Summer School 2009 has been deemed “a success” by students and teachers who attended.

For one week, piping and drumming enthusiasts converged on Christchurch Boys High School to learn their trade from piping and drumming supremos Jack Lee, Reid Maxwell and Kathryn Tawse. Said one student, “I learnt more in a week than I have learnt in my whole time as a piper”. “Summer School gave me an opportunity to develop not only my playing, but my tuning ear. I can tune my own chanter now, and I never could before. I feel a lot more confident about going out and competing”.

Not only did the pipers learn huge amounts, but the drummers, under the instruction of Reid Maxwell and Kathryn Tawse had the leaders of the current world champion drum corp, Simon Fraser University, helping them out. “It was amazing to talk to Reid and see how he leads and works a drum corp. Insipiring stuff”.

The ever-popular tutors concert was moved to the Sunday night, with a good turn out to see all the tutors perform to their students and local enthusiasts alike. Thursday night saw the students give their own performance, and demonstrated all the tunes they had learnt, with professionalism and pride. Scott Marshall (John McGlashan College Pipe Band) won the tune contest with a fantastic 6/8 march named “Willie Wallie”.

“Summer School, for me, was an absolute success. I learnt so much and am greatful to all the tutors and administrators involved with it. It is certainly an event on the pipe band calendar not to be missed – the people you meet, the skills you learn, and enhancing your playing all in a week is what a successful pipe banding event surely should be about, and Summer School 2009 surely delivered that.”