Our instructors

Tom Litherland (Snare) and Kate Dudek (Tenor & Mid-Section), both North American Champion Supreme winners and two of the top instructors in Ontario, provide snare and tenor drum instruction and oversee the drumming program at St. Andrews Pipes & Drums, Mississauga

 Drum Major Ret. Iain McGibbon (Lorne Scots) provides dress and deportment, band skills and Drum Majoring instruction while Barry McKendry (Glenmor PB, 400 Sqn PB, Toronto Police PB, Guelph PB) provides and oversees the piping instruction.

 

THE BAND PROVIDES FREE INSTRUCTION IN PORT CREDIT

 

What you need to know

  1. It takes approximately 2 full years from being a brand new beginner to being ready to play in parades, performances and grade 5 contests. 

  2. The first 7-8 months will be on Practice Chanter (Pipers) and on drum pads and sticks for Snare, Tenor, Bass Drummers & Drum Majors. The focus is on learning how to read music, develop proper finger/hand control and mastering the different playing techniques needed for your chosen instrument.  At about the 9th month the learner should be ready to start transferring the technique and music learned over to the actual instrument (Bagpipe, Snare Drum, Tenor Drum, Bass Drum). Pipers will need to learn to blow a bagpipe, build lung capacity and maintain tone control. Similarly, drums and harnesses can be heavy. Walking and playing at the same time can be a challenge. This process may take some months until playing starts to feel comfortable.

3. The band provides practice chanters, tutor books, drum pads, sticks, drums and has a limited number of bagpipes which can all be loaned out. Do not buy a set of bagpipes, practice chanter, drum pad, sticks or drum without expert guidance from your instructor. The band will also provide you with a uniform once you are ready to play with the rest of the group.

4. You have to practice, A LOT! Initially, you should expect to attend a weekly lesson and practice minimum for a half hour every other day at home during the week. Once you get on bagpipes/drums, you will alternate every other day between the half hour of practice chanter/pad and the half hour of bagpipe/drum practice.

5. Once some playing proficiency is achieved newer learners will be gradually integrated into playing with the rest of the band both at practices and in performances. Band practice is the opportunity to learn how to be in a band. At band the focus of the practice includes learning new music together as a group, instrument control, properly setting up and tuning the instruments together, basic marching and deportment.