Bagpipe Lessons for All Ages and Abilities
Rachel gave my daughter Isla weekly lessons...During that time she came on leaps and bounds, not just with her piping skills and music theory knowledge, but most importantly with her confidence.
(For bagpipe 'Give-it-a-Go' workshops, please click here.)
Are you a complete bagpipe beginner? Have you been playing for a few years and want some pointers with your pipe band or solo repertoire? Or perhaps you're interested in sitting an SQA Music or PDQB graded exam?
With over a decade of teaching experience in a wide range of individual and group settings, Rachel has become known for making her lessons friendly, engaging and, most importantly, enjoyable. Click on the bubbles below to explore how lessons can be tailored perfectly to you or your child's goals.
Zoom chanter lessons have been an effective alternative to face-to-face lessons during the Covid pandemic, allowing Rachel to continue to teach worldwide. When face-to-face teaching is preferred, Rachel teaches in central Edinburgh. Lessons are charged at £25 per hour. Group tuition, Q&A, and workshop prices are by arrangement.
Rachel is fully PVG checked and Disclosure Scotland certified.
Individual and Small Group Lessons
SQA Music and PDQB Bagpipe Examinations
Band or Group Tuition and Workshops
Scottish Smallpipes Tuition
'Give it a Go' Workshops and Q&As
Individual and Small Group Lessons
Individual lessons are the best way to improve your chanter or bagpipe playing. Whether you would like help with your pipe band repertoire, to progress your solo technique, improve your music theory knowledge or to start beginners lessons, Rachel will match your learning to your objectives, learning style, and pace.
Rachel is keen ensure that all of her pupils have a firm grounding in the relevant music theory to allow them to progress with their piping quickly and with confidence. To do this, unlike traditional bagpipe instruction, lessons with Rachel frequently involve a variety of interactive music theory activities, including the use of flashcards, individual or digital whiteboards, music listening activities and rhythm exercises. See below for how this theory can be applied to SQA Music or PDQB graded examinations.
Beginner Chanter Lessons
Rachel has experience of teaching both adults and children from scratch on a one-to-one or pair basis. For children, eight years old is a good age to start learning the chanter, but younger beginners who are particularly keen will not be turned away. Traditional music should be for everyone, so adult beginners of all ages are welcomed and encouraged.
SQA Music and PDQB Bagpipe Examinations
Having previously worked as a high school bagpipe instructor, Rachel is experienced in supporting young people taking chanter or bagpipes as an instrument for SQA Music exams of all levels. Lessons can easily be tailored to choose and perfect performance exam repertoire.
If you or your child is interested in sitting graded exams on the chanter or bagpipes, such qualifications are offered by the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board (PDQB) alongside the SQA. As well as improving performance skills, these exams also focus on music theory which not only helps boost understanding of bagpipe notation, but is widely applicable to other instruments. For more details on PDQB exams, see their website here.
Lessons can be delivered with a view to sitting PDQB exams from level 2 (practice chanter) upwards- Rachel's pupils have a 100% pass rate!
[Rachel] knows exactly how to break music theory down into understandable parts and the way she helps pupils transfer this to the instruments is something at which she excels.
Band or Group Tuition and Workshops
Whether you are a young or developing pipe band, a group of pipers or chanter players looking to upgrade your ensemble playing, or an existing band with groups of learners needing additional tuition and encouragement, Rachel has the expertise needed to help you improve. Whether sitting around the table or in the band circle, she is always keen to ensure that all of your pipers develop both as individual players and as a band. Get in touch to discuss how group tuition can be tailored to your requirements.
Your band or group may also benefit from a one-off workshop or series of workshops. These can cover whichever topic you feel needs attention, but could, for example, focus on bagpipe maintenance, competition performance, tuning, ensemble playing, or integration and technique.
See the testimonials page to hear from bands that have already benefited from Rachel's group tuition!
Scottish Smallpipes Tuition
As well as playing the highland pipes, Rachel is a keen traditional musician, playing in various bands and groups on the guitar, whistles and Scottish smallpipes. These mellow, bellows-blown pipes are not only a beautiful instrument to play on their own, but are also excellent for those wanting to learn how to play with other instruments. Scottish smallpipes are now a relatively common feature of traditional music sessions and folk bands.
Rachel can provide tuition for Scottish smallpipes and other similar bellows pipes such as the border pipes.
