“The school
definitely helped me to become a much better
piper.”
Luke Bell, Pennsylvania session student
Admissions Policy
Students attending the Balmoral School sessions are
expected to be highly motivated and
self-disciplined. We accept students under 21 years
of age who are self-directed and require little
supervision. Adult chaperones are assigned to
students under 21. Students 12 years of age and
under must be accompanied by a parent or a
designated adult. All applicants must sign and
abide by the honor code pledge found on the
registration form.
Instruction & Class
Information
The focus of the Balmoral School is to provide
high-quality musical instruction for beginning,
intermediate, and advanced students in small
classes (up to five students). The classes are
usually oriented toward improving technique,
musicality, and tone; instrument maintenance; and
the teaching of new tunes and the polishing and
refining of existing tunes. Instruction is geared
to individual needs.
Beginner and intermediate classes will cover music
fundamentals such as rhythm, tempo, tuning, and
tone production, as well as execution and
expression. Students usually learn to better
control their instrument and put more expression
and tone in their music. Students, and in
particular those with no prior experience in piping
or drumming (i.e. who are “starting from
scratch”), should attend at least two weeks if at
all possible. One-to-one instructional appointments
are available.
Advanced classes focus on the refinement of
competition and performance skills with world class
players. Advanced students may also elect to train
and study for performances of their tune sets for
major competitions in North America and Scotland.
Drumming & Smallpiping Sessions
Please note that Scottish snare and
bass drumming will be taught at all sessions.
Smallpiping will be offered at the California,
Pittsburgh, and East Stroudsburg (week 2) sessions.
Tenor drumming is offered in California and
Pennsylvania.
All students are requested to bring a practice chanter or practice drum pad and, if possible, a set of pipes or a snare or bass drum. Classes run from Sunday evening through Friday noon for each week. No classes are held on Saturday. Piping students are assigned to a one-hour small group class in the morning and another in the afternoon with a second instructor, both hands-on lessons. Classes are held on the hour, 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm. You may request the time of your class, which would be matched in the afternoon, so the 9am class would occur at 2pm, the 10am at 3pm, etc. Drumming and smallpiping students are assigned to sessions of at least one hour in the morning and in the afternoon, with the schedule tailored to the attending students at each session.
Time in between classes is reserved for practicing and learning lessons so daily progress is achieved. Practice areas are available. The evenings feature various activities: Sunday evening are usually classes; Monday evening is usually a presentation of reed selection, producing good tone, and bagpipe maintenance; Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are usually student recitals, Thursday evening is class photos and the instructors’ recital.
Usually, there is a massed band clinic from 1pm to 2pm on Monday, Tuesday, and sometimes, on Wednesday.
Students are expected to practice their lessons between classes. We emphasize daily progress. Students are permitted to record all the classes, workshops and recitals for their personal use.
Videotaping of recitals is permitted on a limited basis. On weekday evenings there will be school-wide presentations on various topics related to piping and drumming, plus student and instructor recitals. A public concert is often held on the last Thursday of each session.
