Workshop Details

The Winter Storm Weekend Workshop is sponsored by the MidWest Pipe Band Association.

Midwest Highland Arts Fund is proud to host the 7th Annual "Winter Storm Weekend” Workshop, in Kansas City the weekend of January 11 - 13, 2008. All pipers and drummers, all experience levels, can gain and have a meaningful educational experience.

World-class piping instruction will be from our Gold Medal faculty, all former winners of the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting and the Argyllshire Gathering. World-class drumming instruction will be from our Champion drumming faculty.

Gold Medal Piping Faculty:

Topics for our piping students will be:

  • Small Pipes sessions
  • 2008 Silver Medal piobaireachd tunes
  • Grades Open, 1, 2, 3, and 4 light music competition tunes
  • Competition preparation and practice techniques
  • Bagpipe setup and reed manipulation
  • Bandsmanship, tuning, and band practice techniques

Piping students will have the opportunity to receive instruction from a variety of our instructors, as students are encouraged to rotate between classes. Divided by experience level, pipers will receive a broad spectrum of instruction.

MHAF will again offer instruction for students new to the pipes (one year or less on the practice chanter). This session will be a hands-on opportunity to learn from professional educator and piper, Ken Eller. Working alongside Ken will be professional pipers Matt Kline, Mike Kotch, and Tristan Wilson.

Please refer to the piping curriculum for classroom assignments and locations at Winter Storm.

Our Champion Drummers are:

Topics for our drumming students will include:

  • New this year – Drum Major instruction by Kevin MacHeffner
  • Tuning the drum corps
  • Leading and teaching a drum corps
  • Writing drum scores
  • Rudiments and exercises
  • Drum scores for all grades and abilities
  • Basic and advanced technique.
  • Tenors - Rhythm and Flourishing integration. Split Voices
  • Bass – beginner, intermediate, and advanced instruction covering all aspects of bass drumming
Drumming students will have the opportunity to receive instruction from a variety of our instructors, as students are encouraged to rotate between classes. Divided by experience level, drummers will receive a broad spectrum of instruction.

Please refer to the drumming curriculum for classroom assignments and locations at Winter Storm.