There is a new bellows piping weekend being launched in January at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia which will include tuition on Northumbrian smallpipes, border pipers, Scottish smallpipes and uilleann pipes (as well as fiddle and flute). Details can be found at http://www.squeezethebag.info
Ian
A few more details:
Upper Potomac Piper’s Weekend
January 5-7, 2007
Harper’s Ferry, WV
The Pipers Weekend features Group Classes and Individual Instruction in a variety of bagpipe styles including uilleann pipes, Scottish small pipes, border pipes, and Northumbrian pipes. Classes are also offered in Flute/Whistle, Fiddle, and a variety of repertoire open to mixed instruments.
Registration and lodging information can be found at: http://www.squeezethebag.info
Featured Instructors:
Class Schedule:
Friday, 8-11PM:
Saturday 8-9:30AM: Registration
Saturday 10AM-Noon:
Saturday 2-4PM:
Sunday 10AM-Noon:
Sunday 2-4 PM:
Repertoire: Open to mixed instruments, students must have the ability to sight read or learn music by ear. Pieces will be chosen at several tempos, so there should be something accessible to most playing levels during the 2 hour class.
Practice Rooms: 2 Large bedrooms will be open for pipers to share tunes and practice together when a suitable class isn’t available. Students are invited to listen in during classes above their level and record material for working on at a later time or to use the time to practice either alone or with other students.
Private Lessons: Teachers are asked to allow time to teach up to 4 half-hour private lessons during the weekend (schedule has long breaks to accommodate some of these). These will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis to students, who will pay their teacher directly ($30/half hour lesson) at the lesson.
Mini Classes: Students are invited to share their knowledge with others in a mini class setting. These have been in a variety of areas including repertoire, hand skills (things like reed making), and non music related topics… (history, culture, etc). It’s a great way to get to know other students.
Less skilled players are welcome to listen in all classes to master what they can and record the rest for future work.
Recording devices with batteries are recommended for all workshops.
Registration and lodging information can be found at: http://www.squeezethebag.info
Wow, I thought I missed this one (being too close to the Catskills Tionol). There’s going to be another one? How was the one held a month or so ago (the uilleann piping portion)?
The piping portion of the one in October was pretty good. Isaac Alderson is a great guy, and taught interesting tunes. And he very wisely split the class up into more different levels than were officially assigned, so the more advanced players didn’t have to be bored waiting for others to get things, and I suppose less advanced players had less pressure and/or frustration or something. I liked that a lot, I think it should be done far more often than it is.