Local Course Delivery
National Youth Pipe Band
About the College of Piping and Drumming
 

A new charter for the College of Piping and Drumming was adopted at the AGM in January.
The main changes include:
- A Dean of Piping and a Dean of Drumming as opposed to two principals.
- The appointment of a Convener to oversee the functions of the College
- An increase in the size of the College Board.

Under the new charter, the College Board is required to produce a plan by June each year for implementation in the September to March period.

The new college board is currently up and running despite the fact that it has been unable to procure the services of a person suitably qualified for the Dean of Drumming position.

The board held its first meeting in February and agreed a number of new initiatives.
They include the following:
- A local model of course delivery
- A National Youth Pipe Band
- An examination system on demand.

Because the IPBA recently lost its Arts Council Funding, each of the above initiatives will initially depend on volunteer instructors.




 

 

Local Course Delivery
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Under this model, it is recognised that there have been geographical problems with the delivery of courses. Many courses have had to depend on instructors travelling long distances, sometimes with overnight stays. This has proven to be hugely expensive, but it did serve its purpose.
The new model would see students travelling to the instructors as much as possible. Courses would run where competent band instructors already exist- Dublin, Arklow , New Ross , Cork, Tralee, Limerick, Bandon, etc.
Each instructor would follow a set course as laid down by the college and each instructor would agree to present the course over four Saturdays or Sundays during the Autumn and Winter months. The courses would follow a syllabus based on the Grade systems for Piping and Drumming as devised by Sam Bailey some years back.
The course would be based on a continual assessment basis and would be mainly skills based .i.e. each student would have a skills record card and would have items ticked off as he/she mastered them. Each pupil would work at his/her own rate. Once a particular card had been fully completed , the student would receive a certificate to testify to that fact.
Students could opt to sit RSPBA exams once a minimum level of knowledge had been achieved. It was hoped that the IPBA could liaise with our counterparts in the Northern Ireland College of Piping and Drumming in order to put on exams. Exams would not, however, be compulsory , and students could opt for the continual assessment approach as an alternative to sitting exams.
The main object of the courses would be :
- To improve playing
- To give students a knowledge of reading and writing music at a practical level
- To provide students with opportunities to meet with players from other bands and backgrounds
- To recognise student efforts through certification.


 

 

 

National Youth Pipe Band
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The band will initially cater for any piper or drummer under the age of 18 , but slightly older students may apply if they so wish.
Members must already be able to play on pipes and drums and to have mastered most of the rudiments.
Four all day sessions will be held each Winter culminating in a concert at the Pan Celtic.
Music taught will be of the 'concert' variety and will involve musicians from other disciplines.
Funding from the annual concert will be ploughed back into the College of Piping and Drumming Funds.
Uniform will consist of the member's own band kilt plus a National Youth Pipe Band polo shirt.
The band will not compete in competition and therefore students will not be required to register. Members will remain members of their own pipe bands.
It is hoped that the band will give an opportunity to young people from around the country to have some fun from their hobby, to extend themselves as musicians, to meet each other or a regular basis and to build up bonds of friendship that will sustain them in their future years as pipers and drummers.

The band will be co-ordinated by :
Brian MacMahon,
Tel : 00 353 86 8326316

 

 


About the College of Piping and Drumming
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The College of Piping and Drumming runs courses in various centres throughout the winter months . Players are brought from the very basics of playing and musical theory at Grade 1 through to an in-depth knowledge of musical theory and playing technique at Grade 7 .

Examinations consist of a practical test and a theory paper . Certificates are awarded by the college and students are also encouraged to sit the examinations set by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association . The students of the College of Piping and Drumming have had a very high success rate in these examinations to date .

The ultimate aim of the college is to produce a large pool of knowledge and expertise for the IPBA which should eventually improve the playing standards of all our bands .

The following are some of the areas covered over the various grades .
Musical Notation
Time Signatures
Accent and Rhythm
Accidentals
Transposition
Intervals
The Bagpipe - care and maintenance
The Snare Drum - care and maintenance
How sound is produced
Tuning and improving tone
All rudiments and embellishments used in Piping and Drumming
Sight Reading Music
Writing Music - Tunes and Drum Scores
A General Knowledge of other musical instruments and forms
Scales
Key Signatures
Tonality
Ensemble playing
The Basics of Piobaireachd playing

For further information contact :
John Sheehan, Convenor
Monavalley,
Tralee,
Co. Kerry
Tel : 00 353 87 2314444