The Program

The School Runs From
Friday, July 12, 2013 to Friday, July 19, 2013

REGISTER PRIOR TO Friday July 12, 2013

FOUR OR MORE BAND MEMBERS FROM THE SAME BAND
WILL EACH RECEIVE A $30.00 DISCOUNT

General Information:

Pipers and drummers of all levels are accepted and encouraged to attend!

Come to the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the world and study under these trees with some of the world’s foremost pipers. The piping school, located in Flagstaff, Arizona, on the beautiful campus of Northern Arizona University, provides a serene environment in which to completely immerse yourself in the study of bagpipe music and drumming.

Plan to arrive for check-in between 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM on Friday July 12th. At this time you will be assigned your room, play a tune for the instructors, after which you will be placed into an appropriate class group.

Upon completion of the check-in period, approximately 4:00 PM, a MANDATORY orientation session will be held.  After the orientation, a guided tour of the facilities will be conducted for first-time attendees.

Late auditions can be arranged for late arrivals.

Schedule:
School starts Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM with an audition to gauge your class placement. Classes will run from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday through Thursday and Friday 8:00 AM to 10:45 AM with graduation at 11:00 AM. Each evening after dinner a seminar or piping demonstration will be provided by one of the instructors.

On Saturday evening there will be an informal welcome bar-b-que at the residence hall. On Wednesday join the massed bands in Wheeler Park during the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society’s “Concert In The Park” followed by Piping School Pub Night at the Weatherford Hotel just 2 blocks away.

Instructors:

Bruce Hitchings of Edinburgh, Scotland - MBE, BEM. Bruce is the Principal and head instructor of the United States School of Piping.  Recently retired Senior Pipe Major of the British Army and Assistant Director of the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. Bruce has won numerous awards and medals throughout his piping career. Since retiring from the Regular British Army after 22 years of service, Bruce has spent his time developing the ideas he formulated over 35 years of playing the bagpipe. He first developed the ultimate synthetic drone reed and now produces one of the best moisture control systems on the market today. They are distributed by his company Achiltibuie Highland Reeds.

Dixie Ingram of Aberdeen, Scotland - Dixie started piping at age 9, joined the Scots Guards as a boy piper at 15, began his Pipe Major's Course at Edinburgh Castle at 22 and upon completion, returned to his Regiment, the 1st Battalion Scots Guards. In 1966 he began solo competitions and in 1969 became Pipe Sergeant of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, asking the Scottish Pipe Band Assoc. for the band's permission to compete and giving birth to the Regular Army Pipe Bands on the competition circuit. In 1976 they won the World Championship Grade II and were promoted to Grade I. He was the Chief Instructor to the Guards Depot Piping School in 1979, training Pipers and Drummers for Scots and Irish Guards and from 1981-84 they won all five major championships in Grade III. In 1985, he was commissioned as the Transport Officer of the 1st Bn Scots Guards, severing ties with the band and eventually joining the Caledonian Airways Pipe Band (now Scottish Power) where he instructed the southern half of the band at Gatwick. Since obtaining his qualifications to judge he has served on all panels for over 20 years judging in all Grades at the major championships. He is currently teaching piping to 50 students at 10 schools who range in ages from 8 - 18 years of age. His accomplishments as an instructor are second to none and he is a highly sought after tutor of the bagpipe.

Iain Macey of Detroit, Michigan, USA - Iain's piping knowledge and experience has been gained through many years of study with top professionals past and present. To name a few; Donald Macleod, Andrew Pitkeathly, John Allan and currently, Andrew Wright. He is professional and highly motivated and takes enormous pride at achieving high standards in everything he is involved in. His enthusiastic approach to piping, in particular, is invariably infectious and he has an enviable reputation getting the best from both the groups and individuals he works with. His ability as a piping tutor resulted in the RAF Halton Pipe Band winning most of the competitions they entered. In addition to the band's success, all of his private pupils are successful in solo competitions at both junior and senior levels. His knowledge of Piobaireachd, has made him one of the most sought after authorities in Great Britain. Iain is also a very successful competitor himself and has won numerous prizes at the highest levels over the years. These accomplishments have resulted in his traveling extensively as a performer and tutor, both at home and abroad.

Andrew Hoinacki of Chicago, IL, USA - Andrew Hoinacki started drumming at age 6 spending his formative years in a youth band learning tenor, bass and snare. He has been competing as a snare drummer with bands in Grade II and Grade I since the age of 14, including eight years as a Leading Drummer. Andrew's solo accolades at the Professional Level include United States Champion, MWPBA Champion Supreme and WUSPBA Champion Supreme. His well-rounded experience and down-to-earth approach have made him a sought-after instructor for all forms of pipe band drumming and band coaching. Several of his students are active members of Grade I and Grade II bands across the U.S., and several of his patron bands have gained regional and international successes under his tutelage. Andrew has served as an active adjudicator of drumming and ensemble for a decade, a feat at his young age, and is currently recognized as a senior member of both the MWPBA and WUSPBA judging panels. Andrew is the proprietor of AR2 Global, which provides a variety of educational and professional resources within the Scottish arts community, as well as business development consulting services particularly to small businesses and non-profits.

Aaron Shaw of Los Angeles, California, USA - Aaron has been piping for almost 30 years.  He is a much loved and well respected instructor, both in the Los Angeles area and at the California Summer School sponsored by the College of Piping of Glasgow, Scotland where he is the only American on staff. Aaron first heard the pipes at three years old in the highlands of Santa Cruz, California where he grew up. At 16 years old, on a trip to Scotland, he bought his first set of pipes. He has now been competing for 23 years and has won many top awards from Los Angeles to London, including the Silver Chanter in Costa Mesa and the Strachan Cup in London.  His piping is known for its musicality and it's the love of the music that keeps Aaron playing.  You have probably heard his music on TV in such shows as "Friends", the "Drew Carey Show," and others, as well as in several big-budget films including, "The Fugitive."  He played with the LA Police Pipe Band and has recorded with many artists including Bonnie Raitt.  On stage, as a Wicked Tinker, Aaron is known for his dry wit and having "too good a time" playing the instrument he loves.

Robert J. Watt of Londonderry, Northern Ireland - Robert's piping knowledge and experience has been gained through many year's of study with top professionals past and present. He belongs to the Competing Pipers Association, the Scottish Pipers Association, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and is a former piper of the World Champion Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band.  He has won 3rd place in the Argylshire Gathering Gold Medal of 2003, the Silver medal at the Inverness (the only piper in Ireland to have achieved this status). the Macallan Trophy in Lorient Brittany (3 times 1st place winner, 1st place Highland Club Piobroch London Competition., 1st place in the Donald MacDonald Quaich on the Isle of Skye, and is a prolific prize winner in the Scottish Highland Games circuit. He was the Highlands and Islands Young Piper of the Year in 1999 and 2003. and has won every available junior and senior prize in Ireland.  Robert has performed at the following venues: Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.; Palace of Westminster, London, England; Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland; Aras an Uachtarain (President's Residence), Dublin, Ireland; Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Scotland; Prince Regent Theatre, Munich, Germany; Odyssey Arena, Belfast, NI; Viareggio Festival Italy; Waterfront Hall, Belfast; and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

PARKING PERMITS

Parking Permits are required while parking on the NAU campus. If you are going to be driving and parking on campus check the I need a Parking permit box on the application form. We will have one waiting for you when you arrive. 

There is no additional charge for the permit.

Classes will be held in the Du Bois Center. Classrooms are large and air-conditioned. Practice rooms are located on the bottom floor and will be open throughout the day. Practice may also be done outdoors in the shade of large ponderosa pine trees.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served in the student dining room located in the Du Bois Center and/or Main Dining Hall.

The unique qualities of “Downtown Flag” are just an easy walk from campus. Restaurants, pubs, micro-breweries and shops are there to be discovered and enjoyed.