The Sydney School of Piping & Drumming in Sydney, Australia | Art school

The Sydney School of Piping & Drumming

Locality: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 2 8678 8376

Address: 4 Parroo Close, St Clair 2759 Sydney, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.sydneyschoolofpipinganddrumming.com.au

Likes: 362

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Art school
• Tutor/teacher

25.01.2022 Giving demonstrations wth Michael Smith to see if we can not get a pipe band programme started in the school .

25.01.2022 GMM New England Chapter practice tonight . Missing two tenors but the boys are coming on in leaps and bounds .

24.01.2022 Gus Sevils Slow Air, for the Grade 5 World Solo Online Championships. https://youtu.be/5rM7YGqFFJo Gus is 12 years old from Armidale and plays in the Armidale School Pipe Band, The Tamworth Highland Pipe Band and competes with the Governor MacQuarie Memorial Pipe Band from Sydney.

24.01.2022 For nearly 4 decades we have been providing tuition to individuals and bands. Although our main focus has always been on teaching young children to play the pipes and drums and have also never turned away a more mature aged person who has wanted to learn. Although we have had what we would class as some "huge success" with students playing in Scotland in:...Continue reading

23.01.2022 The results are in today for the Up To The Line solo competition. 8 year old Poppy Middleton a student of the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming competed in her third and final practice chanter event since commencing to learn the bagpipe in May 2019. In her first solo chanter event, she won the NSW State Championships in November. Last Month she entered 2 of the possible 6 practice chanter events in the Spring World On Line Championships gaining a 3rd in the Air and a 4th in... the 2/4 March with an 8th overall. In the UP TO THE LINE competition hosted by Garry Nimo and his team in Scotland she achieved 2 first placings. The week she recorded her videos for this we moved Poppy from the goose to a full three droned bagpipe and she enter her first Piping competition run by the NSW Pipers Society, where she gained a 3rd in in the Novice Slow Air and a 3rd in the D Grade 2/4. Quite a feat for one so young to go from a goose to 3 drones in the turn round of a week. But this just shows her determination and her current passion for playing the pipes. At SSPD its not results that we teach, but setting goals that if attained will lead you toward what you want from piping, and Poppy along with several of our other students are currently using the many online solo competition formats around the world to their advantage. And we are very very proud of all the performances they are currently submitting for these various competitions. If you have ever thought about learning a pipe band related instrument and feel you could do with some assistance with your current playing, we have various opportunities that may assist you. We have an on line tutoring system that can be purchased for one years access for $99 (and after that access is $11 per year, where other tunes and instructional papers are available for subscribers) app.themillenniummethod.com All of our current students most of our past students have benefited and learnt from the methods detailed in our on line tutor. It gives you the chance at home to only practice PERFECT! Therefore never wasting time in your next lesson going back over things you have not remembered or notated down correctly. This system has been in the making for nearly 4 decades. It as we learn new techniques that can be applied constantly being updated. The last update included the use of colour which can make the whole learning and understanding of reading music so much easier. We do ZOOM or Skype lessons and have some of Australias elite solo pipers available to assist anyone from a beginner to a serious competing piper. We also offer basic snare drumming lessons and for beginners to serious solo competitors for tenor and bass lessons with have Michael Smith on our roster. Contact us today with any questions or queries that you may have on +61 (0)412 602 983 or [email protected]

21.01.2022 RESULTS from the World Online Solo Piping 2020 contest for pupils from the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming. Beginners Practice Chanter Event: Slow Air 3rd Place: Poppy Middleton. Beginners Practice Chanter Event: 2/4 March 4th Place: Poppy Middleton. ... Grade 5 Bagpipes Slow Air: 4th Place Gus Sevil Grade 5 Bagpipes 2/4 march: 4th Place Gus Sevil All the staff at SSPD are very proud of these students results. In total there were over 1650 entries over the various grades and events encompassing Beginners events right through the grades to the professional level.

21.01.2022 The slow air The Reedmakers Lament

20.01.2022 Congratulations to the following Sydney School of Piping & Drumming students who picked up the following prizes in the FINALS of the Shotts & Dykehead competition: Under 13 Practice Chanter Slow Air: 3rd Kiarra Aoun (11 years old)... Under 13 Practice Chanter 2/4 March: 6th Kiarra Aoun (11years old) Under 15 Practice Chanter Slow Air 6th Catherine Sultana Under 15 Practice Chanter 2/4 March 6th Catherine Sultana Under 15 Piobaireachd Ground: 5th Poppy Middleton (8 years old) Hard work, practice and perseverance pays off. For those students unsuccessful this time around remember it is not about the prize, but achieving the goal of learning a tune or presenting it to best of your ability that competition is really about.

19.01.2022 A local paper write up on one of our many very talented students. If you have ever had an interest in learnng the Pipes, Snare or Tenor Drum, now is the time to make contact. With the world being upside down, and lock downs looming and many of the things we normally do not available to us, DONT LET COVID RULE YOU.... Use this time to learn a new skill like Poppy and many other of our students, turn your currnet situation into a positive one! We can arrnage for a tutor at anytime of the day or night that suits your situation, enquire now on 0412 602 983 or [email protected] Is there a World Champaion inside you or your child just waiting to be let out?

19.01.2022 Dr Andrew Kemp says on 5th Generation SiQuats like SaniTone: Viral inactivation has been shown to occur in <5 seconds, with complete destruction of all viral l...oad within 30 seconds (100% kill), after which it is impossible to measure any trace of virus using the most sensitive quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods currently available. This chemistry does not just deactivate or degenerate the virus, its RNA is totally destroyed. See more

18.01.2022 Results from the NSW Pipers Society Covid Contest today. Current students obtained the following prizes. B Grade... 3rd Place - Harley Jackon C Grade 3rd Place - Harley Jackson 4th Place - Hayley Whitehill D Grade 3rd Place - Poppy Middleton 6th Place - Gus Sevil Novice 3rd Place - Poppy Middleton Congratulations guys you do the SSPD and yourselfs very proud. And to the many students from the SSPD that played and did not place this time around well done. Your involvement channels your improvement toward reaching goals. Not that winning prizes means very much or is the end all and be all of making music, but the journey to acheive and reach your personal goals and what you have set for yourself is! Keep up the good work. It was also great to see two past students achieve 2nd and 5th place in the C Grade piping today as well. Well done Tiam-Li and Iona.

18.01.2022 Today the fledgling band that started at The Armidale School in earlier this year performed at the school for the third time. First performance was on Anzac Day, second performance was for the Old Boys Concert and today for the Cadet passing out parade. We here at SSPD are so proud at how far they have all come in a very short time. Our Tenor Drummer Annette could not join us today as she was involved in the passing out parade as a Cadet but we did have Gus Savile playing p...ipes on parade with the band for the first time. Congradulations to all the students wether they were in one of the bands or on parade as a cadet. From next term we will also be offering lessons at PLC Armidale and we are looking forward to the challenge of commencing a band there as well in time or at least having a few more young people who may join either the local pipe or a band if they move onto Uni etc away from town.

18.01.2022 Our main Tenor tutor at the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming, Michael Smith is currently living in Scotland and travelling to Ireland regularly to play with Manorcunningham Pipe Band in Grade 2. At the first championship of the season, this past week dn they gained 3rd place in Grade 2. We look forward to Michaels return toward the end of the year so our student base will have access to the experience and knowledge he is gaining thanks to the scholarship offered by the Big Brother Movement BBM.

17.01.2022 Poppys progressing well, she is nearly 8 and is working hard to prepare for the up-coming State Solo Championships on Nov 17 at Scots College Bellevue Hill for the practice chanter event. With a bit more hard work she will be on pipes by Christmas. She is such a joy to teach.

14.01.2022 In these unprecedented times, with many of use being house bound with many hours to try and fill in or the keep our children occupied, some may find it an ideal... time to obtain some playing assistance or have someone take them through that tune they are still struggling to either play or understand. SSPD have some excellent tutors available who maybe able to assist you. Our fees for ON-LINE lessons are: 1 hour = $55 (inc.GST) 45 minutes = $44 (inc.GST) 30 minutes = $33 (inc.GST)

13.01.2022 Poppys Amazing Grace is really coming on. Term 4 starts in a a few weeks, and with the Edinburgh Tattoo in town this month we are preparing for a huge surge of interest in learning pipes and drums. Next term we are adding to our tutorial team with the addition of Sean Grace for a term or two before he heads off to University. Our Tenor teacher Micheal Smith is back in November and we look forward to him passing what he has learnt from 6 months + playing in Grade 2 in Scotla...nd and Ireland. Our Monday night group lessons can accept more students and these are $15 per week and we have the following tutors available: Piping: Barry Gray / Iain McLennan / Ken McCurrach / Linda Saunders/ Steve Kerr. Snare Drumming: Mark Romer. Tenor & Bass: Mel Besley & Micheal Smith. Tuesdays at St Ives Piping: Barry Gray / Sesan Grace / Todd Ridgway. Snare: Dave Cormack. Wednesdays and Thursdays house calls can be arrnaged at your premises. Contact us now to see how we can how we can get you started on your piping or drumming journey.

13.01.2022 We started at Georges RIver Grammar School just before COVID Lockdown happened . We have continued on with zoom lessons with the four pipe students we currentl...y have at the school . Music teacher Ms Knight and student Sam have progressed onto their first real tune and competed it today. So we took a snippet of the first part for the Georges River Grammar school Facebook page in the hope it may interest some new students . I though I would use it here as well. The other two students are through the first two nursery rhymes we commence on and should be progressing to Blue Bells during the holidays so we will hopefully have four players on pipes by the years end . Michael Smith our drum instructor has a couple of lads though the massed bands 4/4 and having a little school mini band within another term of two should be achievable . See more

13.01.2022 It is great to be involved in the teaching of young people which is always very rewarding. But even more so in the case of Sean Grace. SSPD first took on Sean... about 11 years ago. A few years before going to Scots College, Sydney. Sean as an 8 year old competed with my then band HNV who were 6th in the European and 10th in the World Championships in the Novice Juvenile section. We still see Sean for weekly lessons as he prepares for his HSC on highland pipes, tin whistle and bellows blown border pipes. Sean also assists to teach for the SSPD. Watching him move to the next phase of his piping life and to see the passion he has for community and starting a band at Bond Uni means we will be offering Sean all the assistance we can. From all at SSPD Sean, congratulations , good luck and we will be watching your achievements with great pride . See more

12.01.2022 The Sydney School of Piping & Drumming holds lessons for anyone wanting to learn to play. All lessons are 45 minutes in duration. We accept learners from 7 years of age to 77 years of age. We are in Vineyard on a Monday afternoon between 3.30pm - 7pm. This is in a group situation which costs $15 per week or a one to one lesson which costs $55. ... Tuesdays we hold one to one lessons in St.Ives and these are $55 between 3.30pm - 9pm. Wednesdays we do house calls in the Eastern Suburbs area and come to your premises and these are $77. Every second Thursday evening we offer one to one lessons in Tamworth and these are $55. Every second Friday we offer lessons in Armidale and these are $55. Every second Saturday we hold a group lesson in Bondi and these are $15 each between 2pm - 2.45pm We have actually assisted the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band to start an Eastern Suburbs Chapter of their band in Bondi who practice every second Saturday between 3pm - 4.45pm and are looking for people who can already play who may wish to be involved. Lessons are offered in Bagpiping / Snare Drumming / Tenor Drumming. For a more detailed information pack contact us on 0412 602 983 to start your pipe band journey today. MUSIC IS A GIFT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME! www.sydneyschoolofpipinganddrumming.com.au

11.01.2022 A big shout out to our students playing in PIpe Bands NSW Solo Contest this coming Sunday. Poppy Middleton, Jeremy Suggett, Mike Allen, Ryan Cisera, Oscar Arnold, William Dunbar, Harley Jackson and our School Administrator Barry Gray is competing as well for the first time in a few years. Good luck to all. It is interesting to note from the 82 piping performances in the draw, that our students makeup 23.17% of them. Entries closed last week for the most recent round of the... 3 monthly World Solo Championships and the following students have entered, in the Grade 5 Piping events: Gus Sevil, Poppy Middleton, Mike Allen, Jeremy Suggett and in the Practice Chanter events: Rita Haddad & Catherine Sultana We are looking forward to reading your comment sheets in due course. REMEMBER: When entering a competition you never lose. You either win or you learn. Learning and progressing with each and every performance is how you become a better musician.

11.01.2022 Here are some of the pictures of Barry (Pipers Of Distinction) at the workshop with BB 12BR Pipe Band, yesterday. Barry will be flying back to Sydney today and we hope to see him soon again to share more of his experiences and knowledge here with the kids!

11.01.2022 The results are in for the 2020 Summer World Online Solo Championships. I am thrilled to inform you that the following students and Tutors from the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming obtained the prizes listed below: With over 5000 entries from 23 different countries it is quite an achievement to get into the prize list. ... Rita Haddad Event. 01. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - Slow Air (at least 2 parts) 5th Place Rita Haddad Event. 02. Beginner Piping (practice chanter) - 3/4 or 4/4 March (2 or 4 parts) 5th Place Harley Jackson Event. 11. Grade 4 Piping - 2/4 March 4th Place Harley Jackson Event. 13. Grade 4 Piping - 6/8 March 4th Place Gus Sevil Event. 06. Grade 5 Piping - Slow Air 2nd Place Gus Sevil Event. 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig 4th Place Gus Sevil Event. 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only) 4th Place Poppy Middleton Event. 08. Grade 5 Piping - 6/8 March 2nd Place Poppy Middleton Event. 09. Grade 5 Piping - Jig 6th Place Poppy Middleton Event. 10. Grade 5 Piping - Piobaireachd (Ground Only) 3rd Place Michael Smith Event. 211. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - March, Strathspey & Reel 4th Place Michael Smith Event. 212. Grade 1 Tenor Drumming - Hornpipe & Jig 5th Place Michael Smith Event. 303. Advanced Bass Drumming (Grade 1) - March, Strathspey & Reel 4th Place

10.01.2022 The 35th Armidale Eisteddfod Opening Performance on Band & Ensemble Night T A S Pipe Band

10.01.2022 Term 3 starts this week for the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming. Book now to secure your spot. We have vacancies for pipers, snare & tenor learners at Vineyard Public School on Monday evenins between 5.30pm - 7pm. This is in a group lesson situation and costs $15.00 fpr 90 minutes. In the video below is 7 year Poppy Middleton who commenced at Vineyard during Term 2 and has had 8 lessons. Her goal was to be playing a tune by the end of the Term, and here is a short vide...o of her first part of "The Blue Bells Of Scotland" from memory. She is doinig so well, for one so young. We look forward to watching her progression through Term 3. Tuesdays we have vacancies for learner pipers and snare drummers at the ST Ives Showground, from 4.15pm - 8.15pm. These are individual lessons of 45 minute duration which cost $55 per lesson. A lesson can be shared and the cost divided if there are two members from one family. Wednesday we have a vacancy in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney in a house call situation where we come to your premises which costs $77 for a 45 minute lesson. The available time is 7.45pm - 8.30pm Thursdays we have a vacancy in the Northern Beaches / Mosman area in a house call situation where we come to your premises which costs $77 for a 45 minute lesson. The available time is 7.30pm - 8.15pm. We can also do Saturday mornings at St Clair on a forthnightly roster (as every other weekend we are teaching in the New England area of NSW) and these are $55 for a 45 minute session. We have pipng tutors available to visit your premises for a "house call" and request if interetsed , please email us on [email protected] with your suburb and preferred time and we will send you back a list of available tutors who maybe able to help at your chosen time. To make a booking or obtain further information please phone 0412 602 983

09.01.2022 Such an honour this evening to provide 4 pipers for Fire Fight Concert. Thank you to Lachlan Micati, Riordan Drake and Will Petro for giving up your day to be a... part of this with Pipers of Distinction, we know some things on your own bucket lists were ticked off. Meeting, chillin and speaking with so many stars of the Australian Music scene was incredible. And I know the four of us all got a huge "buzz" when Brain May from Queen came and spoke with us , just before Johns set, and shook our hands and wished us all the best, what a geniune great and humble man. Being on stage for the last number in front of 70,000 people is something one can not put into words, it was all for a wonderful and deserving cause and the genoristy shown by the artists, the venue, the media and all those who donated makes what our elected politicians do farsicle! And Celeste Barber, what a women, great MC and as funny as ...................... Actually chatting with artist who all got behind this such as Ronan Keating, IIly, Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mouboy, Daryl Brathwiate and his guitarist David Campbell, Olivia Newton-John, Brain May, and all my freinds in the Farnham Band and crew who Ive been playing with now for near of 3 decades made for an outstanding day. Some pics and videos below from what is, without a doubt the most fulfilling and rewarding charity gig I have ever been a part of, and certainly the largest live audience POD have ever played infront of. An absolute honour for PIPERS OF DISTINCTION to be aprt of this. https://www.facebook.com/kev.mcdonald.31/videos/2735800609867546/

09.01.2022 Many thanks to piper Olivia Toth and Richard Harris who performed today on behalf of Pipers of Distinction at One Electric Day at Werribee VIC. Thanks guys ... ...another outstanding performance with John Farnham in front of 10,000. Hopefully easing interest in someone wanting to learn the pipes or drums. See more

08.01.2022 We are so pleased to annnounce that our Millennium Method Bagpipe Tutor is now available on-line. Just in time to purchase access for that special budding piper in your life, or even for yourself as a Christmas treat.

08.01.2022 Wishing all of our students participating in the SHOTTS and DYKEHEAD solo contest which entries close tomorrow all the best and good luck: Under 12 Practice Chanter: Rita Haddad , Raymond Haddad, Christopher Haddad, Sam Cordingley, Keirra Aoun ,... Under 15 Practice Chanter : Catherine Sultana, Under 12 Bagpipes: Ryan Cisara. Khoda Aoun , Poppy Middleton, Alex Davidson, Gus Sevile Under 15 Bagpipes: Harley Jackson , Poppy Middleton Under 18 Bagpipes: Hayley Whitehill Under 12 Pad: Ruby Cisara , Thomas Johnstone

08.01.2022 Lincoln Hilton is one of the best contemporary pipers in the world today, and certainly one of our greatest exponents of modern piping compositions. The more traditional tunes he has written as well are also brilliant! Do yourself a favour, check out his ModernPiping site. Buy his music books, download his recordings - he takes piping to a whole nother level!

06.01.2022 Two of my pupils have entered for the World Online Piping & Drumming Championships. This is Poppy, Poppy has just not long turned 8 years of age. She has been having lessons for just on 12 months in May. She won the NSW State Solo Practice event last November. This is her 2/4 March video for the WOPDC. The 1st Batt. Scots Guards Farewell to Southampton, written by JB Robertson in 1934. She started to learn this tune 10 days before the contest deadline. So very proud of her progression.

06.01.2022 My other student Gus Sevil from Armidale NSW. Guss dad Angus is a piper and Gus plays in the Tamwroth Highland Pipe Band under Jamie Hunt so its great to know he is being kept on track between my fortnightly visits to the Armidale School by two good players. His 2/4 march in the Grade 5 event Arthur Bignold https://youtu.be/fhxHyO991eU

05.01.2022 First performance to the general public. The kids have come so far in just a term Very proud of all those who played tonight : Hayley, Archie, Annette and Blake . We have more students signing up for the TAS Pipe Band and Im sure our numbers will grow as the year progresss.

04.01.2022 HAS THE LOCK DOWN BLUES GOT YOU? As we near the eight month mark of lock down Im sure many people are asking how has this affected what we have done, what we are doing and have we let it rule our lifes. We at the Sydney School of Piping & Drumming sit back and watch the doom and gloom of the world and how wide brushing decisions made by our leaders affect people in ways no one ever thought. We understand that for the good of the nation restrictions are put in place, b...Continue reading

01.01.2022 Term 4 for 2020 is about to start. Due to changes of some students school commitments we currently have the following spots available in our schedule for ZOOM or SKYPE bagppipe lessons with Barry Gray. TUESDAYS:... 7am - 7.45am $44 7.45am - 8.15am $33 4.15pm - 5pm $44 5pm - 5.45pm $44 WEDNESDAY 5.15pm - 6pm $44 6pm - 6.30pm $33 We also have Snare, Tenor and Bass lessons available as well as other highly qualified and capable bagpipe teachers. Contact us with your desired lesson day and time and we will send an availabilty list of times and tutors names for you to consider.