel on site? If you would like to book accommodation whilst here for your course, please email hotel@thepipingcentre.co.uk or go to The Pipers’ Tryst Hotel page. Please note, children under 18 require a chaperone to stay in the hotel.
The Bagpipe Shop
At The National Piping Centre, we teach from our Highland Tutor Book 1. This can be purchased from The Bagpipe Shop here, or if you need a practice chanter too, you can buy our starter pack here.
