Weekend Piping Club
The Weekend Piping Club is a fun learning place for new players and those who already play. Aimed at young learners, aged 7-17, classes are taught in small groups here at the National Piping Centre in McPhater Street.
The Weekend Piping Club takes place on Saturdays, and there are six levels - details below - tailored to a range of learning stages. Club terms run with the Glasgow schools term dates. We focus on four main areas of piping: technique; repertoire; performance practice; & music theory.
Spring Term 2024 will start on Saturday 20th April.
The dates for the upcoming term are as follows:
20th April (Week 1)
27th April (Week 2)
4th May (Week 3)
11th May (Week 4)
18th May (Week 5)
No sessions on 25th May
No session on 1st June
8th June (Week 6)
15th June (Week 7)
22nd June (Week 8)
Intakes
We now have two intakes in the academic year - August & January.
Places for Spring Term 2024 will be offered to returning participants only. The next new intake will happen in August, at the beginning of Summer Term 2024 in the new academic year.
Our groups, named after famous pipe makers, are listed below:
Starck Group
Time: 10am - 10.45am (45 min session)
Suitable for those who have never had a lesson before.
*Please note: practice chanters can be purchased from The Bagpipe Shop in-person and online.
Robertson Group
Time: 10am - 10.45am (45 min session)
Suitable for those who can play all the notes and one or two grace notes, including those who have completed a term in our Starck Group.
Center Group
Time: 11am - 11.45am (45 min session)
Suitable for those who can play a few simple embellishments/ornaments and some two-bar phrases.
Henderson Group
Time: 11am - 11.45am (45 min session)
Suitable for those who can play a simple tune, a few more complex embellishments/ornaments and are able to interpret written music.
Lawrie Group
Time: 12.00 noon - 1.30pm (90 min session)
Suitable for those who can play a few more complex tunes, advanced embellishments/ornaments and who can play in unison with other learners. Participants may have started the transition to pipes.
Thow Group
Time: 12 noon - 1.30pm (90 min session)
Suitable for those who are already on pipes and can play in unison with others. Participants can pick up two-bar phrases quickly by ear, or from the sheet music.
NPC YOUTH & COMMUNITIES ACCESS FUND
It’s important to us that no young person misses out on the opportunities available in the Youth & Communities programme. The NPC Youth & Communities Access Fund exists to remove barriers, financial or otherwise, to our activities. We treat all applications in confidence.
We want to take the time to get this process right, ensuring that all applications are assessed with care, and any subsequent support is offered fairly. This is made possible thanks to funds raised through the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Charities. If we are fortunate enough to receive additional significant funding towards bursary support later in the year, we will reach out to all participants and coordinate further access support.
We invite applications for support to Stage 1 of the process via the
NPC Youth & Communities Access Fund (Stage 1) Application Form.
FREE Places:
- Available for participants whose total combined household income before tax is £25,000 or under.
- For participants who are in foster care, or under the care of a local authority.
- For participants whose household is in receipt of:
- Universal credit
- Young carer grant
- Income support
- Income-based job seeker's allowance
- Income-based employment and support allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child tax credit (not: working tax credit) and income under £16,105
- Child tax credit and working tax credit with income up to £7,500
Reduced Fees:
If your total combined household income before tax is between £25,000 and £55,000 we can offer a 40% discount. Sessions will be charged at the following rates:
- 45 min sessions: £48/term = £6/week (reduced from £80/term)
- 90 min sessions: £72/term = £9/week (reduced from £120/term)
Discretionary Bursaries
If you would like to be considered for financial support and you do not meet the outlined criteria, or you wish to apply for additional support, please complete the NPC Youth & Communities Access Fund (Stage 1) Application Form, and provide as much detail about your circumstances.
For example, you may be a young musician who is self-funding the fees without the support of your family.
Instrument Costs
The cost of acquiring good-quality instruments and practice equipment can be a significant barrier to music-making. With ongoing support as a result of the National Piping Centre’s Instrument Donations Policy, instruments can be accessed via the NPC Instrument Lease Scheme. Please fill out the NPC Youth & Communities Access Fund (Stage 1) Application Form to enquire.
Contact
For more information, or if you would like this information in a different format please contact the Youth & Communities Team at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To make a Stage 1 application, please complete the form by following this link:
Apply Here