Evening Classes at The National Piping Centre

The new evening class term commences on Saturday 19th April and runs for ten weeks, finishing on Thursday 26th June. The 50 minute classes start at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm Monday to Thursday and at 10am and 11am on Saturday mornings. Tuition is given in small, ability and aged-grouped classes. You will learn under the instruction of one of our expert tutors, using The National Piping Centre’s instructional system.

To enrol for the new term, please download the appropriate form below, fill it out and return it to Ryan Canning by means of post, email or by calling by the centre and delivering it personally. For new comers to the evening classes, it is recommended, although not compulsory, to attend one of the enrolment nights held on the 15th and 16th April from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Enrolments may also be made by contacting Ryan Canning at RCanning@thepipingcentre.co.uk or by calling 0141 353 0220. The cost for the ten week term is £80 for adults and £70 for under-16 year olds. Enrolments close at 1pm on Thursday 17th April and students will be notified of the class timetable by phone or email later that afternoon.

What The National Piping Centre Evening Classes Offer:
The National Piping Centre is a unique Scottish educational facility, specialising in group and individual tuition given by it’s world famous team of instructors. Take advantage of our outstanding learning facilities!

12 customised practice rooms, furnished with music stands, tables, and chairs.
Two full-sized conference rooms ideally suited for music workshops.
Complimentary copy of “Piping Today”, The National Piping Centre’s quarterly magazine.
Small, ability and age-grouped classes under the guidance of recognised experts.
Social interaction with teachers and fellow students, both during class, and perhaps also in The Pipers’ Tryst, the Centre’s acclaimed bar and restaurant.

The Piping Centre Evening Class Levels

Beginner: Complete beginner, never played before

Level 1: Not a beginner, can play scales, g gracenotes, strikes and simple melodies and can read music. (Currently working on Chapters 7 - 9 of The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book)

Level 2: Able to play D Throws, High A and High G Doublings, G,D,E’s (Currently working on Chapters 10 - 13 of The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book)

Level 3: Able to play most movements including all doublings, G strikes, grips. Is just about to go onto the pipes (currently working on Chapters 14 - 20 of The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book).

Level 4: Able to play all movements including birls, taorluath, B strikes. Can play several tunes with reasonable sense of timing on the pipes (currently working on Chapters 21 - 27 of The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book).

Level 5: Can play tunes of varying time signatures including Marches, Strathspey and Reels. Needs assistance tuning and developing finger technique (currently working on Chapters 28 - 30 of The Highland Bagpipe Tutor Book).

Tuition and Education at The Piping Centre

The foremost role of the Centre is to promote a programme of education and tuition at all levels. The regular piping faculty of the Centre includes some of the most recognised names in piping - Gavin Stoddart, Chris Armstrong, Simon McKerrell, Finlay MacDonald, Margaret Houlihan, Paul Warren and Ryan Canning. Under the guidance of the Principal, Roddy MacLeod, this team of instructors aim to nurture the talents of students through a wide range of activities:-

Day and evening classes at all levels, group and individual
Workshop and master classes catering for individuals and pipe bands nationally and internationally
Major summer schools catering to home and overseas students
BA (Scottish Music - Piping) run in conjunction with The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Co-operation with a number of further education establishments on the promotion and study of traditional music, as well as providing specialist input to The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama’s BA in Scottish Music
Access to a wealth of archival and museum material promoting historical and cultural scholarship on all aspects of the bagpipe and it’s music