We have established a new and innovative School of Piping called Ceol na nGleannta (Music of the Glens) We are happy to provide piping lessons to students at all ages and all levels. We can also arrange drumming lessons and lessons on the Irish tin whistle.
“Ceol na nGleannta” is Irish and Scots Gaelic for “Music of the Glens”.
We chose this name for our school because our main location is in Glenwood Landing, Long Island. Three neighboring towns in the area use the word “Glen” in their names – in English “glen” means “valley’ – because the valleys, hills, bays and inlets of the north shore of Long Island area reminded European people who traveled here of the beautiful glens of Ireland and Scotland. The nearby City of Glen Cove was meant to be named, with a slight variation, after one of them: “Glencoe” in Scotland.
Pipers Robert Patrick Lynch and John Francis McManus have been playing the pipes, the “great” Gaelic bagpipes of Ireland and Scotland, for over forty years. They specialize in traditional Irish music of the same sort played by traditional Irish musicians on other instruments and they also teach music in the closely related Scottish style, as well as general music as appropriate for the pipes.
They have a proven ability to develop dedicated students from absolute beginners to pipers capable of playing a number of tunes on full sets of pipes within ten months. They also assist students who wish to revive previously abandoned piping dreams and they work with accomplished pipers who wish to broaden their musical horizons, especially relative to learning authentic traditional music not often available in pipe band settings.
To arrange lessons, please contact us by phone or text at 516-782-7494, by email at rlynch@pipinglessons.org, or via our website at www.pipinglessons.org.
Ceol na nGleannta – Music of the Glens – Course Descriptions:
Beginners: This course meets eight times on weekly basis, with some adjustment for holidays. Students who follow the lessons and course of practice set out by the instructor will, at the end of eight weeks, have mastered the basics of playing the “practice chanter”, the simple instrument used to learn fingering. They will learn the initial embellishments of pipe music, and they will even be able to play a number of simple pipe tunes. At the same time, they will be learning about the heritage of piping and traditional music and about the Celtic culture which produced this music. | Intermediate Beginners: This eight-week course follows on from the first Beginners course and may also appropriate for returning piping students (see “Dreamers”, below) whose previous piping plans had been interrupted). People taking this course continue to use the practice chanter to learn the embellishments which are such a big part of pipe music, and they increase their repertoire of piping tunes, in preparation for the next stage in their development as pipers: obtaining full sets of bagpipes. Our instructors are well equipped to help students at this stage obtain affordable sets of pipes without falling victim to expensive mistakes to which an unguided beginner might fall prey. | |
Advanced Beginners: This eight-week course follows on from the first two Beginners courses and is also appropriate for some returning piping students. People taking this course continue to use the practice chanter to learn advanced embellishments which are such a big part of pipe music, and they increase their repertoire of piping tunes. At the same time, they learn to blow a full set of pipes. At the end of this course students should be able to stand and play a full set of pipes, sounding the chanter without drones and playing few simple tunes. | Novice Pipers: Students at this stage will learn to play the drones as well as the chanter, thus playing a full set of pipes. They will transfer the tunes they have been learning on the practice and will learn how to play in ensemble and march with other pipers, drummers and other musicians. | |
Advanced Irish Piping: In our three Beginning courses, and in our Novice Pipers course, students receive a good grounding in traditional Irish and in other styles of piping. This Advanced Irish Piping course is designed for more advanced pipers who may not be familiar with traditional Irish music played on the pipes and/or who wish to increase their repertoire of Irish tunes beyond the usual simple parade tunes.
· Pipers who take this course learn arrangements for the “Big Pipes” of the same tunes traditional Irish musicians perform would also perform on the uilleann pipes and other instruments. |
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“Dreamers”
We are very good at assist students who wish to revive previously abandoned or frustrated piping dreams. If you had to postpone earlier plans to learn piping, or if your band does not have the time or personnel to make effective tuition available, we can help you. Note: We are not forming a new pipe band or seeking to “raid” bands for pipers; we simply wish to help people have a better experience piping with their own bands, on their own, or in small groups. First Responders, Service Organizations and Schools: Trying out for bands? We are also very good at helping pipers aspiring to join police, fire department, union or school bands make the grade and be accepted in those bands. We enjoy helping applicants learn the piping skills and tunes they’ll need. |
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For more information, please call or text 516-782-7494 www.pipinglessons.org |