Education - 2023/2024 Registration
Music
The College offers regular curricula in the Great Highland Bagpipe, Pipe Band Drumming, Intro to Dance, Acrobatic Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Broadway Style Tap and Step Dance.
The regular programming begins Monday September 11th and wraps the week of June 3rd, following the public school academic year and holidays. Students have a variety of options in how their curriculum will take shape, depending on their experience and aspirations. Many come for private sessions, many for group work; some come once a week, and others multiple times a week.
All regularly scheduled programs are goal-driven, with the student and instructor mutual partners in achieving excellence.
Weather cancellations will be listed on Ocean 100, Hot 105.5, CBC 96.1, Q93, CFCY 95.1, SPUD 102.1’s websites and on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Important dates for the 2023 – 2024 school year
- Sept 11/23 First day of classes
- Oct 2/ 23 Truth and Reconciliation day – Closed
- Oct 9/23 Thanksgiving – Closed
- Nov 11/23 Remembrance Day – Closed
- Dec 8/ 23 Last day of Classes for winter break
- Dec 10/23 Recital
- Dec 23/23 Closed at noon
- Dec 24/23 – Jan 1/24 Closed
- Jan 2/24 Opened at 9am
- Jan 8/24 Classes start
- Feb 19/24 Islander Day – Closed
- Mar 22 – 28/ 24 Break, no classes
- Apr 1- 10/24 Easter – Closed
- May 20/24 Victoria Day – Closed
- Jun 7/24 Last day of class
- Jun 8/24 Recital (4:30pm)
The College of Piping offers instruction in the Great Highland Bagpipe and snare drumming.
Bagpipes
The Great Highland Bagpipe has been played in Scotland since before the 1400s. In the 1800s and particularly the 1900s the instrument’s popularity has grown worldwide, with Canada and New Zealand being the leading countries in expertise outside Scotland. Students begin learning on a practice chanter to master the tricky fingering and embellishments before progressing to the full bagpipe.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Island Students
The College offers private and group lessons in Summerside and Charlottetown.
Qualified students may be eligible for the Doug and Debbie Hall Scholarship – see Awards and Scholarships for details. The standard and basic offering for students of piping eligible for the Doug and Debbie Hall Scholarship is a half-hour group lesson. These are offered weekly from September through June. Every effort is taken to keep the class sizes small so that each student gets as much individual attention as possible.
- $ 816 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1428 – 1 hour private lesson / week
2nd Lesson/Week – Hall Scholarship students
An additional half-hour session. This is highly recommended for first and second year students. In the earlier stages of development, continuity is key in building a solid foundation and is proven to get students on the bagpipes much quicker.
Tuition: $300.00
Online lessons
The College offers online private bagpipe lessons for students who are unable to come to The College due to geography or mobility. We currently teach students from all over the world! You will need a high speed internet connection and a webcam to access instruction from your instructor.
- $ 816 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1428 – 1 hour private lesson / week
Snare Drum
The snare drum has roots that go all the way back to medieval times – around the 1300s. Around the 1500-1600s, soldiers started using the drum to send signals to each other in the field. By the mid-1800s, snare drummers and bagpipers were playing in bands together, probably modelling themselves after the fife and drum bands which had existed in Switzerland since the 15th century. As pipe bands spread across the world, the music has evolved and borrowed from many other genres of music. Drummers begin learning with a practice pad and sticks to master many patterns and movements before graduating to the snare drum.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Island Students
The College offers private and group lessons in Summerside.
Qualified students may be eligible for the Doug and Debbie Hall Scholarship – see Awards and Scholarships for details. The standard and basic offering for students of snare drumming eligible for the Doug and Debbie Hall Scholarship is a half-hour group lesson. These are offered weekly from September through June. Every effort is taken to keep the class sizes small so that each student gets as much individual attention as possible.
- $ 816 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1428 – 1 hour private lesson / week
2nd Lesson/Week – Hall Scholarship students
An additional half-hour session. This is highly recommended for first and second year students. In the earlier stages of development, continuity is key in building a solid foundation and is proven to get students on the snare drum much quicker.
Tuition: $300.00
Online lessons
The College offers online private drumming lessons for students who are unable to come to The College due to geography or mobility. We currently teach students from all over the world! You will need a high speed internet connection and a webcam to access instruction from Chris Coleman.
- $ 816 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1428 – 1 hour private lesson / week
Dance
The College of Piping is thrilled to offer dance lessons in a variety of styles. Besides the traditional Celtic Style Step dance and Highland Dance, we also instruct Ballet, Acrobatic Dance, Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop.
Dance Company
The College of Piping is excited to announce our new competitive dance team. In order to participate in Dance Company, students must be registered in acro with the choice between jazz or ballet at the College of Piping. For more information on dance company and the auditioning process contact Samantha Lasher at samantha.lasher@collegeofpiping.com
Mini
Junior
Senior
Elite
A handbook will be provided outlining expectations including fundraising.
Introduction to Dance
Introduction to dance teaches children from ages 2-4 the beginning and basics of ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop. This allows the student to find which dance they connect to the most so in the next couple years it is easier to pick a certain type of dance.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Class: $442 – 1/2 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Acrobatic Dance
In order to take acro students must also take jazz or ballet. Jazz and ballet will teach students more terminology and help with strengthening and learning steps that will be placed between the Acrobatic movement/tricks.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Intro Acro
Will learn the basics on safety and how to fall out of tricks without injury. They will also learn the basics of a front and back roll, different types of cartwheels, bridges, body control and flexibility. There is usually no number in the winter recital as the first term is training and learning simple moves. Will participate in the June recital.
Class: $442 – 1/2 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Acro
Acro will be divided by skill level. The instructor will divide the class the first week of lessons and will notify the students/parents of class placement
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Ballet
Students will learn all types of a ballet ettie, from barre to centre work. Along with different counts and following music. Focusing on strengthening core and balance.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Intro Ballet
Class: $442 – 1/2 hour group class / week
Location: Summerside
Junior Ballet
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Highland Dance
Highland Dance is a style of competitive dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is often performed to the accompaniment of bagpipe music. The dancers wear shoes called ghillies. Highland dancing requires technique, strength and stamina.
The standard and basic offering for students of Highland Dancing are private and group lessons. These classes are offered weekly from September through June.
The instructor will be in contact regarding classes and scheduling. Tuition will vary depending on class placement.
Classes:
- $442 – ½ hour group lesson / week
- $612 – 1 hour group lesson / week
- $918 – 1 ½ hour group lesson / week
- $680 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1020 – 1 hour private lesson / week
Location:
Summerside, Monday
Charlottetown, Wednesday
Hip Hop
Upbeat style of dance, learning basic moves and expanding to break dancings and shuffling.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Intro
Class: $442 – 1/2 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Junior Hip Hop
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class / week
Location: Summerside
Intermediate Hip Hop
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class / week
Location: Summerside
Tap
Inspired by the Broadway movement. Students will learn proper terminology and proper footwork.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Junior Tap
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class / week
Location: Summerside
Jazz
This discipline introduces creative movement focused on jazz styles. Students will learn proper terminology and techniques to different types of music.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Intro Jazz
Students will learn the basics of counting, finding, and following music. Along with skips, gallops, positions, and basic turns.
Class: $442 – 1/2 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Junior Jazz
Focuses more on technique and follows with movement. Students will learn different types of counts, new turns, and more complex moves, with more jumps and leaps. Students will also be looking into improve and creating their own movements.
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class/week
Location: Summerside
Intermediate Jazz
Ages 13 and up will have exercises throughout the whole class to different counts to enhance technique. Learning new dances every couple of weeks to enhance learning and prepare for auditions. More complex, flexibility, turns, leaps, and more.
Class: $612 – 1 hour group class / week
Location: Summerside
Step Dance
Canadian Step Dancing involves fast dancing to fiddle music using shoes with metal taps. This style of dance is unique, stemming from European origins. Step dancing often involves relaxed upper body posture compared to older step dance styles.
The standard and basic offering for students of Step Dancing are private and group lessons. These are offered in half hour or hour sessions, depending on the age and experience of the dancer. These classes are offered weekly from September through June.
September 11th, 2023 to June 7th, 2024
Beginner / Novice
- $442 – ½ hour group lesson / week
- $612 – 1 hour group lesson / week
- $918 – 1 ½ hour group lesson / week
- $680 – ½ hour private lesson / week
- $1020 – 1 hour private lesson / week
Advanced
- $612 – 1 hour group class / week
- $918 – 1 ½ hour group class / week
- $1020 – 1 hour private class / week
Adult
- $442 – ½ hour group class / week