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SUMMER SCHOOL ROBERT BURNS DINNER






Winchester Piping Summer School 2024

Hosted by City of Winchester Pipes & Drums

Renowned world champion pipers Roddy MacLeod MBE, Pipe Major Brian Donaldson, and Willie McCallum will be teaching at our 1-week summer school at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, July 21-26. These instructors have each won many of the top medals and championships in the piping world and are regular instructors at piping schools worldwide. The organization of the Winchester school will be similar to our previous schools with 3 instructional periods per day for each group, practice periods, a free-choice workshop and mini-concerts by the instructors. We are pleased to announce that the school will be located back in Henkel Hall again with all classrooms on one level and ample parking adjacent to the building.

Details

Location: Shenandoah University, in the heart of historic Winchester, Virginia.

Schedule: Arrival will be Sunday afternoon, July 21st and departure will be around noon on Friday, July 26th.

On Sunday evening, the instructors will have you play a little on the practice chanter and maybe talk about your goals for the week, they will then place you in a group of similar skill level and interests. If someone is placed in a group that is well above or below their level, the instructors will move the student to a more appropriate group. Music selections for each group will be made by the instructors with feedback from the group, but often include a variety of light music (marches, airs, strathspeys, reels, jigs, hornpipes) as well as piobaireachd.

Sunday evening each group should have one class, time permitting. Monday-Thursday each group will have three 1-hour classes alternating with three 1-hour practice sessions, as well as lunch break, and an hour for your choice of one of three workshops for the day (on Thursday the workshop is usually dropped in favor of a massed bands on the lawn for all to experience pipe band marching and playing). Each evening one instructor (and a student or two perhaps) will give a mini-concert in the auditorium classroom for all to enjoy. On Thursday evening we hold our ceilidh. Friday will either have a few classes or some additional workshops followed by the awarding of school certificates, special achievement certificates, and a class picture.

Lodging:

  1. On-campus housing at Shenandoah University is available for 5 nights, Sunday night through Thursday night. Single occupancy rooms are $155 for the week and double occupancy rooms are $130 per person for the week.
  2. A block of rooms is available at a reduced rate of $121.23 per night at the Hampton Inn by Hilton using this referal link.
  3. A variety of other hotels and lodging are available in and around Winchester.

Meals: We do not plan to offer a meal plan but the University cafeteria will be available for meals on a pay as you go basis. In addition to these, there are several restaurants within walking distance of the University and many more within driving distance.

Store: We strive to have a vendor provide a variety of piping supplies to be available at the school for purchase.

Ceilidh: Our school ceilidh will be on Thursday evening, July 25th. Everyone is welcome to sign up to play a tune on the pipes or any other instrument. We generally have pizza, drinks, and a fun music-filled evening. Cash will be collected at the school for the food/drinks.

Deadlines: Early bird registration is $600 and ends at 11:59pm on May 31st. Starting June 1st, the registration fee is $650. Registration will close at 11:59pm on Thursday, July 18th.

Registration

This year we ask for you to let us know your favorite workshop topics during registration. The instructors will be informed of the student preferences for workshop topics to include in their planning. Topics may include:

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