Our Pipe Major, Dan Aird, gives bagpipe lessons with beginner classes typically starting annually the first Monday after Labor Day. Beginners will be given lessons for a year before graduating onto the intermediate classes that take place every Thursday.
Beginning bagpipe lessons (also known as Chanter Classes) are held Monday evenings from 7-9 PM at First Presbyterian Church in Moorhead (2900 5th St S, Moorhead, MN)
Beginning bagpipe students will learn to play on what is called a practice chanter. The practice chanter is used throughout a bagpiper's career for ease of learning fingerings. During the first year, students will work on notes and embellishments while learning some basic pipe tunes. When a chanter student is ready to progress to pipes, Heather and Thistle can loan the student a set of pipes.
After the first year, students are invited to join the Intermediate Class, which meets on Thursday nights and focuses on playing tunes on the bagpipes.
Once the student is comfortable with the instrument, they will be encouraged to attend Tuesday night band practice. Ultimately, the students will decide when they want to do this. They can then decide on whether or not to continue playing as a part of Heather and Thistle Pipes and Drums, or follow their own path.
This community is incredibly fortunate to be the benficiary of the talents of Pipe Major Dan Aird, who volunteers his time to teach the art of bagpiping. Beyond your intial costs listed below, lessons are free. Each student will need to purchase a practice chanter and the book "The College of Piping Highland Bagpipe Tutor." Practice chanters are $25 and the book with CD is $25. These are all available for purchase from the band. There is also a one-time registration fee of $50 for the class, for a total of $100 to get you started.
Students should also consider purchasing a metronome and a notebook to create your home practice schedule to track your progress. If you choose to continue with lessons, students will need to purchase a set of bagpipes. Band members are happy to share their knowledge of various brands of pipes and the vendors who sell them. If the student wishes to join Heather and Thistle, there are a few additional costs to cover parts of the band uniform.
The real cost, however, is your time and dedication. We are conditioned to want things quick and now, but this is not the case for learning a musical instrument. With time and patience and work, you too will be annoying your neighbors and getting kicked out of jam sessions in the future.
Drumming students, experienced or not, are welcome to attend Heather and Thistle's Tuesday night band practice at First Congregational United Church of Christ (1101 17th Ave S, Fargo ND), from 7-9 PM. Our drumming corps include snare, tenor and bass drums. Heather and Thistle provides all performance drums as well as lessons.
Snare drummers will need to purchase a drum pad and a metronome. The band will provide students with Doug Stronach's Pipe Band Snare Drum Tutor book and CD. Tenor drummers will need to purchase practice mallets for tabletop practice and a metronome. The band will provide students with "The Essential Foundations," an interactive tenor drumming tutor CD/DVD to teach drummers how to properly play the tenor drum along with flourishes.