Balmoral’s upcoming Winter Workshop will be a three-day remote-learning session held via Zoom, writes Elaine Lee. The cost is $275 USD. Students who refer new students to us will receive $50 off the price of the workshop for every new student referred.
Instruction will be provided in small classes, as well as one-to-one sessions with instructors. Our exciting line up includes Robert Mathieson, Derek Midgley, and Andrew Carlisle
Robert, from Hamilton, Scotland, is a composer of pipe music, and an award-winning pipe major. He served as pipe major of the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band of North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1986-2010. The band won 30 major championships under his leadership and is a five-time winner of the Worlds Grade 1 title.
Derek Midgley (New Jersey, USA) has won the B Marches & Silver Medal at the Northern Meeting, 2nd in the Highland Society of London Gold Medal at Oban; Dunvegan Medal, 6/8 Marches & 2/4 Marches at Dunvegan. Has also won, the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal and Bar to the Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal at Maxville (Canada), Overall at the US Piping Foundation, and the Piobaireachd at The Metro Cup (USA).
Andrew Carlisle (Northern Ireland/Pittsburgh) is the Director of Piping at Carnegie Mellon University, and has won the A Grade Strathspey & Reel at Oban, the A Grade Piobaireachd & Overall at Cowal Highland Gathering, the United States Piping Foundation Overall five-times, and three All-Ireland Senior titles.
Some of the topics previously covered at the Winter Workshop: Being an Effective Band Member; Preparing for Solos; Good Tone, Steady Blowing & Comfort; Memory and Sight-reading; Simple & Compound Time; Piobaireachd Embellishments; Transitioning to Pipes; 2/4 Marches, Jigs, Strathspeys & Reels, Piobaireachd.
Special deal for pipe band members: bring at least four members of your band to the workshop and each gets $50 off their tuition! More information here.
Drumming Job
Portree High School on Skye, and Plockton High School in the North West Highlands, are looking for a pipe band drumming instructor.
The successful candidate will also have responsibility for ten feeder primary schools. The job is full time and the salary is £33,750 – £44,859 with a pay award pending.
The blurb reads: ‘To deliver tuition in pipe band drumming (drum kit and cajon teaching skills are desirable) in schools using an appropriate range of styles and genres.’
Closing date for applications is December 12, 2023. Contact Norman Bolton on 07748 760 747 or email norman.bolton@highlifehighland.com .
